One of the most loved hurdlers of all time, Istabraq was a truly remarkable individual. Trained by Aidan O’Brien over hurdles, he won no less than 14 Grade 1 contests, meeting with defeat on only three occasions when completing the course. A tremendously fluent jumper that travelled strongly through his races and possessed a potent turn of foot, he was incredibly exciting to watch and endeared himself to the racing public from the very beginning of his hurdling career. Indeed, after his hurdling debut he was sent off as favourite for every one of his remaining 28 races over hurdles. His four wins at the Cheltenham Festival are the stuff of legend, as was his partnership with the ultra-confident Charlie Swan. Such was his popularity, he inspired a song and was considered a celebrity in his own right in Ireland at the time.
Trainer: Aidan O‘Brien
Principal Jockey: Charlie Swan
Grade 1 Wins: Irish Champion Hurdle (2001, 2000, 1999, 1998), Cheltenham Champion Hurdle (2000, 1999, 1998), Punchestown Champion Hurdle (1999), Aintree Hurdle (1999), Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (1998, 1997), Champion Novice Hurdle (1997), Royal & SunAlliance Novice Hurdle (1997), Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1996)
Early Days
A half-brother to the Epsom Derby winner Secreto, Istabraq did not live up to his lofty pedigree on the Flat, winning two minor staying races for John Gosden. Having identified him as the type to make a hurdler, Gosden’s assistant trainer John Durkan persuaded JP McManus to buy him for 38,000 gns at the end of his four-year-old campaign. The intention was that John would train him, but unfortunately he was struck down with leukaemia and it was decided to send the horse to Aidan O’Brien until John recovered sufficiently to train him. Tragically, he would never recover from the illness and died in January 1998.
Having been sent to the up-and-coming trainer Aidan O’Brien, Istabraq wasted no time in making an impact. While Noble Thyne got the better of him on his hurdling debut at Punchestown in November 1998, Istabraq would comprehensively reverse that form a fortnight later when bolting up in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse. Indeed, that would be his only defeat over hurdles for 15 months. Wins in Grade 2 and Grade 3 company at Leopardstown followed that success and he was considered one of the Irish bankers for the Cheltenham Festival in the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle the following March. Sent off at 6/5, the five-year-old showed a game attitude to match his class in grinding out a dramatic length victory over Mighty Moss, prompting great scenes of Irish celebration. He wrapped up an exceptional first season with an easy win in the Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival and hopes were high that he would be up to beating the best hurdlers around the following season.
The Road To The Champion Hurdle
As was widely anticipated, Istabraq confirmed himself as the best hurdler around in 1997/8, justifying short-priced favouritism in all four of his domestic outings, with the highlights being his Grade 1 wins in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. Unsurprisingly, such a successful campaign saw him sent off favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and he was very much considered an Irish banker. Despite fears that the two mile trip may prove a bit sharp for him at the very highest level, Istabraq showed just how much speed he had by cruising home by a highly-impressive 12 lengths, once again prompting rapturous scenes of celebration. Unfortunately, his season would end on a low note, as he was narrowly beaten in the Aintree Hurdle by Pridwell on ground that was much softer than ideal at the 2m 4f trip.
The Perfect Season
The 1998/9 campaign would prove to be faultless for Istabraq. Following a winning reappearance at Cork, easy wins in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, the December Festival Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle (both at Leopardstown) followed and he returned to Cheltenham as the red-hot favourite to secure his second Champion Hurdle. Again, it was a straightforward task for Istabraq, with him cruising home by an easy 3½ lengths. Three weeks later, he gained compensation for his defeat in the Aintree Hurdle the previous season by recording a very easy success in that contest and he wrapped up his incredible campaign by easily winning the Shell Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. All told, that season he won all seven of his starts, five of which were Grade 1 contests, and he didn’t come off the bridle to do it.
Three Champion Hurdles?
Istabraq’s 1999/2000 campaign began in perfect style, with him easily beating the mighty Limestone Lad at Tipperary. However, the tables were turned the following month with 2m 4f on testing ground again proving to be Istabraq’s undoing as he failed to reel in Limestone Lad in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse. That only proved to be a minor blip, as normal service was soon resumed with Istabraq once again winning the December Festival Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in great style. Thus, the stage was set for Istabraq’s historic bid for a third Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Unbeknownst to the public, Istabraq suffered a cracked heel in the build up to the race, but the farrier at Ballydoyle solved the problem before it became serious enough to see him ruled out of Cheltenham. Sent off at 8/15, his supporters never had a moment’s worry, as he cruised home by an easy four lengths. That win put him on the same pedestal as Persian War and See You Then as three-time winners of the race and such was his continued dominance, many felt he was sure to become the first-ever horse to win four Champion Hurdles.
A Date With Destiny Denied
The 2000/1 season started in shocking fashion for Istabraq, with his characteristically fluent jumping technique letting him down as he fell at the final slight in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown, leaving Moscow Flyer to take the spoils. Normal service was resumed in the Irish Champion Hurdle the following month, with him recording an impressive fourth success in the race and recharged the belief that he could go to Cheltenham and make history. Tragically, he did not get the opportunity to seal his place in history, as following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the Cheltenham Festival was abandoned. That disappointment was compounded in his final start of the campaign in the Shell Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, he looked set to record an easy success only to fall at the final flight, once again leaving Moscow Flyer to take the spoils.
A Final Campaign
Having fallen twice in 2000/1, doubts had begun to emerge that Istabraq’s powers may be waning and his seasonal reappearance in 2001/2 did little to allay those concerns. Sent off at 4/11 to win the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown, Istabraq got the job done, but he was very workmanlike indeed in beating the far inferior Bust Out by a head. O’Brien decided to send Istabraq straight to the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for his bid for history, but the vibes were not nearly as bullish as usual for him and Charlie Swan was never happy in the race, pulling him up before the third flight. It was a disappointing end to such an amazing career, but Istabraq owed nobody anything and he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland – Updated January 2011
