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!

 

 

 
                    Riverside Boy

Riverside was another star for Pond House in the 90’s.  He was a 1983 born chestnut gelding by the sire Funny Man and his dam was Tamorina.  His first appearance on a racecourse was at Cheltenham in April 1988 in a Bumper where he finished second of 23 runners, keeping on at the finish to be only beaten 1.5 lengths. He suffered a tendon injury after this and was not seen back on the racecourse until he was an eight year old in 1991.

 The lengthy absence in his early days makes his career even more remarkable to achieve what he did.  It wasn’t all plane sailing on his return to the track on New Year’s Day in 1991 either.  He won a 2m4f novices hurdle but he caused interference on the run in and was disqualified and placed third.  It did not take him long to make amends and he did it in style with four straight victories in a row.  His first win was at Wolverhampton making all with Martin Foster in the saddle.  After this he followed up at Kempton, Sandown and Bangor and finished that season finishing second at Chepstow.

He was off the track then for another 10 months returning to action at Leicester in a novice chase in February 1992.  He finished runner up that day but went one place better next time out, winning at Chepstow very easily by 10 lengths.  His next intended outing after this was at Uttoxeter in April but he actually broke loose on saddling and galloped three miles so was withdrawn before the start!  He actually headed off into Uttoxeter town centre with jockey Martin Foster chasing him on a bicycle but thankfully all is well that ends well!! He travelled across the Irish Sea to Punchestown that year but disappointed.

After a summer break his comeback run was at Market Rasen in December 1992 but there was more drama as he shied at the starting tape, swerved and unseated jockey Peter Scudamore at the start!  He galloped four circuits before being caught this day!  His next outing was back at Chepstow for the Welsh Grand National.  He ran a great race to finish second behind Run For Free with Miinehoma back in third at odds of 50/1!  He backed up this fine effort with a win at Taunton in a staying chase in January 1993.  He unseated at Chepstow next time and then was fourth in the Greenalls Gold Cup handicap chase at Haydock behind Party Politics, Fiddlers Pike and Willsford.  He ran in the Grand National that never was in 1993, when there was a false start and the race was declared void.  Riverside Boy and Mark Perrett did one circuit of the course before realising what had happened and pulled up.  He then ran in the Scottish National just two weeks later and was in third place when falling at the 22nd fence.  He had one more run at Newton Abbot before his summer holiday but pulled up.

His next outing was back at Chepstow in December 1993 in the Rehearsal Chase and he ran well to finish second to Party Politics.  He obviously loved the Welsh track and seemed to save his best for there.  He ran at the track at the track once again later that month in the Welsh Grand National and went one place better than the year before to win the prestigious race.  He made all under Richard Dunwoody and went clear from four out to beat Fiddlers Pike by 20 lengths.  This was is finest moment on the recourse and also his last ever win.

He was definitely a character and this was evident again in the 1994 Grand National where he decided he did not want to go any further and refused at the 18th.  This was of course the year MCP won the race with Miinnehoma.  He ran again in the Scottish National and finished fourth behind Earth Summit.

After his summer holiday he returned to action with a second in a handicap chase at Cheltenham in November, he was unplaced at Chepstow but then second again at Sandown and also a very close second back at Haydock in the Greenalls chase.  He ran in the 1995 Grand National with Charlie Swan in the saddle and enjoyed the race much more this time around.  He finished eighth behind Royal Athlete beaten 29 lengths staying on and nearest at the finish.

He went out to grass once again and returned the following autumn but at 12 rising 13 he was not looking quite the horse of old.  He ran in the 1996 Grand National and completed once again in 12th position with David Walsh riding and this was his final ever run for Pond House.  He returned home to his owners and did run in some point to points and did pretty well as well, winning a few and even finishing second at the age of 16!

I can honestly say this was one of my favourite of the series to write so far.  The horse was well before my time here but growing up I do remember watching his races and it is only now that I realise there was such a character and several stories behind the horse.  He was very talented but a bit of a monkey as well.  To be injured so early on in his career and to come back and be as good and tough as he was shows what a brilliant horse he was.

He ran 34 times under rules and won seven races.  Rated 157 at best he was placed a further eleven times and won over £82,000 in prize money.     

You can watch his win in the 1993 Welsh Grand National here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36mR0IHbVNA