CUE FOR MANY A CELEBRATION

Graham Buddry recalls the life and times of jumps legend Cue Card

- Graham Buddry

Over the last 20 years or so there has hardly been a more popular horse than Cue Card.

Fontwell Park was the scene of his first race, a bumper, where he was well in contention until a scintillating late burst of speed carried him clear. This offered confidence for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival on 17 March 2010, where the long time leader, AI Ferof, was quickly reeled in and destroyed as Cue Card shot past for an eight length annihilation.

One thing was certain... Cue Card would never start at 40/1 again! The following season Cue Card would race over hurdles. He'd schooled well at home and the Tizzard team knew he would stay so a 2 mile event was found at Aintree in October. Cue Card pulled quite hard at the slower pace yet cruised effortlessly to a thirteen length success without having to be asked for any effort.

A month later he returned to Cheltenham for another novice hurdle, this time back over two miles where the faster pace was expected to help him settle better. It did and when Cue Card sauntered into the lead two out it was race over. A comfortable eight lengths separated him from the next home with the others ten, six and fifteen lengths and more behind.

What to do with such a prodigious talent? Amazingly the Grade 2 International hurdle was chosen and Cue Card gave of his best. Joining the leaders after the penultimate flight he finally had to cede to the favourite, Menorah, with Silviniaco Conti back in third place.

His next outing was perhaps the classiest ever running of the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival where fourth place was not a bad result when you consider the only ones to beat Cue Card were AI Ferof, Spirit Son and Sprinter Sacre.

One final race over hurdles saw Spirit Son confirm the form over Cue Card with Rock On Ruby in third.

Such an exciting talent over hurdles yet his future lay over fences.