Lord Windermere
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Lord Windermere (foaled 11 March 2006) is 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 ...
who competed in
National Hunt 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, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ...
racing. He was a successful steeplechaser, winning the
RSA Chase The Brown Advisory Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Steeplechase (horse racing), chase in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged five years or older. ...
in 2013 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 ...
in 2014.


Background

Lord Windermere is a bay gelding with a white blaze and three white
socks A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...
bred in Ireland by Edmond Coleman. He was sired by Oscar, a horse who finished second to
Peintre Celebre Peintre Celebre (17 March 1994 – 19 October 2018) was an American-bred, French-trained champion thoroughbred racehorse. He won the French Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1997. Background Peintre Celebre was bred and owned by busi ...
in the
Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...
before becoming a leading sire of National Hunt horses. His other major winners have included
Big Zeb Big Zeb (foaled 13 May 2001) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing and was best known for his performances in steeplechases over the minimum distance of two miles. He was slow to mature and made little ...
(
Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...
), Rock On Ruby (
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 ...
), Oscar Whisky (
Aintree Hurdle The Aintree 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 Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs ( ...
), Peddlers Cross (
Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (currently known as the Turners Novices' Hurdle for sponsorship reasons) is a Grade 1 National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form ...
), Black Jack Ketchum (
Sefton Novices' Hurdle The Sefton Novices' 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 Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and hal ...
) and At Fishers Cross (
Spa Novices' Hurdle The Spa Novices' Hurdle, known for sponsorship purposes as the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is ru ...
). Lord Windermere's name is a reference to the
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
play
Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband is ...
. His dam, Satellite Dancer, showed no signs of racing ability when being well beaten in all three of her races in 1999. As a descendant of the broodmare Nantua, she was distantly related to the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
winner Nikellora. As a colt foal, Lord Windermere was sent to the
Tattersalls Tattersalls (formerly Tattersall's) is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Founding It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall (1724–1795), who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. ...
Ireland in November 2006 and was bought for €30,000 by the
County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...
-based Kennycourt Stud. As a three-year-old
gelding A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...
, Lord Windermere was offered for sale at Tattersalls Ireland in June and at
Doncaster Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...
in August, but failed to find a buyer. In December 2010, the gelding was offered for sale for the fourth time when he was sent to the Cheltenham Breeze-Up sale and was bought for £75,000 by the trainer and former jockey
Jim Culloty Jim Culloty is a racehorse trainer and retired professional National Hunt jockey who won both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season. Culloty and Mick Fitzgerald both worked for Jackie Retter, who trained at Whitstone, nea ...
. The horse entered the ownership of Ronan Lambe and was sent into training with Culloty at
Mallow, County Cork Mallow (; ) is a town in County Cork, Ireland, approximately thirty-five kilometres north of Cork (city), Cork City. Mallow is in a townland and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of the same name, in the Fermoy (barony), barony of Fermoy. ...
.


Racing career


2011/2012 National Hunt season: Novice hurdles

Lord Windermere began his racing career in
novice A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience. Religion Buddhism ...
hurdle races and was ridden in all of his races in the 2011/2012 National Hunt season by Tom Doyle. When Doyle rode the horse for the first time he told Culloty "this is the one you've been waiting for". He made an inauspicious debut, falling at the fourth hurdle when starting a 28/1 outsider at
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
. He was little better fancied when he reappeared at
Thurles Racecourse Thurles Racecourse is a horse racing venue in the town of Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland which stages National Hunt racing. History The first recorded race meeting at Thurles occurred in 1732, as noted in a Trinity College document called ...
on 17 November, but recorded his first success, beating Golanbrook by six lengths at odds of 25/1. He was moved up in class in December for a Listed race 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 ...
and prevailed by a head from the favourite Dylan Ross. In the Grade I
Deloitte Novice Hurdle The Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 met ...
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 ...
in February he started at odds of 10/1 and finished fourth behind Benefficient. Lord Windermere returned to winning form at
Naas Naas ( ; or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge, County Kildare, Newbridge) and the List of urban ar ...
in March, beating the four-year-old Ballynacree by three lengths over two miles. On his last appearance of the season, the gelding made little impact in a Grade II event over two and a half miles at
Fairyhouse Fairyhouse Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Ireland. It is situated in the parish of Ratoath in County Meath, on the R155 regional road, off the N3. It hosted its first race in 1848 and since 1870 has been the home of the Irish Grand ...
in April, finishing eighth behind the Jessica Harrington-trained Jenari.


2012/2013 National Hunt season: Novice chases

Tom Doyle kept the ride in the following season, when Lord Windermere was campaigned in novice steeplechases. He made his debut over the larger obstacles on 11 November when he finished second to Dylan Ross at
Navan Racecourse Navan Racecourse is a horse racing venue at Proudstown near Navan, County Meath, Ireland, approximately 48 kilometres from Dublin. The course stages Flat racing but is best known for National Hunt racing. Navan Racecourse is owned by Horse Racin ...
. He then finished second to Mikael d'Haguenet at Punchestown on 9 December and then won his first chase three weeks later at Leopardstown, beating the
Willie Mullins William Peter Mullins (born 15 September 1956) is an Irish racehorse horse trainer, trainer and former jockey. He is a nineteen-time List of Irish National Hunt races, Irish National Hunt Champion trainer. Mullins is the most successful traine ...
-trained Marasonnien by two lengths. When moved up in class he finished second to Texas Jack in a Grade II event at Leopardstown on 26 January and third behind Boston Bob in the Grade I Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase at the same course two weeks later. 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 ...
on 13 March, Lord Windermere started at odds of 8/1 for the Grade I RSA Chase over three miles in which he was ridden for the first time by
Davy Russell David Niall Russell (born 27 June 1979) is an Irish retired National Hunt jockey. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won the Grand National (twice), the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris. Childho ...
. He was restrained at the rear of the field before beginning to make progress four fences from the finish. He made a jumping error at the next obstacle before moving up to second when Boston Bob fell at the second last. He took the lead 150
yards The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3  feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly ...
from the finish and won by one and three quarter lengths from Lyreen Legend. After the race, Culloty said "we knew this horse would like Cheltenham and it's all paid off. I fancied him like mad – I thought he'd love the ground here


2013/2014 National Hunt season

Lord Windermere began his third season in the
Hennessy Gold Cup /Ladbrokes Trophy The Coral Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is ...
at
Newbury Racecourse Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury, Berkshire, Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's List of ...
in England in which he was assigned a weight of 162 pounds. Ridden by Dougie Costello, he was never able to reach the leaders and finished eighth of the sixteen finishers behind the
Nicky Henderson Nicholas John Henderson (born 10 December 1950) is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer six times. Background His father was Johnny Henderson who was one of the founders of the Racecourse Holdings Tr ...
-trained Triolo d'Alene. Costello again took the ride when Lord Windermere finished seventh behind
Bobs Worth Bobs Worth (21 May 2005 – 20 January 2022) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle in 2011, the RSA Chase in 2012 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2013 at the Cheltenham Festival, ...
in the
Lexus Chase The Savills Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and ...
at Leopardstown in December. Russell reclaimed the ride when the gelding started at odds of 6/1 for the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup on 9 February. Lord Windermere briefly disputed second place before finishing sixth behind Last Instalment. On 14 March, Lord Windermere started a 20/1 outsider for the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup in a field which included Bobs Worth, Triolo d'Alene and Last Instalment. The race was run later than scheduled after several jockeys (including
Ruby Walsh Rupert "Ruby" Walsh (born 14 May 1979) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen. Widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt racing, National Hunt ...
and
Daryl Jacob Daryl Jacob (born 25 August 1983) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey, who rode 31 Grade 1 winners and won the 2012 Grand National on Neptune Collonges. Based in Britain from 2003, he was attached to the yard of Paul Nicholls from 2011 ...
) were injured in earlier races and was further delayed by two false starts. After racing in last place for most of the way, Lord Windermere began to make progress after the fourth last, but was still in eighth place turning into the straight. He jumped the last in fourth behind Silviniaco Conti, Bobs Worth and On His Own. On the run-in Silviniaco Conti and Bobs Worth, racing on the inside, were unable to make further progress and the race for first place turned into a struggle between Lord Windermere, On His Own and The Giant Bolster all of whom drifted to the right side of the course. In a finish described as "dramatic" and "controversial", Lord Windermere prevailed by a short head from On His Own, with The Giant Bolster three quarters of a length back in third. The racecourse stewards held an inquiry into possible interference between the first three finishers, but allowed the result to stand. Jim Culloty, who had won the race three times as a jockey on
Best Mate Best Mate (28 January 1995 – 1 November 2005) was an Irish-bred, English-trained racehorse and three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was a popular horse, and his sudden death while racing made front-page news. Background Best ...
said "Halfway round I was going to sack the jockey! He's not moved a muscle and he's come from nowhere. It's a dream – I'll wake up in a minute". Russell, who had earlier won the
Triumph Hurdle The Triumph Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and ...
on Tiger Roll said "I can't believe it, I was never on the bridle. I was never in the race, the whole field was in front of me for the whole race, I had to sit and suffer the whole way. I didn't use any petrol, I went around the inside and he jumped great. The whole way round I was hunting, I thought the race had gone. I was on the best horse in the race. He was very idle, like he was last year". He also admitted "I honestly thought on the first circuit that I could be pulling him up and keeping him OK for Punchestown. We managed to keep him going though and, all of a sudden, I knew I had a lot of horse under me. I thought I had a squeak jumping the first fence on the second circuit and then, at the top of the hill, I knew we were in with a chance. He's jumped super. If you leave him alone, he has more confidence, so I didn’t want to do anything for show. He's a confidence horse, so I didn’t want to pick my stick up". David Casey, who took the ride on On My Own after Ruby Walsh's injury, said that "with a straight run, I would have won the race".


2014/2015 National Hunt season

On his first appearance of the new season, Lord Windermere was brought back in distance for the
John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase The John Durkan Memorial Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland. It is run over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs {2 miles 4 furlongs and 40 yards, or 4,060 metres) at P ...
over two and a half miles on 7 December. He was held up as usual before finishing well to take third behind Don Cossack and Boston Bob. He started 5/1 third favourite for the Lexus Chase three weeks later, but finished seventh behind Road To Riches . In the Hennessy Gold Cup in February, he took the lead approaching the second last but was overtaken at the final obstacle and finished third behind Carlingford Lough and Foxrock. In March Lord Windermere returned to Cheltenham to defend the Gold Cup and started a 20/1 outsider. As in 2014, he dropped to last on the first circuit but on this occasion he failed to make any late progress and was pulled up by Russell at the second last. The horse's owner was unhappy with Davy Russell's performance and insisted that he should not ride Lord Windermere again. Robbie McNamara was booked to ride the horse in the
Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...
but after being injured in a fall at
Wexford Racecourse Wexford Racecourse is a horse racing venue in the town of Wexford, Ireland which stages National Hunt racing. The earliest record of racing in the area is in the 1870s. The course formerly staged Flat racing Horse racing is an equestri ...
he was replaced by Brian O'Connell. Lord Windermere was pulled up before the second Valentine's Brook in the subsequent Grand National. His final race was a handicap chase at Punchestown, where he finished tenth of nineteen runners. In retirement, Lord Windermere became a living legend at
The National Stud The National Stud is a Thoroughbred stud farm in Newmarket which is owned by the Jockey Club. As well as commercial breeding services, it undertakes education and training activities and allows the public to visit the working stud on organised ...
in Newmarket, where he shares a paddock with former sprinter The Tin Man.


Pedigree


References


External links


Racing Post Profile


– ''Lord Windermere'' {{Cheltenham Gold Cup winners 2006 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in Ireland Cheltenham Festival winners Thoroughbred family 4-h Cheltenham Gold Cup winners