Looking Back 43) Wind

                  Blowing Wind

Blowing Wind was a Pond House inmate that boasts an incredible career. His roll of honour includes wins in the Imperial Cup, Scottish Champion hurdle and he was a dual Cheltenham Festival winner, over hurdles and fences.  He is one of only three horses ever to complete to bonus of winning the Imperial Cup and then going on to win at race at the Festival just days later.  MCP and David are the only trainers ever to have ever achieved this feat with MCP doing it twice with Olympian and Blowing Wind and David doing it with Gaspara.  Blowing Wind also finished third twice in the Grand National, all this showcasing his immense talent at varying distances and disciplines.

Blowing Wind was a 1994 born brown gelding by the sire Fabulous Dancer and his dam was Bassita.  He began his career in France as a three year old and after making his debut in November 1997 at Auteuil finishing seventh he improved on this just two weeks later to finish second in a claiming hurdle back at the track.  MCP claimed him through French agent Hubert Barbe for 155,000FF and he came straight over to join the Pond House team in the colours of Peter Deal.

He made his stable debut at Ascot the following month and was fairly well beaten in his first three starts for the yard with form figures of 483. He received a rating of 138 and the Imperial Cup at Sandown in March 1998 was his first start in a handicap.  A P McCoy rode him carrying top weight and he quickened clear from two out to win comfortably by five lengths.  He picked up a seven pound penalty for this victory and his target for Cheltenham was the County hurdle just five days later.  He had to work harder than he did in the Imperial Cup to win but it was a fantastic win and achievement as he ran on really well up the hill to beat Advocat by 1¾ lengths.  He travelled up to Scotland in April to run in the Scottish Champion hurdle at Ayr.  Richard Dunwoody took over in the saddle and it was another fine performance to win off a rating of 154.

After a summer holiday he returned to action in December 1998 but found it difficult to win that season.  He was fourth at Sandown on his comeback, fell at Haydock next time and then returned to that course again and was second.  He lined up in the 1999 Champion hurdle but was brought down at the fifth flight.  He was then disappointed at Aintree after this.

He then went on his summer break to return for a novice chase campaign that autumn.  He finished fourth on his chasing debut at Newton Abbot but then won his next two outings at Ludlow and Leicester with the minimum of fuss.  Stepped up in class next time out at Ascot he finished second but it was soon back to winning ways back at Ascot again the following run.  The William Hill handicap chase over three miles was his race at the 2000 Cheltenham Festival and he finished seventh, 17 lengths behind winner Malborough.  He was sent off favourite at Aintree but was below par at the track once again.

Another summer at grass followed and although he found things tough at the beginning of that season after Christmas he returned to form with wins at Doncaster and Sandown.  It was then to Aintree for the big one in April.  2001 was the year it was very wet, the ground was heavy and there were only actually four finishers in the Grand National and Blowing Wind was one of these and he finished third.  It was an extraordinary race, the comments in running read ‘with leaders, third when badly hampered and refused 19^th, remounted, kept on in own time to finish remote third’.  Unfortunately we will never know how he might have fared had he not been taken out early on the second circuit but AP thought he was travelling very sweetly when he departed. Red Maurauder was the winner of the race that year.

Blowing Wind was not seen again on the track until January 2002 and after two disappointing efforts it was back to the Cheltenham Festival that March for the Mildmay of Flete handicap chase over 2m4f.  Sent off at 25/1 he had Ruby Walsh on board with AP on the more fancied Lady Cricket.  Held up early on he closed from 2 out and came with a sustained run up the hill to just beat Lady Cricket.  Not many horses in history can boast a win over hurdles and a win over fences at the Cheltenham Festival.  His main target of that season had always been the Grand National and after a relatively light campaign it was back to Aintree in April.

He was sent off the 8/1 favourite this year and he ran a good race to finish third behind Bindaree.  He ran another bold race but the marathon trip did just find out his stamina as he appeared not to quite get home from two out. 

The following season he found things tougher once again.  He was third on his comeback at Aintree in November 2002 but then was unplaced in a couple of runs before going back to the Cheltenham festival for the fifth time.  He could only manage ninth place this time around when trying to defend his Mildmay of Flete crown.  It was then back for his third consecutive attempt at the Grand National in which he completed in eighth position behind winner Monty’s Pass. 

He then went on his holidays once again but when he returned he seemed to have lost his enthusiasm for racing.  He finished fourth at Kempton on his comeback run and although he did run in the 2004 Grand National he actually refused at the sixth fence.  His final race of his career came at Sandown later that month and while he completed the decision to retire him there and then was an easy one and he went to live with a friend of Peter Deal.

Blowing Wind was the winner of nine races from 40 career starts and he was also places a further twelve times.  Rated 161 at best over hurdles and 145 over fences he won over £286,000 in prize money.  A double Cheltenham Festival winner he will always hold a special place in the hearts of everyone at Pond House.

Watch his win in the 1998 Imperial Cup here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHzooBgnnrA

Watch the remarkable 2001 Grand National here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn2JimcXrs0