Looking Back 47) Business

                 Family Business

Family Business was by no means a household name but he is definitely worth a mention because he was involved in what was one of the most bizarre races of all time.  Many of you may remember the race at Southwell on 23^rd January 2002 but I shall tell you more about him before that race in a minute!  Family Business was a 1996 born chestnut gelding by Over the River and his dam was Morego.

He began his career in the Irish point to point field and after finishing third on his debut, he won on his second start at Lisgoold in January 2001.  He switched to under rules the following month and finished second in a Bumper at Gowran Park.  He actually then ran in the Grade 1 Champion bumper at the Punchestown Festival but finished well behind winner Like A Butterfly.

He came over to Pond House in the summer of 2001 and made his debut over hurdles at Cheltenham in November with Gerry Supple on board.  He finished fourth but well beaten by stable mate winner Tarxien. He switched to fences for his second start for the stable and won a maiden chase at Leicester by 3 lengths with AP McCoy in the saddle. He went onto finish runner up on his next start at Taunton a week later and then came the infamous race at Southwell.

Seven runners jumped off for what was a ‘normal’ novice chase.  Family Business was actually the 8/11f winner of the race but the result does not tell the whole story!  In fact the Racing Post analysis of the race reads “a farce of a contest which defies analysis”.  There was a faller at the first fence and a second horse departed at the third fence.  Three horses including Family Business unseated their riders at different points, with AP parting coming with our chestnut at the tenth.  With only two runners left in the race both of these horses actually refused independently of each other at the fourth last and got rid of their jockeys.  In the meantime, AP had remounted Family Business and proceeded to pop round and complete the course to win! It must be one of the longest races in history with the three mile contest taking just over 10½ minutes to complete!  It is worth a watch in the link below!  Of course, these days a jockey is not allowed to remount their horse in whatever circumstances they part company so this sort of thing would not happen anymore – the race would be null and void!

After this day, Family Business went on to finish second at Taunton and then he finished seventh in the four mile National Hunt Chase at the 2002 Cheltenham Festival with Gordon Elliott in the saddle.  He finished that season with placings at Fontwell and Southwell.

The following year he returned to point to pointing in England in David’s care.  He won his first start at Larkhill with Ashley Farrant riding and he won three races from nine starts that season.  He ran in the Foxhunters at the 2003 Cheltenham Festival but was brought down at the second fence.  He also ran in the Aintree Foxhunters but fell early on at the chair.  He was moved onto pastures new at the end of that season and continued to run in point to points until 2008.

Family Business was the winner of three races under rules from 19 starts and he was placed 8 times.  He was rated 115 and won over £16,000 in prize money.  There have been plenty of better horses that have passed through Pond House but none have been involved in such a bizarre race as he was and so I thought it was only right to include him in this series.

Watch the remarkable race at Southwell here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM9HUgpmjfY