Looking Back 44) Minella

                  Minella Four Star

Before I introduce today's former star of Pond House we have a special message for Andrew Jenn - Happy Birthday!  We hope you have a great day from Tom Scu, David, and everyone at Pond House!  We know you are a regular reader and a member of the David Pipe Racing Club so keep enjoying the racing and have fab birthday!
Minella Four Star deserves a special mention as although he was not at Pond House very long he was a Midlands National Winner and was part owned by David’s father-in-law Pete Green!  Pete is a regular reader of the website and actually does a lot of jobs around the yard, building,  maintaining and fixing as well as often accompanying David to the races – keeping him on the straight and narrow!

Minella Four Star was a 2003 born chestnut gelding by Bob Back out of a mare called Market Lass.  He was the winner of an Irish point to point on his third start at Templemore in April 2008 having previously finished fourth and second.  He was then bought by Highflyer bloodstock at subsequent sales for £60,000 and joined Alan King for a rules campaign.

He made his debut over hurdles at Chepstow in October 2008 and finished sixth.  He was a very big horse and they actually switched him to fences straight away after this.  His form figures over fences read 234F before he got his first win at Haydock over 3m4f in April 2009.  After a summer break he returned with a fall at Newbury, pulled up at Doncaster and then actually finished second at Cheltenham’s April meeting behind our very own Gentle Ranger.  He then suffered another fall at Wincanton 11 days later before he was sent to the sales that May.

Tom Malone bought Minella Four Star for David for £15,000 and he made his stable debut in the Summer National at Uttoxeter in June 2010 off a mark of 123.  He carried the red and white racing colours of the Ashton racing club and he ran a cracker to finish fourth beaten less than three lengths.

After a summer out to grass he was next back on the racecourse in February 2011 at Ffos Las.  He finished runner up to Blazing Bailey in a 3m4f handicap chase.  He pulled up in the Grimthorpe chase at Doncaster next time out when getting badly hampered.

Two weeks later he headed to Uttoxeter for the Midlands National.  Conor O’Farrell was on board for the first time claiming five pounds and he was sent off at 25/1.  Always in a prominent position he led before four out and stayed on really well to win by 11 lengths with Ballyfitz back in second.  It was a very memorable day for everyone involved and we have a great picture with the very impressive trophy. 

It was to Scotland after this in April for the Scottish National and very sadly we lost him this day as he suffered a fatal heart attack.  From delight the previous month to utter despair on this occasion, the highs and lows of racing were highlighted in extremes in just two runs for this lovely horse. 

Minella Four Star was the winner of two races from 15 career starts under rules and was placed six times.  He only had five runs for Pond House but recorded his biggest success of his life in that time and he went from a rating of 123 to 144.  He won over £60,000 in prize money.  He was a typical old fashioned chasing type, measuring over 17hh and so sadly there was probably more to come as a staying chaser as his best years were still ahead of him.  He was the first of David’s four consecutive Midlands National winners as he won the race every year from 2011 to 2014.  Master Overseer and Tom Scudamore followed on from Minella Four Star in 2012, Big Occasion and Mikey Ennis then won in 2013 and Goulanes was the winner in 2014 with Richard Johnson on board.

Watch his win in the 2011 Midlands National here: https://www.attheraces.com/atrplayer-popup/VOD/318380?showResult=yes