Graham Buddry remembers the outstanding Anaglog’s Daughter
Graham Buddry recalls the spectacular courage and pace of Anaglog's Daughter
There is nothing so wonderful as that extremely rare commodity, a top class race mare. Over the last few years we have thrilled at the sight of Quevega and Annie Power and now the racing world has discovered Vroum Vroum Mag. The only downside is that these magnificent mares do most of their racing, and almost all of their winning, against their own sex, yet they are still a joy to watch.
Go back further and there was the great Dawn Run, who did regularly mix it and beat the boys at every level, but go back just a shade further still and you come to perhaps the first mare to really set the heart pounding. What’s more she always ran against the best and at her best there were few who could live with her.
Anaglog’s Daughter was the star of the Durkan stable in Ireland once she went chasing after only moderate form over hurdles. Her debut over birch took place on 26 December 1979 at Leopardstown over 2¼ miles and it was clear for all to see that the mare loved her new challenge as she took third place in the nine runner field.
A novice chaser with just one run under her belt would normally be given time to find her feet in her own class, but Willie Durkan knew he had something special on his hands and on 21 February 1980 he sent her to Thurles to contest the PZ Mower Chase over 2½ miles on her favoured heavy ground.
Martin Mulligan had the ride on the 10/1 shot in a race more well known as being the last appearance of one of the best horses of them all, the then 13 year old Captain Christy. At the business end of the race there was a yawning 12 length chasm between Anaglog’s Daughter and the next home, with the race result bearing the rather understated comment: “Useful sort worth following”.
Only two days later Anaglog’s Daughter and Mulligan were shipped to Leopardstown to contest the Irish Arkle novice chase as a 7/1 chance. Bright Highway, another exciting prospect, took second place but he never saw which way the winner went. Off like a scalded cat, Anaglog’s Daughter made all to win easily by ten lengths.
In the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival of 1980 Anaglog’s Daughter was well fancied at 9/4 but the English surely had one better. Beacon Light was a far superior hurdler, just short of the best, and had taken to fences in the manner of a champion. With seven victories from as many starts, and most of those with consummate ease, the big gelding was installed the 7/4 favourite to see off the Irish upstart.
For a race of this stature a top jockey was needed and Tommy Carberry had been engaged. Having never sat on her before, Carberry walked into the parade ring and enquired if he was to make the running or take a lead to be told: “You won’t have any choice Tommy. Just take her down steady and make sure she’s facing the right way when the tape goes up.”
At the off Anaglog’s Daughter shot into the lead and by the time two fences had been jumped three of the other eight runners were already a little way behind the rest of the field. Another plain fence, past the stands and then the first ditch with Anaglog’s Daughter bowling along in front with three lengths to the chasing
pack, most of which already look slightly uncomfortable at such a fast pace. Beacon Light was on the rails in fifth but none too clever at the obstacle with a fast growing gap back to the rest.
Gambling Prince,Corrib Chieftain and the French entry, Spello, closed to a length over the water jump with Beacon Light just behind and tracking the action, but Anaglog’s Daughter was spot on at the next and flew over it at speed, immediately putting another four lengths into her lead.
By the next, Spello and Corrib Chieftain were flat out trying to stay with the mare as Beacon Light moved up despite another mistake. On she raced over the fourth from home, the final ditch at the top of the hill playing catch-me-if-you-can. Corrib Chieftain was the only one able to give chase as they started downhill and suddenly Beacon Light was getting reminders.
Down to the third last and Carberry gave her a breather but the pace seemed hardly to slacken. Corrib Chieftain closed to a couple of lengths and Beacon Light appeared to be running on again, albeit from a dozen lengths adrift.Over that one and Carberry eased an inch of rein and away she went, quickly putting daylight to the clear second.
Anaglog’s Daughter went six lengths clear over that one and was still pulling away as Beacon Light fell when a distant third. The remainder of the field were strung out miles behind yet Anaglog’s Daughter was hard on the bridle and galloping strongly at the last and maintained her relentless pace all the way to the line to romp home still a fresh horse.
The distances were recorded as 20 lengths, 25 lengths and 25 again in one of the most impressive displays of speed and power the Cheltenham Festival has seen.
So fresh was the mare that she ran at Chepstow just a few days later over 2½ miles on heavy ground and made all to win unchallenged.
The 1980-81 season opened for Anaglog’s Daughter at Ascot in the Black and White Whiskey Gold Cup. Off she went again at a million miles per hour, jumping superbly as the rest tried valiantly to stay with her. Not off the bridle and staying on strongly she again trounced a tired Beacon Light as the distant best of the rest.
After an unexpected reverse at Punchestown, Anaglog’s Daughter was set to try three miles for the only time in the King George at Kempton, taking on the cream of the staying brigade. A bold show
The first of the truly great race mares she had speed, courage, a captivating style and undoubted class
was expected but the sheer speed at which she shot into the lead and attacked the first fence was amazing.
What’s more she kept it up fence after fence, 20 lengths clear at one stage. Passing the stands with a circuit to race and Anaglog’s Daughter was still eight lengths clear, going strongly and maintained the lead into the back straight.
At this point Silver Buck gave chase and quickly closed to a length while the rest of the field struggled. Anaglog’s Daughter had missed at a few fences but was still relentless in her gallop and suddenly Carmody had to give Silver Buck a couple of reminders.At the last on the far side Silver Buck jumped two lengths ahead and then there was a long gap back to the fast closing Night Nurse when suddenly Anaglog’s Daughter was hard on the bit again.
In a war of attrition Silver Buck was under strong riding but was always going to win. Anaglog’s Daughter and Night Nurse both made a hash of the third last but both were soon chasing the leader again when the latter fell at the last.So Anaglog’s Daughter, a two mile specialist, took second place in a King George a bare five lengths behind the best staying chaser in the land after leading the entire field for most of the way.
Before the Cheltenham Festival of 1981 Anaglog’s Daughter won the PZ Mower chase again by an easy 15 lengths then humped 12st 10lb to a comfortable success over 2 ½ miles at Leopardstown with the likes of Jack of Trumps and Chinrullah among those run off their feet.
The day before the Champion Chase Anaglog‘s Daughter was found to be lame. Incredibly the ultra tough mare seemed fine 24 hours later and faced the starter, sent off odds on in a field of nine. She made the running but her leg was clearly not right as she failed to go clear but still had the guts and class to hold second place behind Drumgora.
In hindsight this injury caused the brave mare a whole host of problems as she ran poorly in four of her next seven races,win- ning only once.
On 30 January 1982 Anaglog’s Daughter gave 22lbs to her old rival, Beacon Light, at Doncaster and just managed to hang on by half a length on ground far too firm for her. Less than three weeks later she was out again at Thurles in the PZ Mower chase again, trying to make all as usual.
It is amazing that this incredible mare finished a bare two lengths back in second place when you consider she broke down badly fully four from home.In the same spirit that Arkle gave his all at Kempton with a broken pedal bone years before, so Anaglog’s Daughter did the same here. She never raced again.
The first of the truly great race mares she had speed, courage, a captivating style of racing and an undoubted class in the way she dispatched top opposition. Victory in the Arkle at Cheltenham was nothing short of awesome and inspired fans on both sides of the Irish sea to take her to their hearts… the brilliant Anaglog’s Daughter.