Horses for Sale

   Tuxedo Junction (GB) 


Exciting dual purpose prospect,
click here for details!

 

    Fighter Allen (FR)  


Exciting new horse with proven form, 
click here for details!

 

 


                   Celestial Gold
        Photo Courtesy of Ed Whittaker

Back to more recent times but another fantastic horse for Pond house who ran in the blue and green colours of David Johnson.  Celestial Gold was a 1998 born brown gelding by Persian Mews and his dam was What A Queen.  He had one run in an Irish point to point and finished second at Dromahane with J T McNamara on board in April 2002.

He came over to England that summer and joined David’s point to point yard for the 2002/3 season as at that time David was training point to pointers from Purchase Farm.  He made his British debut at Larkhill in January 2003 and finished second.  He then headed to Cornwall and ran at Wadebridge in February and was the impressive winner of his Maiden.  A further two easy wins followed that season at Buckfastleigh and Bishops Court.  Ashley Farrant was on board for all of his point to point starts in this country.

A career under rules then beckoned.  He moved to Pond House and began his rules career by winning a novice chase at Towcester in November 2003 with Jamie Moore in the saddle.  Things did not quite go to plan in two subsequent starts with AP on board and he ran quite badly in fact!  After a little break he headed for the four mile Amateur riders National Hunt Novices Chase at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival with Ashley Farrant back on top.  He was sent off at 33/1 after two disappointing efforts but bounced right back to form to finish a very close second behind Native Emperor.  He finished that season off by coming back to Cheltenham for their April meeting and winning a novice chase.

He then went out for his summer holidays and returned for what was to be an amazing autumn.  He was pitched into the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November off a mark of 136.  Timmy Murphy was David Johnson’s retained rider by this time and he was on board for the first time.  I remember this day well as it was a Saturday afternoon and I had just finished playing a hockey match.  I can’t actually remember if I won or lost the hockey but I do remember sitting in my car before I joined the others for after match teas and listening to the race commentary!  This was before smart phones so I could not watch it!  None of my team mates were particularly interested in racing but I did tell them all we had just won the big race at Cheltenham!  He beat Thisthatandtother by 1 ¾ lengths staying on strongly up the hill.

It was then to Newbury for the Hennessy later that month under a penalty.  He made steady headway having been held up in rear and challenged at the last before leading and holding on well to beat the very talented Ollie Magern and Royal Auclair.  It was a remarkable double and he was only the third horse to ever do it at that time and I am not sure if there have been any since?

He returned to Newbury for the AON chase in February, a Grade 2 contest and finished a close third.  He then ran in the 2005 Gold Cup and finished seventh behind Kicking King.  Absent then for exactly twelve months his comeback run was in the 2006 Gold Cup!  Unfortunately he unseated Timmy Murphy this day at the tenth fence after being quite exuberant!

After Cheltenham it was to Aintree for the Betfair Bowl and another terrific win in the Grade 2 chase.  He beat Take a Stand by seven lengths.  Injuries were once again prevalent after this and he was not seen on the racecourse again until January 2008 where he was tried back novice hurdling as he in fact had never ran in a hurdle race!  He was pulled up this day, was well beaten in the AON chase and then pulled up in the Gold Cup after this.  He did have a few more runs but it was clear that he was sadly not the horse of old and he was retired at the age of ten in October 2008.

A difficult ride at home he was certainly a character, but a very talented one.  Unfortunately injuries played a large part in his career and meant we probably never quite got to see how good he could have been.  David Johnson gifted him to the Moorcroft racing charity for his retirement but unfortunately he was put down at the age of 12 after he was found to have cancer and his health deteriorated.

Rated 160 at best he won eight races from 23 starts under rules and in point to points and was placed a further five times winning nearly £260,000 in prize money.