Looking Back 13) Well Chief

   Well Chief (photo courtesy of Bill Selwyn)

Probably my favourite race of all time is the 2004 Tingle Creek at Sandown.  Well Chief is one of my all-time favourite horses at Pond House and  although he only finished third this day it was a fantastic race where three top class horses fought out a tremendous finish.  This was in a Golden Era for two mile chasers with Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Well Chief fighting out all the championship two mile races.  Watching back these races just sends a shiver through my spine.  It is not very often in racing that all the best horses in a division are around at the same time, but this was certainly one of those periods.   

Well Chief was a popular chestnut who was one of the best, if not the best horse we have ever had at Pond House.  He ran 32 times, won 12 races and was placed a further 12 times and these were not just any races.  He won the 2004 Arkle beating subsequent Gold Cup winner Kicking King by 1 length on only his second start over fences.  He was runner up three times at the Cheltenham Festival in the Triumph hurdle and then twice in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. 

He won two races on the flat in Germany before being bought by David Johnson through agent Graham Bradley.  He won his debut hurdle race in this country at Taunton and then went on to win a further two hurdle races, the Elite hurdle at Wincanton and the Adonis hurdle at Kempton.

He scaled even greater heights as a chaser.  After his win in the Arkle he won the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices Chase at Aintree.  Other notable successes included carrying top weight to victory in the Victor Chandler chase when giving over a stone to all of his rivals.  The Celebration Chase at Sandown, the Game Spirit at Newbury and the Connaught Chase at Sandown which was his final success in November 2009 are also on his roll of honour.  This is not to mention his numerous placed efforts in all the top races.  One of the most memorable which I have already mentioned was his third place in the 2009 Tingle Creek when he did tremendous battle with the great Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop all the way up the Sandown hill.  All three were covered by less than 1½ lengths at the line.

All of his achievements were despite well-documented injury problems in which is legs have been described as ‘like glass’.  It meant he was off the track for large periods of time and it makes his achievements even greater and only heightens the respect and love for this talented horse who was guided through his career by both Martin and latterly David.  He amassed more than £631,000 in prize money in a career which spanned eight years.  He truly was a remarkable horse on the racecourse if not a slightly quirky ride at home!  He was extremely kind natured and loved by everyone at Pond House.

Sadly Well Chief passed away in 2017 at the age of 18.  He had been enjoying retirement with Timmy Murphy and another old Pond House favourite Vodka Bleu since he left the yard but unfortunately suffered a from a bout of colic from which he could not be saved.

Watch him win the 2004 Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_xUIe6M2NM

Watch him win the 2004 Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJCIg1t0Lvk

Watch the finish of the 2004 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17P9ipuJwSY