Essayer OR - Gratuit
Battaash the brave
Horse & Hound
|August 27, 2020
Unbeaten this season, a speed merchant digs deep to victory and girl power wins through for filly Love

Yorkshire Ebor Festival, York Racecourse, Yorks
THE Ebor meeting at York may not have had the superstar staples Enable and Stradivarius this year, but it boasted the three other strongest candidates for Horse of the Year; Ghaiyyath, Love and the fastest thing on four legs, Battaash.
It is a job to know whether to give most prominence to Ghaiyyath’s front-running style or the, as yet, untapped potential of Love – a filly who has now won her three Group Ones this season by an aggregate of nearly 20 lengths and without challenge.
However, it was Battaash, winner of his second Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, 21 August, who showed us a different side to his character. Normally he has so much speed he puts his races to bed by halfway. But the conditions were all against him on the Knavesmire and – still a length down on filly Que Amoro – with a furlong left to run, Jim Crowley had to persuade Battaash to knuckle down in the rain-softened ground, usually an anathema to speed.
Brilliance is not always a full brother to fighting qualities and, while it might have taken Battaash a long time to mature mentally, the six-year-old stuck his head down, fighting like a lion to get past Michael Dods’ filly to win by a length. He remains unbeaten in three starts of this truncated summer.
However, “the moment” for me was in the paddock before the race. Battaash’s lad, Bob Grace, walks with a slight limp but the horse strolls at Bob’s pace (with most sprinters it is vice versa) and looks down at his lad with almost paternal concern.
Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition August 27, 2020 de Horse & Hound.
Abonnez-vous à Magzter GOLD pour accéder à des milliers d'histoires premium sélectionnées et à plus de 9 000 magazines et journaux.
Déjà abonné ? Se connecter
PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE Horse & Hound

Horse & Hound
The appliance of science
How can science help reduce the risk of fractures in racing, and in turn societal concerns about horses in sport?
6 mins
October 02, 2025
Horse & Hound
LUCKY CLOVER STRIKES AGAIN
MONSTEAD course specialists Pippa Warren and Clovers Reward chalked up their first BE90 win when they romped home in front in section A.
1 mins
October 02, 2025
Horse & Hound
Peaky Blinder steps up in style
From debut wins to emotional salutes, this week delivers rising stars, loyal partnerships and eye-catching comebacks
3 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
'Beyond expectations'
The country's best producers and breeders will showcase some exceptional young horses in next week's HOYS finals.
4 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
'Incredible' Augustus reigns with world title
A teenage rider and a home-bred, who suffered an accident as a youngster, shine in an unforgettable week for Ireland
3 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
Smith's sweet Melody
A Valentine's gift proves a treasure, it's third time lucky for a Welsh section A and a senior Arabian is London-bound
2 mins
October 02, 2025
Horse & Hound
It's like driving a Ferrari
A former five- star campaigner dances in the rain before bad weather stops play
3 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
Tools to change our behaviour to make horses' lives better
The RSPCA hopes its new tools will not “educate” owners, but help them look at equine welfare differently
2 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
‘The right riders got the medals’
Andrew Nicholson reflects on an exciting European Championships
3 mins
October 02, 2025

Horse & Hound
Horse buyers and sellers warned of unintended phone contracts
A High Court case shows that even WhatsApp or text messages can count as contracts in horse sales
2 mins
October 02, 2025
Translate
Change font size