MEMORIES OF WAVERTREE BOY
by Gaynor Renwick
I am writing this on Newmarket racing’s Zetland Stakes Day, October 28th this year, a day of nostalgia which never fails to put me into a reflective mood. The “Zetland” is the only Listed* race for two year olds over 1mile and 2 furlongs, which is quite a distance for youngsters and which invariably features some good future staying types. It was won in 1996 by the wonderful Silver Patriarch, trained by John Dunlop. Silver Patriarch went on to come 2nd in the Derby the following year (1997) and then won the St Leger, the world’s oldest Classic horse race.
Wavertree Boy was the first of the Wavertree Racing Club horses, the offspring of a National Stud mare, Lust, by the stallion Hector Protector. He was bought from Newmarket’s October Yearling Sales by John Dunlop and then Anne Dawson, founder of Wavertree Racing Club, persuaded John to let her syndicate the horse – fortune favours the brave and the Club took off.
So, trained by John Dunlop as a two year old, Wavertree Boy followed “Silver’s” footsteps to run in the Zetland. Many people thought we were out of our depth, although the Boy had won on only his second run for us, and come second in his race before the Zetland, this was a big step up in class and I am sure some
folk thought we would be collecting the Wooden Spoon as our prize.
Not a bit of it, ridden by one of the best jockeys of his day, Pat Eddery, Boy did us proud, coming third and leaving in his wake some much better-fancied horses.
I still remember the feeling of excitement as we raced to the winners’ enclosure to greet our Hero, who had quickly become used to all his adoring owners clustering round to make a fuss of him and treated it all as his due.
That feeling of excitement had been with me back in August, when the Boy ran his second race for us at Salisbury. I watched it from the Coral shop at Epsom races and still feel slightly embarrassed when I remember how I yelled the shop down as he burst through on the rails under Brett Doyle to win going away and give Brett his first winner on his return to race riding in Britain. The Coral shop regulars were very generous with their congratulations when they realised I was a “winning owner” and for the rest of the afternoon I basked in reflected glory.
By the following season, now 3, Boy had moved to David Elsworth’s yard. “Elsy” is probably most famous for training both Desert Orchid and Persian Punch, two of the nation’s best-loved racehorses. Those lucky enough to have a horse with him also quickly get to realise that he is never afraid to have a go at the glittering prizes.
And so that Spring and Summer he and the Boy took us to all the best places.
After win at Goodwood on his third run of the season, over 1mile 3furlongs, he followed up with another win at Salisbury over 1mile 6 furlongs, both times ridden by Richard Quinn. We realised that we had a horse for whom a “distance” was not going to be a problem and a plan began to form in Elsy’s mind. And a target – the St Leger.
Before that was an appearance at Royal Ascot, in the Queen’s Vase, a Group race over 2miles. Posh hats and frocks were donned and although Boy ran unplaced, the thrill of having a runner at the major flat race meeting more than made up for it and a grand party was had by all afterwards, with the champagne flowing!
Then it was off to Newmarket’s prestigious July meeting and another Listed race, the Bahrain Trophy. Ridden by Richard Hughes this time, the horse was given his usual hold up race, the jockey keeping him back to produce his effort late. This time the plan did not quite pay off and Boy had to do too much too late, but he produced an electric burst of speed to end a fast-finishing third and earn more “black type” **.
After an unplaced effort at Glorious Goodwood – but by this time we were getting used to appearing at all the best places! – it was off anther top meeting, York’s Ebor meeting, and the Melrose Stakes, a high-class handicap race. Boy was back on form and produced his usual thrilling late burst to come third in what is still considered by many to be his best-ever run.
13th September, St Leger Day. Hot and sunny for the Wavetree Club folk as we converged on Doncaster, once again in our posh frocks and hats. The film “Seabiscuit” had recently been released and the race was renamed, for one year only, the “Seabiscuit St Leger”, giving it an extra sense of occasion, if any were needed.
The race was won by Brian Boru, with Wavertree Boy coming a “not-disgraced” 9th, in Timeform’s words, and running his heart out for us in this Group One race. No doubts now about whether we deserved to be there, we surely did.
One more run followed, at Ascot’s Queen Elizabeth II meeting, on ground like concrete, which Boy struggled to cope with, coming 4th of 4.
All that summer the ground had been “Good” “Good to Firm” and at Ascot “Firm”.
Boy had run willingly for us every time and was as tough as they come, but all that racing on such ground took its toll and it became clear that his tendons had suffered and he would need a long rest to recover.
He didn’t run at all the following year and once back in training he developed an aptitude for jumping that led to a reappearance at Taunton in a hurdles race in January 2005. He came 4th, but caused controversy when it was believed by many that our much-fancied horse had not been trying. In fact it was a recurrence of his tendon problems and another year of rest followed.Two more unplaced efforts back on the flat in May and June this year convinced us that it was time to call it a day with our beloved Boy. He owed us nothing, rather we owed him - so many happy memories, so much fun, particularly in that golden summer of 2003. We were lucky to have him and lucky also to have the opportunity to send him to the Racehorse Sanctuary where we know he will be in the best of hands and looked after for the rest of his days.
These days Boy is enjoying a different life, learning new skills, but still the same ultra-friendly horse who loves people and attention. Wavertree Racing folk are looking forward to following him in his new life and meanwhile, if you are visiting the Centre be sure to go and say hello to the Boy……you’ll be hard put not to if he has anything to do with it!
*Listed and Group (including the Classic) races are the highest class of Flat race and not surprisingly the best horses run in them.
** Black type is given to horses that win or are placed in Group or Listed races, i.e. the highest class of race. Their efforts are written in bold type whenever they are referred to, in race history or sales catalogues, for example, so that they catch the eye.
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