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Legends can be remembered for the amount of cash it has won in its career or the amount of challenge races it has won but there is one record that all horses and trainers aim for, the horse that records the most ever winning runs in its career. It doesn't matter what grade you achieve this feat in, it is all about winning, the prize money just goes hand in hand. After all who would want to see their horse finish second all the time but head the prize money list. There would always be the "what if" scenario. You want wins and you want more wins, not seeds of doubt or memorable losses.
Since her retirement in November 2006, Lady Killer has sat proud at the head of the totals wins criteria. Some believed her record would never be matched, let alone beaten. Until now! As each day passed and horses fell stricken to the power of Princess Gudrun, a new pretender to the throne was emerging. Not content with beating the record of the Ken Allan filly, Princess Gudrun seeks to annihilate the current record and she has until the end of the season to continue to add to the impressive tally for the Holmang Horses legacy. A juvenile to savour! Born on 28th August 2008 into the Pompadours yard, a calm and collected figure the filly, coat gleaming, introduced herself to the virtual racing world. Her ability was nurtured by her owner. Many a purist would argue that she should have contested the juvenile challenge arena, those who knew her were privy to the fact that she was a late developer. Yes, she had talent but something stopped her connections from making the plunge to contest the highest of calibre race.
The graded stakes were her destination for her juvenile season and it turned out to be a decision personified by her results. She romped through the grades contesting a total of thirty-six races at the age of two. Her win to lace ration was out of this world and her only failings of the season brushed aside with a pinch of salt. She won or placed on thirty-four occasions, only twice returning a poor show in racing, you could forgive her that, as every horse as an off day. From September 27th 2008 the chestnut filly strung together a run of results that were out of this world. Eight wins on the bounce were only interrupted by a poor run in level weight company, finishing second behind The Grey Express in a race she should have won. If only the second place could have been turned into victory. She returned to the track and followed up with a win streak of seven, which surely, in hindsight would have been an all time record for consecutive wins by a horse at RaceClubs.com.
The season had proved her ability. Wins were coming from all sprint distances and goings. Her thirty-six races would yield twenty-five visits to the winners enclosure and it remained to be seen what type of filly she would develop into at the age of three.To be the best, you have to beat the best! Very much like Lady Killer, who throughout her career failed in six bids to land a challenge final, Princess Gudrun, although contesting only the one final, wasn't able to bring home the championship trophy. Her fourth place in The Nunthorpe Sprint Final, was difficult viewing for her connections. After a fantastic qualifying campaign, all thoughts turned to lifting the famous trophy, it was a bitter pill to swallow. The jockey on the day, Jacob Forrester reported he just couldn't get her going. It was to be her one and only attempt at a championship, where Lady Killer had failed before her, so Princess Gudrun had done the same. Absent of a championship win in her glittering career! Although disappointing it should not be considered a factor in how we respect the horse. Ability and presence on the track are far more important criteria.
As a three year old contesting The Nunthorpe, she had her fair share of qualifying wins during the series, four in fact, so it was not all doom and gloom for the yard. A busy season saw her take in forty-eight races and again a season of consistency. On the six occasions she failed to make an impact in race proceedings, she would immediately bounce back. Nineteen wins were added in a season considered to be her most difficult.
Holmang Horses was the new and proud owner who has remained the master in charge ever since. Adding to the success the horse had experienced under the guidance of Pompadours and living up to his past achievement with the horse was always going to be at the back of the mind of the new trainer’s thoughts. He needn't have worried as the switch of yards became seamless in that, two days after the transfer of the horse she banged in immediate success and started the repayment, both in the faith shown and the obvious financial return.
The investment has been of great reward to Holmang over the three and a half seasons he has boarded the horse at his yard. The wins and places just keep rolling in her favour, which brings us to this monumental day in RaceClubs.com history. Eleven seasons have come and gone with Lady Killer's reign supreme, it is now time to begin a new era of legendary status as Princess Gudrun proudly takes her bow and completes her memorable assault at Hall Of Fame immortality. Holmang Horses will be proud of the legacy after completing the sixty-eight wins needed to de-throne the great Lady Killer. Some said she couldn't do it but Holmang was ever confident she would do so and in doing so with plenty still left in the tank, just when will the figure stagnate?
Not many horses will ever have the opportunity to amass so many winners, especially within the female ranks. Princess Gudrun is now to be shot at. Another young pretender may be out there waiting in the wings but future champions are not in the mind of her trainer as he stares content in the achievement. It goes without saying that Pompadours is as much to credit for the horses rise to super stardom. For it was with him that it all began and Holmang Horses will always be grateful for being given the chance to purchase such a thoroughbred.
The final win total will take some beating and maybe it will never get toppled. So we take this moment in time and pose the question, where exactly were you when Princess Gudrun reached the summit?
The Race That Changed RaceClubs.com Virtual HistoryMember Submission: Moletown When asked about his filly, Holmang commented,".......Princess Gudrun was a birthday present to myself. At the time of my £400 investment she stood on fifty-two wins, sporting a 50% win to run ratio. A wonderful job had been done by Ken (Pompadours), but I had been following her for a while and when the chance came about to own such a class filly, I jumped at the chance. I noticed that she was almost always favorite in the EB races, seemingly finishing well above the random jockey factor. It never crossed my mind that she would reach 130 wins. Previously I had chased the record with another star horse of my stable, Emily Grace. She could never quite reach the summit and now finds herself demoted to third in the all time standings.My favorite race has to be today's, to beat the record of Lady killer is fantastic although I am also very fond of the Newbury Sprint Qualifier when she shunted 140lbs to victory on April 19th 2010. Ok, so it was a second instance but that is no mean feat in itself.She has done so much for my stable and I dont know how much money has actually come in profit, though I estimate it to be quite a return to my initial investment. Not to mention the steady flow of bonus credits that have funded new purchases from the sales ring.I am very proud to hold the top spot in this category. The game has changed quite a lot in the last few years and I firmly believe it has become more difficult to reach these goals. It's not all about financial gain and I dont just play the game to win money. For me, prestige is as important. I actually believe this record will stand for at least ten seasons. Sure, I am going to miss my favorite filly but she will never be forgotten. I just hope that my latest filly, Eternal Life, can emulate half of what Princess Gudrun has done for me over the last three and a half years."
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Princess Gudrun entrenched as Queen of the hall of Fame on Raceclubs.com. She's the Queen of Champions!
The RaceClubs.com Hall Of Fame
** Congratulations Princess Gudrun **Princess Gudrun The RaceClubs.com Hall Of Fame is home to the very best. The legends of bygone years, long in the tooth and well beyond even a canter, sit proud in this table of achievement. The ability these horses would show over a career from 2-7YO and the horse handling skills culminate together to produce "Legends". Legends that could stand the test of time and be remembered fondly by owners and punters alike. They break all records and etch their name in the framework of racing immortality; but records are there to be broken!
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