OAKS WAS A HERO TO ALL

Graham Buddry looks back at the career of a horse who remained in high demand even at the age of 20

- Graham Buddry

In racing terms every horse is a hero to someone whether it’s many tens of thousands of admirers or just the owner and stable lass who love their charge no matter what. In these pages many of the Heroes have been undisputed champions. Sometimes like the ripples in a pond, adoration can spread slowly outwards to encompass a wider range. That old phrase, “Horses for Courses” is where a horse endears itself to a local crowd by its continued exploits and is often adopted by them, but add a touch of class and that horse becomes a hero to a wider audience. This is true of today’s hero, Twin Oaks.

Having proved no good for flat racing Twin Oaks went hurdling in the care of David Murray-Smith and actually won his first race, a novice hurdle at Towcester. Unfortunately this was the only highlight of a very unsuccessful career over timber.

As a novice chaser he ran four times in two months in 1987, falling at the first fence on his debut, a distant third next time out before an eight-length second to the useful Foyle Fisherman. Made 3/1 favourite for his final outing of the season, an 18 runner maiden chase at Ascot, Twin Oaks fell early on.