Golden Miller

Nothwithstanding the 2 superstars Arkle and Red Rum there were many who rated Golden Miller the greatest steeplechaser of all-time.

The sensational colt who was bred in Ireland, had been purchased for 500 Guineas out of a field by the Northamptonshire hunter-dealer Captain Dick Farmer. He was sent to be schooled at Basil Briscoe's stable who on the colt's arrival telephoned Farmer to say that he wanted a probable chaser not a carthorse.

Basil Briscoe named the colt after his parent's names Golden Court and Miller's Pride.Funnily, Golden Miller's stable lad said, "What a good name for a bad horse." Golden Miller's first owner was Phillip Carr, a stockbroker, whose son Arthur, was captain of NottinghamshireC.C and had led England against Australia in the 1926 Test Series.

The colt made a most pathetic debut in a race at Southwell. Briscoe had lost faith in his colt and thought it would be more worthwile putting the colt into hunting. This mission proved futile as the horse simply woudn't keep up with the hounds and would make several mistakes in jumping!

After an enforced rest due to a tendon injury, Golden Miller made astonishing improvement. After six months, The Miller astonished his stable with 2 staggering victories. Bob Lyall, his rider stated that he was one of the finest 3 year olds he had ever ridden. His stable lad and trainer had to simply eat their words!

In 1931, shortly before he died Phillip Carr had decided to sell his ward. On the request of Dorothy Paget. Briscoe offered her Golden Miller. Mrs Paget wanted an outstanding hurdler and chaser. Basil Briscoe offered her both his best hurdler and chaser. He told the lady "He would offer her the best hurdler and chaser in the world." The hurdler was the 4 year old, Insurance. Mrs Paget paid 10,000 pounds for the pair. Miss Dorothy Paget, daughter of Lord Queen's borough, was an unusual character who wore shabby clothes and had a strange lifestyle.

Golden Miller made his first Gold Cup debut in March 1932. After winning 3 of his 4 steeplechases, he became third favourite at odds of 13to2. Grakle, the 1931 Grand National winner was the favourite followed by Kingsford.Grakle, unseated his rider, and horse hit the fence at the Canal Turn, falling Kingsford fell, enabling Golden Miller to triumph by 4 lengths.

The following season on 1933, The Miller won his first 5 races including his second Gold Cup. The horse's next race had tremendous historical significance.

Golden Miller was to run in the Grand National and if he triumphed he would become the first horse to complete the Gold Cup-National double. On the first circuit, Golden Miller ran diffidently.On the second circuit, he was jumping to the right. At Bechers, he simply ploughed through the fence leaving one of the largest holes seen in a fence.Sadly, the great horse fell at the canal turn when closing in on the leaders. At the end of the race, his jockey Leader was most depressed stating that "Aintree was simply not the horse's cup of tea."

In 1934, Gerry Wilson was to partner Golden Miller. The great horse triumphed in the Gold Cup again by 6 lengths, showing great courage, and his connections decided to re-run him in the Grand National.

On arriving the colt appeared nervous, however, reminiscent of Nelson avenging his defeat over Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo, Golden Miller displayed extraordinary courage for the first time in his career. At that after his setback the previous year, cruising past Delaneige to win by a long-looking 5 lengths in a new course record timing of 9:20.4 secs.

In the race, the colt jumped magnificently throughout making his only mistakes twice at Bechers. Golden Miller had made history becoming the first horse to complete the Gold Cup - National double. To this day no horse has won both these great races in a single season.

Golden Miller had become a legend to steeplechasing, the equivalent of Jack Hobbes to Cricket. What was remarkable about his victory was that he carried the topweight of 12st.2lb.

Golden Miller's 4th Gold Cup victory was one of the greatest races ever witnessed in the history of the Gold Cup. From the 3rd last he was engaged in a heart-throbbing duel for supremacy Golden Miller had second with another great chaser Thommond 2nd to spectators it was the equivalent of watching an inconclusive boxing bout.

After the last fence, Thommond 2nd landed with a marginal advantage and 100 yards from the finish, Golden Miller exhibited his remarkable courage and pulled away to win by 3/4 of a length. Golden Miller had shattered Easter Hero's existing record by 27 seconds!.He clocked the then record time of 6mins.30 secs.

The jockey of the runner-up Billy Specks exhibited great sportsmanship after the race stating, "Well Done mate! Well here's one thing-when we are old and grey, sitting back and enjoying a drink, we can tell them how we did ride at least one great horse race one day in our lives." Tragically, a month later, he died suffering from a fall in Cheltenham's April meeting.

In the National, 2 weeks later, Golden Miller carried the staggering topweight of 12st.7lb. He was still the 2 to one favourite, the shortest priced favourite in the history of the race. A week before the race, a lawyer warned Basil Briscoe, that there was a conspiracy to prevent his ward from winning. Rumours at Newmarket prevailed that Golden Miller had been given the most tortuous workouts by Briscoe, inspite of a hard race in the Gold Cup. Gerry Wilson, who was suffering from a damaged shoulder for several weeks, could only ride with pain-killing injections. Suprisingly on the eve of the big race, he failed to appear on the course to ride the colt for his morning workout.

In the race, Golden Miller jumped the first 9 fences well. At the ditch, the colt made a fatal error. He stuck to his toes, jumped the fence to the left, flinging his rider in the air, landing crooked and leaving Gerry Wilson over his left shoulder.

The post-race events were simply chaotic.Briscoe was accused by Mrs.Paget of overworking the horse. In turn, Briscoe blamed Wilson for "Jumping of." Wilson had stated the horse had gone lame. Unsensibly, without the consent of the rider, Briscoe entered Golden Miller in the Champion Chase and ironically, Golden Miller fell at the first flight!

Gerry Wilson attributed his Gold Cup defeat to his mount anticipating a mirror which baffled the horse. What it actually was a flare instated to prevent a private camera crew from operating on the far side of the course. A flash of sunlight was quite likely to blind a horse or jockey.

In 1936, Golden Miller won his 5th Gold Cup.However, Briscoe angered with Mrs.Paget's accusations of his jockey, Gerry Wilson, asked the owner to withdraw his horse from his stable. In 1937, the horse would surely have won it but for snow causing the meeting to be abandoned.

Golden Miller had 2 more unsuccessful races in the Grand National, in 1936 ridden by Evan Williams, he fell at the first flight. However, he was re-mounted only to subsequently refuse the 11th fence. Strangely history repeated itself the following tear with the horse, this time in the hands of Danny Morgan, again refusing the 11th fence.

Sadly, in 1938 at 11 years of age, Golden Miller was beaten in the Gold Cup for the first time. He was beaten by the 2 years younger Morse Code. It was reminescent of Jack Hobbes the master English batsman of his day failing to score a hundred on his last innings in cricket. Tears rolled down the eyes of his fans.

It was a most emotional moment for his supporters which compared with the feeling's steeplechasing fans had for the great Arkle and Red Rum on their final appearances in the racecourse. Golden Miller had ended his career winning 28 races from 52 starts.

In my opinion Golden Miller would not only find a place in the three greatest steeplechasers of all-time (with Arkle and Red Rum) but also rank amongst the top 10 horses of the last Century (with the likes of Secretariat, PharLap, Sea Bird, Man'oWar etc..).

His feat of winning 5 consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups, a Grand National and a Gold Cup in the same year, have been unequalled. However, I agree with racing historians in rating Arkle, a superior horse.Arkle faced superior opposition and revised the weights-the first steeplechaser to do so. Red Rum was certainly the greatest ever Grand National horse but never had the ability to win the Gold Cup. Arkle was simply a Bradman to steeplechasing. That does not deny The Miller the title of a superstar.

The great horse lived upto the ripe age of 30 years before dying in 1957. Gerry Wilson, who died in 1969 stated, "A straighter man never drew breadth."

He was without question an immortal.

Golden Miller 1927	Goldcourt	Goldminer	Gallinule
			Seek and Find
		Powerscourt	Atheling
			Waterfall
	Millers Pride	Wavelets Pride	Fernandez
			Wavelet
		Millers Daughter	Queens Birthday
			Allan Water