The French Furze

Last updated
The French Furze
Frenchfurze.jpg
The French Furze at the 2007 Fighting Fifth Hurdle
Sire Be My Guest
Grandsire Northern Dancer
Dam Exciting
Damsire Mill Reef
Sex Gelding
Foaled1994
Country Ireland
Colour Chestnut
Breeder Stonethorn Stud Farms LTD
Owner Jim Ennis
Trainer Nicky Richards
Record11-12-8
Earnings£232,499
Major wins
Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2003)

The French Furze (foaled on May 10, 1994 in Ireland) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Be My Guest and dam, Exciting. [1] He is owned by Jim Ennis and was trained by Nicky Richards. Throughout his time as a racehorse, he was ridden by several famous jockeys, including Brian Harding, Tony Dobbin and Tony McCoy among others. [2] At the time of his retirement, The French Furze had amassed a career record of 11 wins, 12 places and 8 shows while accumulating £232,499 in lifetime earnings. [2]

The French Furze started racing as a two-year-old in September 1996 when he was entered into the Dance Design European Breeders Fund Maiden, finishing in seventh place out of 12 entries. He won his first race, the Gilane Amusements 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle, in August 1997 at Tramore Racecourse in County Waterford, Tramore in Ireland. He beat a field of eight horses to earn his first victory. Early in his career, when The French Furze won a race, he would go on to win by impressive distances. His first seven victories were won by 10, 11, 14, 15, 4, 6, and 24 lengths respectively. [2]

Although The French Furze won 11 races, his most notable win came late in his career in November 2003 when he won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle Racecourse in Newcastle, England. Entering the race as a 25 to 1 longshot, The French Furze and jockey Brian Harding bested a field of eight horses en route to a victory over Geos by three-quarters of a length. [3]

In 2007, The French Furze’s achievements and seven consecutive entries into the Fighting Fifth Hurdle were honored when a race was named after him. The race, named the WBX French Furze Novices' Hurdle, spanned two and three-quarter miles and was run on December 1, 2007. [4] The race was won by Tazbar, who defeated Innominate by an astounding 38 lengths. [5]

The French Furze was retired at the age of 13 in December 2007 after a poor showing in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. [6] When asked about The French Furze, trainer Nicky Richards said: He has been a pleasure to train, but age has caught up with him. I owe him plenty as he was the horse who enabled me to rub shoulders with the big boys shortly after I started out. [7] In all, The French Furze ran over 80 races in his career. [6]

Related Research Articles

Paul Carberry Irish jockey

Paul Carberry is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey.

The Triple Crown of Hurdling is awarded to a horse that wins all three of the open, two-mile Grade 1 Hurdling races in any given English National Hunt season:

  1. The Fighting Fifth Hurdle, held at the Newcastle Racecourse
  2. The Christmas Hurdle, held at Kempton Park Racecourse
  3. The Champion Hurdle, held at Cheltenham Racecourse
Big Bucks French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Big Buck's is a retired National Hunt racehorse trained in Britain by Paul Nicholls. He is owned by businessman Andy Stewart and specialised in racing over hurdles. At the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, Big Buck's made history by winning 4 consecutive World Hurdles, confirming his status as the greatest staying hurdler in history. He was retired on 13 March 2014.

Punjabi (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Punjabi is a British Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Komatie and dam, Competa. Punjabi started racing as a three-year-old in 2005. He won his first race, a Class 6, in May 2006 at Newcastle Racecourse in Newcastle, England.

In The Wings (1986–2004) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced from a base in France. He was bred and raced by Sheikh Mohammed, and trained in France by André Fabre,

Straw Bear American-bred racehorse

Straw Bear is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was trained in England throughout his career and was notable for his performances in hurdle races. He won two Grade I events, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Christmas Hurdle.

Harchibald French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Harchibald is a retired French-bred, Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse.

Go Native Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Go Native was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire Double Eclipse and dam Native Idea. He was owned by Docado Syndicate, trained by Noel Meade, and his primary jockey has been Paul Carberry. He was purchased by the Docado Syndicate for £25,000 from horse dealer Martin Cullinane. As of March 21, 2009, Go Native’s career record stands at 8 wins, 4 places and 0 shows, with 3 of his wins coming in Grade 1 Hurdle races. He has amassed £310,254 in lifetime earnings.

Davy Condon Irish jockey

Davy Condon is an Irish National hunt racing jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Condon’s father, Michael Condon, was an amateur jockey. His father rode for Jimmy Murphy and Charles Byrnes, but a fall that left him in a coma cut his career short with just one win to his credit. His grandfather, Gerry Townend, was also a notable amateur jockey. Condon retired in 2015 after a spinal injury.

Binocular (horse) French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Binocular, foaled on March 17, 2004 in France, is a French thoroughbred retired racehorse. He was sired by Enrique out of the mare Bleu Ciel Et Blanc. He is owned by J. P. McManus and trained by Nicky Henderson. His primary jockey is Tony McCoy.

Aces Four, foaled on March 30, 1999, in Ireland, is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse.

Neptune Collonges French racehorse

Neptune Collonges is a retired AQPS racehorse. He was bred in France as an AQPS and trained in Great Britain. His most noted success came when winning the Grand National on 14 April 2012.

Arcalis (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Arcalis is a British Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for his win in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival.

Al Eile Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Al Eile is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He is best known for being the only horse to win the Grade I Aintree Hurdle three times.

Solwhit French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Solwhit was a French-bred, Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist hurdler, he competed in National Hunt races. He died on 7 November 2014 following a fall whilst schooling in Tipperary.

Weapons Amnesty Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Weapon's Amnesty is an Irish thoroughbred racehorse. He retired in January 2013.

Glint of Gold was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A middle-distance specialist, he was noted for his toughness and consistency, winning ten races, finishing second six times and third once in a seventeen race career which lasted from July 1980 until September 1982. He won races in four countries including six at Group One level. His major victories included the Gran Criterium and Derby Italiano in Italy, the Grand Prix de Paris and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France, the Preis von Europa and Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany and the Great Voltigeur Stakes and John Porter Stakes in Britain. He was also placed in The Derby, St Leger Stakes, Coronation Cup and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He was retired to stud at the end of the 1982 season and had modest success as a sire of winners.

Landing Light was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Originally trained on the flat in France he was later transferred to England where he excelled in hurdle races. In 2001 he was arguably the best hurdler in Britain, winning the Tote Gold Trophy, Championship Hurdle, Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Christmas Hurdle. He failed to reproduce his best form in subsequent National Hunt campaigns, but returned to the flat as an eight-year-old in 2003 and won the Cesarewitch Handicap on his final racecourse appearance.

Barton was a British racehorse of Thoroughbred and Anglo-Arabian ancestry who competed in National Hunt racing. In a racing career which lasted from October 1997 until November 2003 he won fourteen of his twenty-six races. He had his greatest success in the 1998/1999 National Hunt season when he dominated the novice hurdle division in Britain, winning all seven of his races including the Classic Novices' Hurdle, Winter Novices' Hurdle, River Don Novices' Hurdle, Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle and Mersey Novices' Hurdle. After missing the next season he returned to win the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Aintree Hurdle, easily defeating Best Mate in the latter race. When switched to steeplechasing he won the Dipper Novices' Chase and the Mildmay Novices' Chase but was never as effective as he had been over hurdles.

Buveur d'Air is a French-bred British-trained AQPS racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. After winning twice in his native France he moved to England and won the Top Novices' Hurdle in 2016. In the following season he won two steeplechases before reverting to hurdle races to win the Contenders Hurdle and then recording his biggest success in the Champion Hurdle. In the 2017–18 season he was unbeaten, winning the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, Christmas Hurdle and a second Champion Hurdle.

References

  1. The French Furze Pedigree, pedigreequery.com, accessed 23 April 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 The French Furze History, racingpost.com, accessed 23 April 2010
  3. Furze Shocks Falcon, news.bbc.co.uk, 29 November 2003, accessed 23 April 2010.
  4. Furze Hailed at Gosforth Park, sportinglife.com, 9 October 2007, accessed 23 April 2010.
  5. Tazbar History, racingpost.com, accessed 23 April 2010.
  6. 1 2 The French Furze is retired, thefreelibrary.com, 4 December 2007, accessed 23 April 2010.
  7. French Furze retired, breakingnews.iol.ie, December 2007, accessed 23 April 2010.