Dawn Run (1978–1986) was an Irish
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
and the most successful mare in the history of
National Hunt racing
National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, horse racing in Great Britain, Great Britain and horse racing in Ireland, Ireland. Jump Racin ...
. She won the
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...
at the
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Race ...
in 1984 and the
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...
over fences at the festival in 1986. Dawn Run was the only racehorse ever to complete the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double. She was only the second mare to win the Champion Hurdle (and one of only four to win it in total) and one of only four who have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup. She was the only horse ever to complete the English, Irish and French Champion Hurdle treble. With a
Timeform
Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by th ...
rating of 173, she is the highest-ranked mare ever to appear over jumps.
Background
A daughter of the highly successful National Hunt sire Deep Run, Dawn Run was bought for 5,800 guineas and trained by
Paddy Mullins
Paddy Mullins (28 January 1919 – 28 October 2010) was an Irish racehorse trainer in a career which spanned fifty two years.
Training career
His first winner was Flash Parade, which won the 1953 La Touche at Punchestown. Although he was predomi ...
in Ireland.
Racing career
Flat and Hurdle races
She started her career at the age of four, running in flat races at provincial courses. She was ridden in her first three races by her 62-year-old owner, Charmian Hill. After completing a hat-trick of wins on the flat, she set out on her hurdling career and progressed through the ranks to become champion novice hurdler in Britain and Ireland.
In her second season, she won eight of her nine races, including the English Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, the
Irish Champion Hurdle at
Leopardstown
Leopardstown (), historically called Ballinlore, is a suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. With institutional lands and a large racecourse, it is divided by the M50 motorway (Ireland), M50 motorw ...
, both over two miles, and the French Champion Hurdle (
Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil) at
Auteuil over three miles, becoming the first horse to complete the treble. Her other big victories that season included the
Christmas Hurdle
The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 m ...
(2 miles) at Kempton, in which she beat the reigning Champion Hurdler Gaye Brief by a neck after a duel up the home stretch, the
Sandemans Hurdle at
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a horse racing, racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England, near to Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase, which takes place annually in April over three da ...
(2 miles 5½ furlongs), which she won in a canter by fifteen lengths, and the Prix La Barka at Auteuil.
Steeplechases
She turned to
steeplechasing but was injured after winning her first race and was out of action for the rest of the season. She made a successful return in December 1985 by winning the Durkan Brothers Chase at
Punchestown
Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish Nationa ...
by eight lengths. She followed up by beating the subsequent two-mile champion chaser Buck House over two and a half miles at Leopardstown later the same month despite making a bad mistake at the last fence. She was a hot favourite to win that season's
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...
, despite the fact that no horse had ever completed the
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...
and Gold Cup double, that she was still virtually a novice over fences and that the three and a quarter mile trip of the Gold Cup over the stiff Cheltenham course was further than she had ever run before. In January 1986, she was given a prep race at
Cheltenham
Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...
which she was expected to win easily. Her usual jockey, Tony Mullins, the son of the trainer, was on board. As usual, she set out to make all the running but her inexperience showed as she made a mistake on the back straight and unshipped her jockey. Mullins got back up on board and finished the course, last of the four runners. It was an unsatisfactory preparation for the
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...
, but it was decided to let her take her chance.
Controversially, and against the wishes of the trainer, Tony Mullins was replaced for the race by top jockey
Jonjo O'Neill. He set the hot favourite out in front to make the running, but she was harried throughout the first circuit by
Run and Skip. Unsettled by the attention, Dawn Run made a bad mistake at the water jump and lost two lengths. She won back the lead at the next fence but made another bad mistake at the last ditch. At this stage, there were only four horses in contention: Dawn Run, Run and Skip, the previous year's Gold Cup winner Forgive 'n Forget, and
Wayward Lad, who had won the
King George VI Chase three times. As Dawn Run led the field into the straight with just two fences and the uphill finish ahead of them, Wayward Lad and Forgive 'n Forget swept past the mare. O'Neill drove her up to the second last and landed in front. Wayward Lad regained the lead coming to the last fence, pressed by Forgive 'n Forget with Dawn Run struggling in third. About a hundred yards out, Wayward Lad began to hang to the left as his stamina started to give out. O'Neill switched Dawn Run to the outside and they raced past Forgive 'n Forget and cut into Wayward Lad's lead. Yards from the finish, they caught him and passed the gelding three-quarters of a length ahead in record time. A huge crowd invaded the winners' enclosure to join in the celebrations.
In her next race at Aintree, Dawn Run failed to get past the first fence, but followed up by again beating Buck House in a specially arranged match over two miles at the
Punchestown Festival. The decision was then made by her owner to send her back to France to try to repeat her 1984 win in the
Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil (French Champion Hurdle), with French jockey Michel Chirol on board. She fell while going well at a hurdle on the back straight and, having broken her neck, never got up.
Dawn Run
Jonjo O'Neill Racing The horse's death at age eight, while barely into her prime as a steeplechaser, was mourned by the racing public, including being reported on the front page of the following day's ''Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...
''. Her statue adorns the parade ring at Cheltenham, opposite that of Arkle
Arkle (19 April 1957 – 31 May 1970) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, Arkle was the grandson of the unbeaten Flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred by Mary Baker of Mal ...
.
Pedigree
See also
* List of racehorses
This list includes racehorses that exist in the historical record.
Racehorses
For competition horses, such as show jumping, show jumpers and dressage, dressage horses, see .
A
* Ace Impact: Undefeated winner of the 2023 Prix de l'Arc de Tri ...
References
{{Cheltenham Gold Cup winners
1978 racehorse births
1986 racehorse deaths
Cheltenham Festival winners
Champion Hurdle winners
Cheltenham Gold Cup winners
Racehorses trained in Ireland
Racehorses bred in Ireland
National Hunt racehorses
Thoroughbred family 6-f