'I knew he wouldn't let me down' - the wonderful warrior who ran his heart out

We fell in love with Persian Punch.

There have been better but none braver than the gentle giant whose public popularity reached levels practically unheard of for a horse who raced only on the Flat. He embodied so many of the finest qualities a thoroughbred can possess. He was also a perfect match for the man who trained him.

In the end, fate was cruel to the big horse. Close to the beginning, she had been much kinder, pairing him with David Elsworth, who by then had already overseen the career of one turf icon.