50 years on: memories of the racing miracle that was Himself
Sean Magee recollects the sad day the world said goodbye to a great
It was, according to Pat Taaffe, “an easy death”. Forty years ago today, James Kavanagh gently guided the needle of his syringe into the jugular vein in Arkle’s neck, and the flame which had blazed all too briefly was quietly snuffed out.
Arkle was only 13 years old, and had been whiling away his time at Bryanstown, owner Anne Duchess of Westminster’s County Kildare estate, since his final public appearance at the Horse of the Year Show in October 1969.
He had run in 26 chases – ridden in every one by Taaffe – and won 22, including the Gold Cup three times, Leopardstown Chase three times, Hennessy twice, Whitbread, King George VI Chase, Irish Grand National and Gallaher Gold Cup.
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