Searching bloodlines of Cheltenham Festival past champions and future hopefuls to see who traces back to Blandford (1919). For the 'FPL Derby' go to @GNWSwann
Under a pile of racing books!
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Both Lossiemouth (2026 Champion Hurdle) and Gaelic Warrior (2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup) trace back to Blandford (1919).
Lossiemouth's damsire has Monsun (1990) as his sire; Gaelic Warrior has Monsun as his grandsire. Blandford is the sixth-generation tail-male ancestor of Monsun.
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Great effort today from the @benpauling1 trained Handstands (IRE), under Ben Jones, when 2nd in the fabulous Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby to worthy favourite Pic d'Orhy (FR).
#Handstands' Sire Getaway (GER) has Blandford (1919) as his seventh-generation tail-male ancestor.
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On the left you have Sprinter Sacre (2006), aka The Black Aeroplane; two-time Queen Mother Champion Chase winner (1913 & 1916).
On the right, Blandford's son Bahram (1932), the 1935 Triple Crown winner and seventh-generation tail-male ancestor of Sprinter Sacre. #SprinterSacre
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🆕🇺🇸 Breeders' Cup 2026 Gallops Special at Keeneland
- @GraffardRacing
- @GScottracing
- @AndrewBalding2
- @IsabellaPaul20
- @jane_mangan
- @HeathHouseNkt
youtu.be/JWvSBxjD1as
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
🗣️ "It's about time we were taken SERIOUSLY!"
Dan Skelton calls out the Government over the increase in Machine Games Duty and the knock-on effect on horse racing 😤
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Nick Luck Daily: Breeders' Cup Special ⭐️🇺🇸
Hear from:
Francis Graffard - Amusingly
Andrew Balding - Blue Bolt & Moonrise
George Scott - Bay City Roller
Isabella Paul - Lake Forest
William Butler - Tiffany
Jane Mangan - Green Empress
Watch here 👇
youtu.be/JWvSBxjD1as?si=AG9T…
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𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐕 𝐉𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
The only show that wants to know the Scilly Isles winner - and why @TheRacingJosh already has the Trifecta 🤣
Join @nickluck, @LydiaHislop, @Ruby_Walsh and @jane_mangan for your season guide
➡️ youtu.be/eHUzKDm9dXk
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
As we head into the Breeders’ Cup, here’s your reminder that in horse racing, anything is possible.
👉 Watch the 2009 Kentucky Derby replay, where Mine That Bird pulled off one of the biggest upsets in racing history at 50-1 odds.
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
𝐀 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭…
Step back in time to the early 1900s, the fashion may have changed but the thrill of going racing at Hexham lives on!
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RaceiQ: the ten best jumpers over fences
Which horses are the quickest when it comes from getting to A to B in a steeplechase? Andy Stephens studies what the data tells us
➡️ racingtv.com/news/raceiq-the…
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One the left we have Denman (2000), the still celebrated 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero.
On the right we have Blandford's son Blenheim II (1927), the sixth-generation tail-male ancestor of Denman, who won the 1930 Derby at Epsom, here shown being led in by H.H. Aga Khan. #Denman
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Pretty Polly (1901) won the 1904 British Fillies Triple Crown and 22 of her 24 races. She is still celebrated with The Pretty Polly Stakes, ran at the 1000 Guineas meeting at Newmarket.
Her grandsire Isonomy (1875) is the great great grandsire of Blandford (1919). #PrettyPolly
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"Aubrey's up, the money's down,
the bookies they do quake,
come on me lads and give a cheer,
begod, 'tis Cottage Rake!"
Cottage Rake (foaled 1939) won 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups, 1948, 1949, & 1950. His dam Hartingo (1931) had Blandford's sire, Swynford (1907), as her grandsire.
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Cottage Rake was Vincent O'Brien's first winner in the UK. The above photo shows him winning his 3rd Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1950 with Aubrey Brabazon up. He was owned by Frank Vickerman. Alongside his Gold Cup Triple was the 1947 Irish Cesarewitch and 1948 King George VI Chase.
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I should add that it was a training feat of extraordinary skill, and patience, by Nicky Henderson and his @sevenbarrows team to get Sprinter Sacre back to regain his crown at Cheltenham in 2016 - after his irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) in Dec 2013. #SprinterSacre
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
There is nothing better than civil horse racing conversation. I dont care what else you believe or dont. If we can sit and talk horses, you are my friend . period
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Denman (2000-2018) won the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup and received a Timeform rating of 183. He is still celebrated with the Denman Chase at Newbury. By Presenting, whose sire was Mtoto - he traces back tail-male to Blandford's 1930 Derby winning son, Blenheim II (1927). #Denman
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
🎉
Dark Eclipse, the son of Duramente who made himself famous by doing a Fosbury flop over track fence after getting loose(check comments if u haven’t seen)
will now chill out at Yano Farm to work as a teaser (so,his job to check if mares are in heat for mating)🥸
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Blandford (1919) 🐎 retweeted
OTD 1963 Brough Scott rode his first winner over jumps when the Frenchie Nicholson-trained Arcticeelagh won the Monmouth Handicap Hurdle @Chepstow_Racing. Brough scored his most important success in the 1968 Imperial Cup on Colin Davies-trained Persian Empire. 🏇#RacingMemories
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