Further Flight (3 May 1986 – July 2001) was an Irish-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the

Jockey Club Cup A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

for five successive years. In a career which lasted from October 1988 until October 1998, he ran seventy times and won twenty-four races. In 1995, Further Flight was voted European Champion Older Horse at the

Cartier Racing Awards The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races (40%) plus the votes cast by British racing journalists (30%) and readers of th ...

. He is the only horse to win the same European

Group race Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomp ...

five times.

Background

Further Flight was foaled in Ireland in 1986, sired by the

Prix du Moulin de Longchamp The Prix du Moulin de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is s ...

winner Pharly out of the

Cambridgeshire Handicap The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 fur ...

winner Flying Nelly, from whom he inherited his grey coat. He became a favourite of the British racing public, competing in and winning long-distance events in a career that lasted from 1988 to 1998. He was trained throughout his career by Barry Hills and ridden in 64 of his 70 starts by Michael Hills.

Racing career

Further Flight did not appear on the racecourse until the autumn of 1988 when he ran down the field in a minor event at Chepstow. As a three-year-old he ran four times, winning once at Ayr. As a four-year-old he emerged as a top-class staying handicapper winning four races including the

Ebor Handicap The Ebor Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 5 furlongs and 188 yards (2,787 metres). It i ...

and finishing second in the

Cesarewitch Handicap The Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs (3,621 met ...

in which he attempted to give seventeen pounds to the winner. In 1991 he won five of his eight races starting with two handicaps before moving up to Group class to win the Goodwood Cup, St Simon Stakes and his first Jockey Club Cup. He also finished first in the

Prix Kergorlay The Prix Kergorlay is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 3,000 metres (about miles), and it is scheduled to ...

but lost the race after a Steward's Inquiry. In 1992, he was at his peak. A run of four consecutive Group race wins saw him add wins in the Doncaster Cup and Lonsdale Stakes to repeat victories in the Goodwood Cup and Jockey Club Cup. As a seven-year-old in 1993 he captured a second Lonsdale Stakes and a third Jockey Club Cup. 1994 brought a fourth Jockey Club Cup and a win in a listed event at Newmarket. By 1995, it was clear that his very best days were behind him, but wins at Haydock and Doncaster were followed by a fifth victory in the Jockey Club Cup. Further Flight continued to race for another three seasons, winning once in each of them, and putting in a number of good placed efforts, including a third place as an eleven-year-old in the 1997 Jockey Club Cup.

Retirement

Further Flight was retired in 1998. As a gelding, he had no stud career but had an active retirement at the home of his former jockey Michael Hills. He died after suffering a paddock injury to his hind leg in July 2001.

Assessment

Further Flight was named Top Older Horse in the 1995

. Since 1999 the

Further Flight Stakes The Barry Hills Further Flight Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Nottingham over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (), and it i ...

, named in his honour, has been run at

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

in April over 1 mile and 6 furlongs. The race has held Listed status since 2003. His longevity and consistency, combined with his distinctive racing style and easily recognisable grey coat made him a popular favourite. On his retirement Barry Hills said, "You could live a lifetime and never have a horse like him again".

Pedigree

References

{{Cartier Champion Older Horse 1986 racehorse births 2001 racehorse deaths Cartier Award winners Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Racehorses bred in Ireland Thoroughbred family 3-n