Looking Back 88) Champleve

                     Champleve 
       (Photo courtesy of gettyimages)

Champleve was a 1993 born gorgeous grey gelding by Kendor and his dam was Nilmeen.  He only had a very short career but he was high class and was a Cheltenham Festival winner in the colours of owner David Johnson.  He started his career in France and won over hurdles on his second start at Auteuil in October 1997. He came over to England right after this victory and made his Pond House debut the following month.

He was the easy winner of a novice hurdle at Newton Abbot in November 1997. Sent off the 1/4 favourite he won by 30 lengths with A P McCoy on board. He followed up with another win at Chepstow in December.  It was far closer this time as he only won by a neck and he then went on to finish third at Sandown after this.

In February 1998 he made his chasing debut at Lingfield.  Despite a few jumping errors he won unchallenged and was heavily eased on the flat.  He ran just five days later at Ascot and won again over fences.  He jumped better on this occasion in a higher class race and won by 2½ lengths with AP in the saddle again. 

He then lined up in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, there were 16 runners and he was sent off at 13/2. He was always prominent, led at the seventh and was all out to beat Hill Society by a short head.  He jumped well again under AP and was a great winner.  He went on to Aintree after this and ran a good race to finish a close third in the Maghull novices chase behind Direct Route.  This was his ninth race of the season and he was probably not at his best but it was still a good run.

Sadly that proved to be his final race of his career.  He was found to have a neurological problem after this and despite many efforts to get him back to the track again he did not make it and it eventually claimed his life as well.

Champleve won six races from just nine career starts and he was placed twice as well.  He earnt a rating of 148 over fences and sadly we never got to find out how good he really could have been.  He won just under £104,000 in prize money.

Watch his win the 1998 Arkle Chase here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJswHAO7OZk