Looking Back 48) Strands

 
    Strands of Gold (right) in retirement (aged 23)

Strands of Gold was another former great of Pond House and holds a special place in the heart of secretary Gail Harrison as he spent his many happy years of retirement with Raymond and Gail at Straight Ash Farm.  He was a 1979 born bay gelding by Le Coq D’or and his dam was Sweet Fanny.  He had in fact already had a wonderful career before he ever came to Pond House but he arrived at the yard in January 1988 and it was a case of what might have been….

Strands of Gold had been in training with J G Fitzgerald from the very start and after being unplaced in a couple of bumpers he won his first race over hurdles on his third start at Carlisle in January 1985. In the autumn of 1985 he was sent novice chasing and he won his first three starts over the larger obstacles.  He finished a head second in the 1986 SunAlliance novices chase at the Cheltenham Festival behind Cross Master and was third at Liverpool after this.  He won two more chases for J Fitzgerald after this before moving to Pond House in January 1988. 

He made his stable debut at the Cheltenham Festival that year and finished fifth in the Ritz Chase.  He then lined up in the Grand National that April.  He was in the lead and going well when he unfortunately fell at Becher’s Brook.  You are obviously a long way from home still here but he was travelling so well at the time and who knows what would have happened had he not fallen.  He and Peter Scu went the brave man's route and it did not work out but that is racing and you have to stay on your feet!

He was third in the Whitbred at Sandown behind Desert Orchid after this and then he went on his summer holiday.  He returned to action in the Hennessy at Newbury in November 1988.  He put up a tremendous performance to win comfortably beating Handy Track by six lengths at 10/1.  He fell at Ascot next time out and was then fourth in the Mandarin chase back at Newbury.  His final two runs for the yard saw him pull up in the Scottish National and the Whitbred in 1990.  He unfortunately had begun to suffer a few injury niggles as he got older and was not the horse of old in his last few races.

He was given to Raymond and Gail and after some time out he returned to run in a few point to points in the 1992/93 season.  He won a hunter chase at Bangor in March 1992 and David actually rode him in his final four starts between the flags and although he didn’t manage to win on him they did finish third twice! He lived well until he was thirty before passing away peacefully at home and he is buried on the farm.

He ran 32 times under rules (not including hunter chases and point to points) and he won seven races and was placed at least 10 times – some of the form is a bit hazy!  He won over £44,000 in prize money and was rated 157 at best.

Watch the 1988 Grand National here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hLQNhkVYiM

Watch him win the 1988 Hennessy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcGp4St_qaA