Clouds Goes Out In Blaze Of Glory

THISTLECRACK lost his cloak of invincibility at Cheltenham on Saturday when he was beaten for the first time over fences. However, a thrilling finish to the Betbright Trial Cotswold Chase was marred when the horse that beat him by the gamest of heads, the 2015 Grand National winner Many Clouds, collapsed and died moments after the line.

- Marcus Armytage

Cheltenham’s nine-race trials day was in part predictable with the three odds-on shots, Defi De Seuil, Unowhatimeanharry and Un De Sceaux all winning impressively.

But for the Cotswold Chase it veered wildly off script, not so much because Thistlecrack suffered his first defeat in 10 outings — that happens — but because of what happened to Many Clouds, one of the most popular chasers of his era.

Many Clouds, a Grand National, Hennessy and two-time Cotswold Chase winner, was known for occasionally “wobbling” after his races. The condition is called post-race ataxia, when the body temperature increases, and is usually treated by dousing the horse with buckets of water. As Many Clouds was a known sufferer, it was standard practice for the racecourse vets to be ready to catch him at the end of his races, and give him oxygen if necessary.

Given a superb ride again by Leighton Aspell, the only jockey to have ever ridden him during his career, he had just run what may come to be regarded as the race of his career, lowering the colours of the seemingly unbeatable Thistlecrack.

Half a length down at the last, Many Clouds put his head down and got back up to beat the upstart Thistlecrack a head in a thriller under a typically sympathetic ride from Aspell.

Having pulled up he circled for over a minute with his ears pricked and no sign of a “wobble”. But just as Aspell was about to be interviewed by ITV, Many Clouds collapsed and died. 

Racing is sport with huge highs and deep lows, but they rarely come within a minute of each other. After a couple of stiff drinks, Oliver Sherwood paid tribute to the horse who will define his career.