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French Holly
French Holly (26 March 1991 – 5 November 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. During a racing career which lasted from February 1996 until October 1999 he won ten of his twenty races and was placed on six occasions. He won two of his six flat races before switching to hurdling in the autumn of 1997. He was unbeaten as a novice winning five races including the Tolworth Hurdle and Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. In the following year he won the Christmas Hurdle but then sustained three consecutive defeats when matched against the reigning Champion Hurdler Istabraq. He was then sent to France where he defeated a strong field in the Prix La Barka before finishing fourth in the French Champion Hurdle. He won his first and only steeplechase in October 1999 but was killed in a training accident seven days later.
French Holly was an unusually large, powerful, bay gelding standing 18 hands high with no white markings bred in Kentucky by Mario Sakurai. He was sired by Sir Ivor, and American-bred colt whose wins included The Derby in 1968 before becoming a successful breeding stallion whose other progeny included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ivanjica and the American Champion Older Male Horse Bates Motel. French Holly came from a very strong Flat racing family: his dam, Sans Dot was a daughter of The Oaks winner Juliette Marny and a close relative of the classic winners Julio Mariner (St Leger Stakes) and Scintillate. Sans Dot later produced Deano's Beeno who won thirteen races including the Grade I Long Walk Hurdle.
In November 1991, French Holly (already gelded) was sent as a foal to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale where he was sold for $2,000 to David Mullins. He was later bought privately by Kieren Flood and was sent into training with Ferdy Murphy at Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
French Holly was not particularly adept at jumping obstacles, relying on his size and strength to compensate. In 1998 Ferdy Murphy said of him: "When he's out in front like that he doesn't bother shortening up at a hurdle, he just goes and kicks them out of the way and goes straight through. He's so big he gets away with it. A smaller horse might hurt himself".
French Holly began his racing career competing in National Hunt Flat races, also known as "bumpers" making his debut at Uttoxeter Racecourse on 16 February 1996. Ridden by Paul Carberry he started the 5/4 favourite in a field of fifteen runners and won "comfortably" by four lengths after taking the lead in the final quarter mile. In the following month he was even more impressive at Newbury Racecourse, winning easily by thirteen lengths after taking the lead three furlongs from the finish. In April he was sent to Ireland and moved up in class as he contested the Grade I Jack White Memorial Flat Race at the Punchestown Festival. He started the 2/1 favourite, but was beaten three quarters of a length by the Paddy Mullins trained Noble Thyne.
After a break of more than ten months, French Holly returned for the Champion Bumper at the 1997 Cheltenham Festival. Ridden by Richard Hughes, he was among the leaders before weakening in the closing stages to finish sixth of the twenty-five runners, nine and a half lengths behind the Irish-trained winner Florida Pearl. In the following month he made a second unsuccessful attempt to win the Jack White Memorial Flat Race at Punchestown, finishing third behind Arctic Camper and Cloone Bridge. In June at Royal Ascot, French Holly made his only appearance in a conventional Flat race when he finished eleventh of the thirteen runners in the Queen Alexandra Stakes.
In the 1997/1998 National Hunt season French Holly competed in novice hurdle races, making his debut over obstacles at Ayr Racecourse on 16 November. Ridden for the first time by Andrew Thornton, who became his regular jockey, he took the lead at the second last hurdle and won by five lengths from Ledgendry Line. At Haydock Park in December he started 8/11 favourite against fifteen opponents and won by three and half lengths from Foundry Lane, having taken the lead three hurdles from the finish. On 10 January at Newbury, French Holly was moved up to Grade I class for the Tolworth Hurdle for which he started 4/1 second favourite behind Grey Shot, a top-class stayer on the flat who had won the Goodwood Cup in 1996 and the Jockey Club Cup in 1997. He was always among the leaders before overtaking Grey Shot at the second last hurdle. He survived a mistake at the obstacle before pulling clear to win by fourteen lengths. Following the gelding's victory Murphy said that he would consider bypassing the novice events at the Cheltenham Festival and going straight for the Champion Hurdle, but only if the ground was soft. At Huntingdon Racecourse in February French Holly started 8/13 favourite against three opponents and recovered from several jumping errors before accelerating after the last hurdle to win by two lengths from Better Offer.
On 18 March 1998, French Holly made his second appearance at the Cheltenham Festival when he was one of eighteen novices to contest the Grade I Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. In the build-up to the race, Murphy had doubts about running the horse on the prevailing fast ground. Ridden by Thornton, he was made the 2/1 favourite ahead of Cloone Bridge, Erintante, Lady Rebecca and Torboy who were grouped together on 8/1. He raced just behind the leaders before taking the lead three hurdles from the finish. He went clear of the field approaching the next flight and won impressively by fourteen lengths from Torboy with Cloone Bridge two and a half lengths back in third place. After the race, Murphy said that the gelding would probably be aimed at the following year's Stayers' Hurdle before pursuing a career over fences.
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French Holly
French Holly (26 March 1991 – 5 November 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. During a racing career which lasted from February 1996 until October 1999 he won ten of his twenty races and was placed on six occasions. He won two of his six flat races before switching to hurdling in the autumn of 1997. He was unbeaten as a novice winning five races including the Tolworth Hurdle and Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. In the following year he won the Christmas Hurdle but then sustained three consecutive defeats when matched against the reigning Champion Hurdler Istabraq. He was then sent to France where he defeated a strong field in the Prix La Barka before finishing fourth in the French Champion Hurdle. He won his first and only steeplechase in October 1999 but was killed in a training accident seven days later.
French Holly was an unusually large, powerful, bay gelding standing 18 hands high with no white markings bred in Kentucky by Mario Sakurai. He was sired by Sir Ivor, and American-bred colt whose wins included The Derby in 1968 before becoming a successful breeding stallion whose other progeny included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ivanjica and the American Champion Older Male Horse Bates Motel. French Holly came from a very strong Flat racing family: his dam, Sans Dot was a daughter of The Oaks winner Juliette Marny and a close relative of the classic winners Julio Mariner (St Leger Stakes) and Scintillate. Sans Dot later produced Deano's Beeno who won thirteen races including the Grade I Long Walk Hurdle.
In November 1991, French Holly (already gelded) was sent as a foal to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale where he was sold for $2,000 to David Mullins. He was later bought privately by Kieren Flood and was sent into training with Ferdy Murphy at Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
French Holly was not particularly adept at jumping obstacles, relying on his size and strength to compensate. In 1998 Ferdy Murphy said of him: "When he's out in front like that he doesn't bother shortening up at a hurdle, he just goes and kicks them out of the way and goes straight through. He's so big he gets away with it. A smaller horse might hurt himself".
French Holly began his racing career competing in National Hunt Flat races, also known as "bumpers" making his debut at Uttoxeter Racecourse on 16 February 1996. Ridden by Paul Carberry he started the 5/4 favourite in a field of fifteen runners and won "comfortably" by four lengths after taking the lead in the final quarter mile. In the following month he was even more impressive at Newbury Racecourse, winning easily by thirteen lengths after taking the lead three furlongs from the finish. In April he was sent to Ireland and moved up in class as he contested the Grade I Jack White Memorial Flat Race at the Punchestown Festival. He started the 2/1 favourite, but was beaten three quarters of a length by the Paddy Mullins trained Noble Thyne.
After a break of more than ten months, French Holly returned for the Champion Bumper at the 1997 Cheltenham Festival. Ridden by Richard Hughes, he was among the leaders before weakening in the closing stages to finish sixth of the twenty-five runners, nine and a half lengths behind the Irish-trained winner Florida Pearl. In the following month he made a second unsuccessful attempt to win the Jack White Memorial Flat Race at Punchestown, finishing third behind Arctic Camper and Cloone Bridge. In June at Royal Ascot, French Holly made his only appearance in a conventional Flat race when he finished eleventh of the thirteen runners in the Queen Alexandra Stakes.
In the 1997/1998 National Hunt season French Holly competed in novice hurdle races, making his debut over obstacles at Ayr Racecourse on 16 November. Ridden for the first time by Andrew Thornton, who became his regular jockey, he took the lead at the second last hurdle and won by five lengths from Ledgendry Line. At Haydock Park in December he started 8/11 favourite against fifteen opponents and won by three and half lengths from Foundry Lane, having taken the lead three hurdles from the finish. On 10 January at Newbury, French Holly was moved up to Grade I class for the Tolworth Hurdle for which he started 4/1 second favourite behind Grey Shot, a top-class stayer on the flat who had won the Goodwood Cup in 1996 and the Jockey Club Cup in 1997. He was always among the leaders before overtaking Grey Shot at the second last hurdle. He survived a mistake at the obstacle before pulling clear to win by fourteen lengths. Following the gelding's victory Murphy said that he would consider bypassing the novice events at the Cheltenham Festival and going straight for the Champion Hurdle, but only if the ground was soft. At Huntingdon Racecourse in February French Holly started 8/13 favourite against three opponents and recovered from several jumping errors before accelerating after the last hurdle to win by two lengths from Better Offer.
On 18 March 1998, French Holly made his second appearance at the Cheltenham Festival when he was one of eighteen novices to contest the Grade I Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs. In the build-up to the race, Murphy had doubts about running the horse on the prevailing fast ground. Ridden by Thornton, he was made the 2/1 favourite ahead of Cloone Bridge, Erintante, Lady Rebecca and Torboy who were grouped together on 8/1. He raced just behind the leaders before taking the lead three hurdles from the finish. He went clear of the field approaching the next flight and won impressively by fourteen lengths from Torboy with Cloone Bridge two and a half lengths back in third place. After the race, Murphy said that the gelding would probably be aimed at the following year's Stayers' Hurdle before pursuing a career over fences.