Dawn Run
THERE are several strands to Dawn Run’s status as a legend of the Turf. She merits that description for the fact that in 1986, she was the best steeplechaser over all distances from two miles to 3¼ miles. It would be warranted, too, for her unique achievement in 1984, when she won the Irish, British and French Champion Hurdles. Yet her greatest claim to fame is that she remains the only horse in history to win both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup.
That prestigious double has eluded all others because of the diverse qualities required to win both races. The Champion Hurdle, with its emphasis on speed and quicksilver jumping, is the polar opposite of the Gold Cup, in which stamina and resilience are at a premium. But it all came alike to Dawn Run. There was nothing she despised more than the spectre of defeat.
And of course, she was a mare. A common perception in racing is that mares are inclined to wilt when confronted by male opponents. It largely holds true; hence the 5lb weight allowance mares receive from males on the racecourse. Conversely, however, a tough, hardy mare will put males to shame. Not for nothing was Dawn Run described by Maureen Mullins, wife of her trainer Paddy Mullins, as the “most ferocious” among thousands of horses to pass through their stable.
She was her own soul and woe betide anybody who challenged her authority, in or out of
