Devon Loch el caballo que perdió el Grand National de 1.956 - DEVON LOCH THE HORSE THAT LOST THE GRAND NATIONAL OF 1.956
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| Dick Francis - foto : robertarood.wordpress.com |
(Please look for the English version below)
Cualquier aficionado al mundo del turf sabe por experiencia que en este deporte existen infinidad de factores impredecibles que influyen en el resultado de una carrera. Un jockey desestribado, caballos que se cruzan o que llegan a tocarse, una fusta perdida, una silla desplazada ...
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| telegraph.co.uk |
Seguro que muchas de estas cosas y alguna mas les habrán sucedido a la mayoría de los jockeys pero es muy improbable, por no decir imposible, que les haya pasado lo que le ocurrió a Dick Francis (a la izquierda y arriba), jockey y, a su retiro, escritor de novelas sobre crímenes.
Sucedió en 1.956, Dick había sido seleccionado para montar en el Grand National de Aintree al caballo, propiedad de la Reina madre, Devon Loch. Dick aparece en la siguiente fotografía de telegraph.com.uk. Está en el paddock con la propietaria del caballo, la Reina Isabel II y la princesa Margarita :
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| La Reina Isabel II, la infanta Margarita y la Reina Madre con Dick Francis antes de la carrera (Foto REX) |
Su probabilidad era muy alta, Devon Loch había demostrado ser capaz de ganar la carrera aunque, tratándose del Grand National, cualquier cosa era posible.
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| Devon Loch (foto Press Association) |
La carrera se desarrolló como en tantas otras ediciones, los caballos saltaban esos tremendos obstáculos y muchos caían pero Devon Loch respondía perfectamente.
En los últimos obstáculos solo tres caballos tenían posibilidades de victoria : nuestro Devon Loch con Dick Francis, ESB montado por Dave Dick y Geltle Moya con George Milburn como jockey.
Después del último obstáculo Devon Loch se destacó y avanzó en los últimos metros como claro dominador de la carrera y resultaba evidente que no podía ser otro el ganador. Los aficionados gritaban su nombre animándole y pensando en bajar a cobrar sus apuestas, cuando ocurrió lo que nadie había previsto, algo completamente inusual.
Solo a 40 yardas (algo más de 36,5 mts.) para el poste de llegada, Devon Loch saltó de forma inesperada y acabó cayendo en la pista sobre su tripa. Los aficionados no lo podían creer :
Su jockey, Dick Francis, casi salió entre las orejas del caballo; luego éste se levantó torpemente mientras sus perseguidores le pasaban uno a uno. Parecía que el caballo cojeaba y su jockey le desmontó y regresó a las tribunas claramente aturdido.
Pero creemos que el vídeo que os ofrecemos a continuación, describirá mucho mejor lo que sucedió ese día :
Solo a 40 yardas (algo más de 36,5 mts.) para el poste de llegada, Devon Loch saltó de forma inesperada y acabó cayendo en la pista sobre su tripa. Los aficionados no lo podían creer :
Su jockey, Dick Francis, casi salió entre las orejas del caballo; luego éste se levantó torpemente mientras sus perseguidores le pasaban uno a uno. Parecía que el caballo cojeaba y su jockey le desmontó y regresó a las tribunas claramente aturdido.
Pero creemos que el vídeo que os ofrecemos a continuación, describirá mucho mejor lo que sucedió ese día :
Cuando preguntaron a la Reina madre sobre lo sucedido con su caballo, ella se limitó a decir esa famosa frase de : "Oh, that's racing !" (Oh, así son las carreras).
Pero ¿que le pudo pasar a Devon Loch?; algunos dijeron que algo le había asustado, que, quizá, una sombra le hizo creer que allí había un nuevo obstáculo y muchas otras teorías a cual mas pintoresca. Pero quizá la clave la tuviera el jockey del segundo clasificado ese día, George Milburn, que fue entrevistado años después :
" La siguiente temporada de carreras monté en el Mildmay Memorial Chase en Sandown y Devon Loch también participó en esa carrera terminando cuarto, yo llegué a la meta en séptimo u octavo lugar, pero muy cerca de él. Después de que Devon Loch pasara la línea de meta hizo exactamente lo mismo que en el Grand National. Mi teoría es que tenía algún problema de tipo muscular que se manifestaba cuando estaba cansado ".
Curiosa esta historia sobre el Grand National que aún sigue sin explicación ya que solo Devon Loch supo lo que le ocurrió pero, lamentablemente, no se lo dijo a nadie.
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Any fan of the turf world knows from experience that in this sport there are many unpredictable factors that influence the outcome of a race. A jockey without stirrup, horses that cross or come to touch, a lost whip, a displaced chair ...
Surely many of these things and some more will have happened to most jockeys but it is very unlikely, if not impossible, that what happened to Dick Francis (left and above), jockey and, to his retirement, writer of novels about crimes.
It happened in 1956, Dick had been selected to ride in Aintree's Grand National to the horse, owned by Queen Mother, Devon Loch. Dick appears in the following photograph of telegraph.com.uk. It is in the paddock with the owner of the horse, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret :
His probability was very high, Devon Loch had proved capable of winning the race although, in the case of the Grand National, anything was possible.
The race was developed as in many other editions, the horses jumped those tremendous obstacles and many fell but Devon Loch responded perfectly.
In the last obstacles only three horses had chances of victory: our Devon Loch with Dick Francis, ESB ridden by Dave Dick and Geltle Moya with George Milburn as a jockey.
After the last obstacle Devon Loch stood out and advanced in the last few meters as clear dominator of the race and it was evident that there not could be another the winner. The fans shouted his name encouraging him and thinking about going down to collect his bets, when it happened what nobody had foreseen, something completely unusual.
Only 40 yards (a little over 36.5 meters) for the finishing post, Devon Loch jumped unexpectedly and ended up falling on the track on his gut. The fans could not believe it :
His jockey, Dick Francis, almost came out between the ears of the horse; Then he rose awkwardly while his pursuers passed him one by one. It seemed that the horse limped and his jockey dismounted and returned to the stands clearly stunned.
But we believe that the video that we offer below, will describe much better what happened that day:
When they asked the Queen Mother about what happened with her horse, she just said that famous phrase: "Oh, that's racing!"
But what could happen to Devon Loch ?; some said that something had scared him, that, perhaps, a shadow made him believe that there was a new obstacle and many other theories to which more picturesque. But perhaps the key was the jockey of the second classified that day, George Milburn, who was interviewed years later :
"The next racing season I rode at the Mildmay Memorial Chase in Sandown and Devon Loch also participated in that race finishing fourth, I reached the finish line in seventh or eighth place, but very close to him." After Devon Loch passed the line The goal was exactly the same as in the Grand National, my theory being that he had a muscle-type problem that manifested itself when he was tired. "
Curious this story about the Grand National that still remains unexplained as only Devon Loch knew what happened to him but, unfortunately, he did not tell anyone.
Any fan of the turf world knows from experience that in this sport there are many unpredictable factors that influence the outcome of a race. A jockey without stirrup, horses that cross or come to touch, a lost whip, a displaced chair ...
Surely many of these things and some more will have happened to most jockeys but it is very unlikely, if not impossible, that what happened to Dick Francis (left and above), jockey and, to his retirement, writer of novels about crimes.
It happened in 1956, Dick had been selected to ride in Aintree's Grand National to the horse, owned by Queen Mother, Devon Loch. Dick appears in the following photograph of telegraph.com.uk. It is in the paddock with the owner of the horse, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret :
His probability was very high, Devon Loch had proved capable of winning the race although, in the case of the Grand National, anything was possible.
The race was developed as in many other editions, the horses jumped those tremendous obstacles and many fell but Devon Loch responded perfectly.
In the last obstacles only three horses had chances of victory: our Devon Loch with Dick Francis, ESB ridden by Dave Dick and Geltle Moya with George Milburn as a jockey.
After the last obstacle Devon Loch stood out and advanced in the last few meters as clear dominator of the race and it was evident that there not could be another the winner. The fans shouted his name encouraging him and thinking about going down to collect his bets, when it happened what nobody had foreseen, something completely unusual.
Only 40 yards (a little over 36.5 meters) for the finishing post, Devon Loch jumped unexpectedly and ended up falling on the track on his gut. The fans could not believe it :
His jockey, Dick Francis, almost came out between the ears of the horse; Then he rose awkwardly while his pursuers passed him one by one. It seemed that the horse limped and his jockey dismounted and returned to the stands clearly stunned.
But we believe that the video that we offer below, will describe much better what happened that day:
When they asked the Queen Mother about what happened with her horse, she just said that famous phrase: "Oh, that's racing!"
But what could happen to Devon Loch ?; some said that something had scared him, that, perhaps, a shadow made him believe that there was a new obstacle and many other theories to which more picturesque. But perhaps the key was the jockey of the second classified that day, George Milburn, who was interviewed years later :
"The next racing season I rode at the Mildmay Memorial Chase in Sandown and Devon Loch also participated in that race finishing fourth, I reached the finish line in seventh or eighth place, but very close to him." After Devon Loch passed the line The goal was exactly the same as in the Grand National, my theory being that he had a muscle-type problem that manifested itself when he was tired. "
Curious this story about the Grand National that still remains unexplained as only Devon Loch knew what happened to him but, unfortunately, he did not tell anyone.
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