I was there that day and wanted to see a Triple Crown winner. Camelot looked the part but it all went wrong and out of nowhere Enke floored Camelot. As the horses passed the post I stared at the winning post and my thought was that the wait for the next triple crown winner continues.
Nijinsky was a great horse and would have hammered Sassafras if he ran anywhere near his midsummer best but unfortunately a bout of ringworm and not be able to be saddled for 6 weeks in the late summer took it's toll. A true great in any era.
A combination of Nijinsky just recovering from ringworm , a poor draw 15/15 , and a poor ride from Piggott - remember he had already been slaughtered in the press for the poor ride he gave the brilliant mare , Park Top , in the previous year's Arc - contributed to the great colt's defeat . French winner , Sassafras , who had won the French Derby , had been specially trained for the race , and with the help of France's best jockey , Yves St. Martin , who knew Longchamp like the back of his hand , then it was only right that Piggott should have given Nijinsky a better chance of delivering his brilliant turn of foot .
Maybe it's available, and I've forgotten 2 do some digging, but I haven't seen that ARC, and I'd like 2 view it more closely; the margin of defeat was narrow: or victory in the case of SASSAFRAS: if he had run as a 4 YO, it would have been interesting if all had gone well, 2 see him face MILL REEF
@@csracingreport2024 The 1970 Arc is widely available on RU-vid . Sir Peter O'Sullevan gave his view on tv about who he thought would have won if Nijinsky and Mill Reef had met . He favoured Nijinsky .
@@ThefightingCelt You're right there's a pre -race piece w/ those Arc's in a BBC Telecast, the year escapes me which Arc telecast, and I agree w/ Sir Pete's pick of NIJINSKY ; he always had an extra gear in reserve, the Derby & KG & QE Diamond are 2 good examples, though MILL REEF was deceptively fast; u see a bit more brilliant speed in the Eclipse as Oaksey or was it Cook narrating the replay, stating, "a marvelous performance by the Derby winner" ... Back 2 NIJINSKY, He's also my pick in a Legends Race @ 10 & 12 F, and as great as FRANKEL is, not 2 be dismissed @ the Flat Mile: most would disagree w/ the latter, but I think he's the best: my fellow Americans dis-regard these UK, greats & racing as a whole, but I don't; there's 2 UK Superstars Videos @ my CSR Report Channel u may enjoy; the next one's I'd like 2 do are a 20th Anniversary of HIGH CHAPARRAL & HAWK WING going 1-2 in the Epsom Derby & LESTER PIGGOTT , who as u well know rode the aforementioned Nijinsky 2 that historic Triple Crown
Just watched it; I thought, despite the obstacles u mentioned, he ran a very good race; speaks 2 his class: where it ranks w/ his wins can be debated, but he made a nice run: safe 2 say u assess his race in Paris as being on the lower end vs his victorious efforts ?
Funny ( but not ), for a race that could have asked a question of the stamina of Camelot, it was run at a snails pace and imho, this proved to be Camelot's undoing. He was done for toe. He needed a faster pace. Had he got the normal St Leger test, i think he would have completed the triple crown as he pleased. The hard bit for Camelot, was winning the 2,000 gns, A trip that was too short for him. The Leger was tailor made but it was " Cocked " up. They went too slow. The stamina issue can create a defensive reaction from connections when they view the St Leger. It's is a race which given the modern trend to breed for speed, causes some scratching of heads, some bafflement as to what to do on the day. I think that the decision to go for the Leger, was very noble and sporting. However i think where they went wrong, was failing to see that out of all the races in the horses career, this one was tailor made for him and a positive ride would have emphasised his strengths. Great shame as it would have been wonderful to see the first Colt since Nijinsky complete the feat. They managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in this race. Had they run it again, 9/10 times Camelot would have gone down in history along side Nijinsky and not forgetting, Oh So Sharp.
Module Marillat: Debatable? A fever have gone close just that they found one better on the day or weren't given the best of rides in the the Arc, Sun Princess and User Friendly were only just beaten after winning the Arc, Hurricane Lane went close last year and might have gone closer if given a better ride? Alleged had quite a hard race when actually beaten in the Leger and then went on to win the Arc.
There was the 1989 $2,000,000 Hambletonian for 3 - year old trotting colts - two horse race-off ended in a dead heat. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UOa9JY-ic9w.html
Final heat of the Hambletonian - Meadowlands Racetrack - 1989 - two horse race - Park Avenue Joe and Probe -- DEAD HEAT in a $1,000,000 race. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-r75Vh51-Mf0.html
Sat 18 August 2012 Result : DEAD HEAT Theo Micro Toon British Stallion Studs E.B.F. Novice Stakes (Class 5) 7f, Good to Firm 2 Runners Surface: unknown 1st d.h Ayaar (IRE) 6/4 T: M R Channon J: Martin Harley Tracked leader, pulled out over 1f out, driven to challenge close home, joined leader post 1st d.h Snowboarder 1/2 T: M Al ZarooniJ: L Dettori Led, ridden over 1f out, edged left inside final furlong, joined post
@@converse91970 He was as good a race caller as the ones people revere on BOTH sides of the Atlantic; great delivery & well timed vocabulary : I think in many situations well timed "tag lines" / editorializing heightens & elevates the drama, be it a big or smaller conditions race; gives the connections a morale boost & and the horses well deserved credit
@@csracingreport2024 Cooke’s heyday as ITV’s racing commentator was before my time. I just enjoy coming on RU-vid and watching the great races he covered. You are right what you say about his delivery, and the points you make about commentary generally!
@@converse91970 B4 You Tube existed, knowledge is given & gained via telecasts, purchasing books / magazines, & collecting newspaper articles; 2 your point Y. Tube & the networks uploading races/ broadcast is the icing on the cake; My start was in the US w/ Top horses & TROY was the 1st UK star I saw when NBC televised the Derbies Epsom / Irish & added the Arc; i haven't found any NBC uploads on any of the older videos: the "semi ground level "camera angle their network used showed, to stunning effect, the speed of these horses; TROY isn't highly regarded historically, but I thought and still think his Derby win was quite spectacular; Had 2 greats on his team: WILLIE CARSON & MAJOR DICK HERN
