Looking Back 10) Gloria Victis

                  Gloria Victis

Gloria Victis was a French bred gelding by Shafoun out of a mare called Trieste, born in 1994 and bought by owner Terry Neill as a five year old.  He was trained in France by a small trainer called S Hamon and was lightly raced.  His first ever run was on the flat at Maisons-Laffitte on 1^st March 1998 and he finished a modest tenth of 16.  He then had three starts over hurdles where he did okay and finished second once but nothing spectacular and then two starts over fences and he finished third on both occasions.  He was bought as he a super looking and moving horse with potential for significant improvement through French agent Hubert Barbe.

He arrived at Pond House in the summer of 1999 and although he only had a handful of starts for MCP he showed top class form in Britain before he tragically suffered a fatal fall in the 2000 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He made a winning start in England at Newbury on 27^th November 1999.  He won a 2m4f novice chase by fourteen lengths with A P McCoy in the saddle, making all and jumping well.  He was back in action just seven days later when upped in grade and dropped in distance for the Henry VIII Novices chase at Sandown.  He finished third and did best of those who helped set a very strong pace.

It was in his next two races, when stepped up in trip that we saw him at his best.  He tackled three miles for the first time at Kempton over Christmas in the Feltham Novices chase.  It was a brilliant display of jumping that day and he beat Zafarabad by 18 lengths.  His next outing was back at Kempton in February when he put up an almighty performance under Richard Johnson in the Racing Post handicap chase.  Still only a relatively inexperienced novice he tackled a strong field of handicappers.  It was another superb round of jumping and he put in a breath taking display to beat Malborough by ten lengths.  He carried 11st 10lb to victory keeping up a strong pace throughout, the Racing Post comments from that day read “led after 1^st, clear 4^th, jumped boldly, stayed on well from 3 out, impressive”.

His two victories at Kempton had shown him to be and exceptional novice and he was next tasked with becoming the youngest Cheltenham Gold Cup winner ever.  He was still in with every chance, albeit narrowly headed when sadly he suffered a fatal fall at the second last fence.  His loss hit the Pond House team hard and robbed racing of an outstanding young horse.

We received many letters and faxes of condolence after this and we fondly remember his courage and enthusiasm and extraordinary display at Kempton in the Racing Post Chase.

He won three of ten starts in his short career, achieving a rating of 166.  He was also placed on four occasions and won over £80,000 in prize money.

You can watch his win in the 1999 Feltham Novices Chase by clicking on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmX_LUqFsLU

You can watch his amazing win in the 2000 Racing Post Chase by clicking on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiX01yuSouM

You can also listened to an old interview by A P McCoy talking about Gloria Victis by following the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT6FLppRHik