Behrajan

Behrajan raced 30 times, winning 11 and placing in 11 more. At only 5 years of age he was 3rd in the Stayers Hurdle, he was 2nd in two Hennesseys and also obtained a very honourable 5th out of 15 in the 2003 Gold Cup and went on to Aintree to take 10th out of 40 runners. Not many horses run in both the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year, both races take a lot out of a horse. That he ran well in them was a testament to him and his trainer. He often contested very high class races against a roll call of classy horses including two winners of the Cesarewitch, Heros Fatal and Miss Fara, Champion Hurdle winner Hors La Loi, Hidebound, Barton, Wahiba Sands, Beau, Kings Road, Bacchanal, Hati Roy, Barracuda, Crazy Horse, Kingsmark, What’s Up Boy’s, Gingembre, Foly Pleasant, Valley Henry, and Best Mate. His gallant performances in such company did not help his handicap mark but it endeared him to the racing public. Before long he was giving lots of weight away reminding us of another trier we had loved, Suny Bay in his two Grand Nationals, beaten into second place only by the weight. Behrajan was a character with a mind of his own but on soft ground he tried very hard and was a good jumper.

National Hunt fans are very loyal to their heroes. The game is a hard one which exposes any cracks in a horse’s makeup. Courage is rated above all else, looks, breeding and price do not matter once you get on the track. National Hunt is the domain of geldings, only rarely will it be possible to pass on the genes. Taking part is everything and the more genuine the horse is the more we love them. Stoutly bred horses are often tougher than their high bred counterparts and many a Flat horse has failed to withstand the wind and rain or the rigours of the Winter Game.

When one comes along who does he or she is especially cherished by their fans.

BREEDING AND THE FLAT CAREER

Behrajan was bred in the purple at the Aga Khan’s Stud in Ireland. Sired by the 1991 Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Sheikh Mohammed’s Arazi out of a top class winning Mill Reef mare you would have expected to see him contesting a Derby or two. But he was a huge horse who was weak in his youth and his Flat career saw him start only once in France at 3 years in August 1998 when he ran behind the dual Derby winner Dream Well and the Arc winner Sagamix. He was then bought privately and gelded with a view to sending him jumping. Throughout his too short life Behrajan would bring class and beauty to whatever he undertook but it was hios toughness for which the fans would come to love him. He was a very striking big boned horse, his bay coat set off by a white blaze and he was an immediate hit with the public.

DECEMBER 1998, NATIONAL HUNT DEBUT

In December 1998 Behrajan made his National Hunt debut ridden by Jim Culloty in a juvenile hurdle race at Warwick. They started at the unfancied price of 20/1 in the field of 19 and won on this first attempt beating Miss Fara who went on to win the Cesarewitch.

4 YEARS OLD, 1999

His next stop was the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January 1999 where now a 4 year old he was the only juvenile in the field taking on 6 and 7 year olds including another giant, Nicky Henderson’s promising Hidebound. Ridden by the master Richard Dunwoody they cruised clear to win by 16 lengths. This confirmed his elevation in the ante-post lists for the Triumph Hurdle.

On only his third start over hurdles he went to National Hunt Headquarters for the Grade II Wragge & Co 4 year old Hurdle and was not disgraced, beaten only 3 ½ lengths by Hors La Loi whose superior speed would one day net him the Champion Hurdle. Behrajan made a mistake two out otherwise he would have been closer and it was becoming clear that he would need further and that staying, not speed, was his forte. The older Behrajan got the stronger he became and all who knew him looked forward to the day when the gentle giant would jump fences. At this point his trainer began thinking more about the longer trip of the SunAlliance Hurdle for his Festival debut.

Warwick seemed a lucky course for Behrajan as he returned there in February 1999 and registered his third hurdle win in a field of 5 all of who held an entry in the Royal SunAlliance Hurdle including Kings Road and Windross. Connections most feared Barton and this would prove prophetic. Fans could see that the giant was still growing when he lined up against Barton at Cheltenham who was much more furnished than Behrajan. He was beaten 17 lengths into 5th place but overall ran a good race on ground that did not suit his action. He was rested over the long summer and he continued to grow.

He returned in November at Ascot under Andrew Thornton where he needed the race and finished 5th of 6 to Wahiba Sands.

On 11 Dec he went to Cheltenham under Andrew Thornton for a 3 horse race where he split the winner another Cesarewitch victor Martin Pipe’s Heros Fatal and Picket Piece, beaten 4 lengths. It was not an earth shattering run but he seemed to be on his way back.

Rested he bounced back on New Years Eve in the Unicoin Homes Spa Hurdle at Headquarters this time under Richard Johnson, to beat the thoroughly tough Deanos Beano by 10 lengths. The 3m was a step up in trip for him and he relished it. Henry Daly was not too keen on the idea of subjecting such a young horse to the gruelling Stayers Hurdle but his owners were keen on it and it looked his sort of race after this display.

5 YEARS OLD, 2000

Now a 5 year old he went to Haydock in January 2000 for the Grade II Long Distance Hurdle. Reunited with Andrew Thornton they battled to beat another old favouite Merry Masquerade, with Anzum in 3rd place.

His final hurdles start for awhile would be the big one, The Stayer’s Hurdle at the Festival. He lined up with a class field including Irish Champion Limestone Lad and Nicky Henderson’s giant son of Bob Back Bacchanal. Another favourite who pulled at the heart strings was also in the field, the tiny Lady Rebecca. The race was run at a true gallop and in the end Mick Fitzgerald gave it all he had to get Bacchanal up the hill in front of The Lad who had an interrupted preparation before the Festival. Rebecca could not get the distance but Behrajan showed that he would and stayed on to take a brave 3rd on totally unsuitable God to Firm ground to award each way backers who kept the faith with him. He was beaten by two great horses only 4 lengths and had earned himself a summer rest.

Behrajan returned to action in October 2000 making his chase debut under Richard Johnson at Wetherby in the Tetley`s Bitter Novices Chase on Good to Soft ground. With only 4 in the field this was no test for him but he jumped superbly and won unchallenged as he should have, by 21 lengths. Clearly he needed a real test of stamina and preferred cut in the ground. He continued his good form in 2000 by winning at Exeter by 20 lengths and coming 2nd at Cheltenham to Heros Fatal. He had struck up a partnership with Richard Johnson who became very fond of him.

6 YEARS OLD,

2001

Foot and Mouth hit Britain in 2001 and along with the devastation it created in farming and the countryside it called off a lot of race meetings including the Festival. In February 2001 then 6 years old he and Richard came 2nd to Robert Alner’s stable stalwart Frantic Tan at Newbury. In March they won at Huntingdon and then reverted to hurdles. They were beaten only 3 3/4 lengths into 3rd to Francois Doumen’s dual Stayers Hurdle winner the aptly named Barracuda in a stayers race at Sandown which was the equivalent to the Stayers Hurdle had there been a Festival that year. They took another 3rd behind Lenny Lungos Crazy Horse at Haydock and back chasing under Mark Bradburne,

Behrajan was 3rd to Kingsmark at Haydock in the Edward Hanmer and then an unlucky 1/4 length 2nd to What’s Up Boys in The Hennessey at Newbury. Despite these hard races he went on for one last one that year, to Wetherby at the end of December where he beat Heidi by 13 lengths.

7 YEARS OLD, 2002

Behrajan had a break of a few weeks and was back on the track by February 2002 at the age of 7. He went to Leopardstown where he and Norman Williamson bravely got 2nd place behind Alexander Banquet beaten only 1 ½ length in the Irish Hennessey. This effort booked his chance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where Norman would again ride him. This was Best Mate’s first Gold Cup and the field was led by two past Gold Cup winners See More Business and Looks Like Trouble both rare 3 milers with high cruising speeds who set a fierce pace jumping and running like the two pros that they were. The site of these two Champions setting the field on fire, side by side jumping fearlessly made the blood freeze in all but Best Mate who had the fot to come from behind to steal their thunder. Watching the field go along at such pace it was hard to believe these were 3 mile chasers. Behrajan could not go the pace and was pulled up at the 18th fence but it was later found that he had been injured in the race.

He was a tired horse by this time and earned a long rest not being seen out again until November. He would be schooled by Yogi Breisner famed for having revitalized such horses as Marlborough. On his first race back he ran lack lustre at Navan to finish last under Mark Bradburne. But, given a month and reunited with his old adversary Richard Johnson he bounced back at Ascot in December in the Listed Silver Cup Handicap Chase in devastating style to battle to the line with the Paul Nicholls trained Exit to Wave and beat him by a neck. This was a fine hour for Behrajan and many fans will wish to remember him there in the Winner’s Enclosure.

8 YEARS OLD, 2003

Now an 8 year old, he and Richard went on to the Pillar Chase at end of January where they were ignored in the betting for Valley Henry and Bacchanal. Richard Johnson kicked Behrajan into the lead from the start with Ruby Walsh (subbing for Mick Fitzgerald who was out with injury and very sad to miss the ride) tracking him on THE King George 3rd, Bacchanal. Nicky Henderson`s horse was running in the race before connections decided between another tilt at the Gold Cup or a switch back to timber for the Stayers` Hurdle, a race he won in 2000. Sadly the determination was rendered meaningless when Bacchanal hit the eighth fence and crumpled on landing. He had broken a hind leg and the injury was so severe he was put down immediately by the racecourse vets. The stands were silent as the field raced on for the final circuit but despite this great loss it was hard to ignore Behrajan battling on in the race.

Amazingly for such a stayer Behrajan was still setting a strong pace with Gingembre and Foly Pleasant trying to chase him. Back in the field former winner Cyfor Malta unseated Tony McCoy at the 14th and Valley Henry was not having a going day at all. Barry Gerraghty later said Valley Henry was never acting on the soft ground, but Behrajan loved it.

He was going strong as the field by-passed the fourth-last, where Bacchanal lay surrounded by green screens, and almost as if he sensed the chance Behrajan pulled out all stops to find an extra gear turning into the home straight when Johnson needed it most. This finished off the runs of Gingembre and Foly Pleasant and gave Johnson time to make an unhurried jump at the last. Behrajan came home the hero, slowed right down almost to a walk yet with 14 lengths to spare at the winning post. This was a truly classy performance and a gutsy one.

The front-running tactics were, according to trainer Henry Daly, the new thinking in order to keep his interest as he no longer enjoyed coming from behind tactics.

Behrajan had deserved to win a big race and he was cheered all the way up the long walk in and into the Winner’s Enclosure by many people with tears in their eyes over the death and the victory. It was a horrible reality that some of his connections were also the owners of Bacchanal and one could only imagine the roller coaster ride of emotions which they had to deal with on that day.

A dedicated worrier and a realist above all his trainer Henry Daly is not one to give out smiles casually but he managed a small and quick one before he began to fuss over the consequences of such a win. It ensured that the gelding had earned his place in the Gold Cup in two months time and Daly mused over what a nightmare it would be to get him ready for the big day. But he beamed at the horse as he patted him before he was led away.

After such a performance Behrajan looked to have a decent chance in the Gold Cup and he was rested with that target in mind. Come March Best Mate was as good as ever and nothing troubled him but Behrajan and Richard stayed on respectably into 5th place, once again on ground that did not suit them. The same would be true at Aintree where their partnership remained intact while many parted ways and they rode round steadily into 10th.

Once again rested over the summer Behrajan and Richard made a late but promising return to the season in December at Ascot in the cantorsport.co.uk Silver Cup he had won the year before, there they took 2nd place behind the cannily ridden Martin Pipe’s Horus.

By now assured of a heroes welcome when he won and an understanding one when he lost Behrajan had secured the hearts of National Hunt racing as a real trier who you could always go racing with.

From the Press December 2003

“If it is the measure of a racing hero that the punters will cheer him on regardless of the name on their betting slips, then Behrajan surely added his name to an honourable list with his brave performance in the cantorsport.co.uk Silver Cup at Ascot on Saturday.

Henry Daly`s chaser rarely seems to have anything but top weight on his back, and though he narrowly failed to give almost two stone to Horus, his gallantry in defeat was an abiding memory of the afternoon.

Daly admitted yesterday that, like many thousands of racegoers and armchair backers, he was "mortified" that Behrajan failed to win the race for the second year running. His performance was all the more impressive, though, given that this was his first outing since April, when he finished 10th to Monty`s Pass - under top weight, somewhat inevitably - in the Grand National.

Last season, Behrajan won the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham prior to running fifth behind Best Mate in the Gold Cup. The Pillar is again on his schedule this season, but he may miss the sport`s ultimate prize on the way to a second attempt at the National.

"I thought he was very well on Saturday and obviously I was delighted with his run," Daly said yesterday, "but I was absolutely mortified that he got beaten having run so well.

"There`s obviously a limited number of races that he can run in now because of his rating, but we`ve entered him in at Warwick [for the Warwick National in January], and we`ll enter for the Pillar and probably the Aon as well. But at this stage, I`m not particularly enamoured with the idea of running in the Gold Cup. He`s a fantastically good horse, but unfortunately he would appear to be a little bit off the very top."

Behrajan can still be backed at 33-1 for the Grand National with Paddy Power, although Victor Chandler saw fit to cut him to 20-1. "The National is an idea, but we`ll just have to see," Daly said. "On last year`s reckonings, he would get a respite in the ratings, because the handicapper will give the top ones a bit of a chance, and the remarkable thing about him is that although he`s been around for a long time, he`s still only eight."

One important factor in Behrajan`s defeat on Saturday was the latest impressively mature performance by Jamie Moore, the rider of Horus. Well positioned throughout, Moore brought Horus with a confident run approaching the last, and then kept his mount going when he found rather less than might have been expected to record the most valuable success of his young riding career.”

9 YEARS OLD, 2004

The first news of the New Year was the retirement of See More Business, 14 years old and victor of 9 seasons of racing. He would remain with his human family at Ditcheat where he had been cared for through all of his battles, his disappointments and his glory. There was sorrow because we would miss him but much thankfulness that he was safe and sound.

Only days later Behrajan would lose his life on the track in an unnecessary and meaningless accident. Fate is sometimes so cruel that there can be no explanation at all and we are left questioning everything, all of our own motives and God’s as well. A race which looked tailor made for Behrajan beckoned at Warwick scene of his two wins. Richard Johnson was unable to ride and Andrew Thornton was drafted in as the very able replacement. On the Channel 4 Morning Line much was made about a helicopter dash which Andrew was more than happy to do to pick up the ride. But at the 11th hour things went wrong and a hasty call was made by Henry Daly to ask Josh Byrne, a young jockey to return to the racetrack to take up the biggest ride of his career. He had one ride that day and had changed and was on his way home. So surprised was he that he thought it was a wind up and checked it out to be sure. Delighted he accepted. Derek Thompson told Channel 4 Racing viewers of the fairytale just before the race. No one could know the disaster which would strike only minutes later, but all would mourn. For Behrajan, and his connections, some of who had lost Bacchanal this time last year and perhaps most of all for this young jockey.

Goodbye Behrajan, you did not deserve this and we will miss you.