Forum Horse Connections

[Bayoffreedom]

What an amazing journey you've had Archie. Thrilled for you!

[archie]

Cheers. I struggle to describe the feeling seeing him walking back in to the winners enclosure. It must have been cold and windy because my hands were shaking so much I couldn't hold my binoculars steady during the race and afterwards, my eyes were watering.

I've a whole sheaf of stats that can wait until he's had his last race but, as a taster, in his 6 seasons over fences he's run in 20 G1s and won or been placed in 50% of them.

[archie]

Kemboy has picked up a tendon injury and been retired in advance of what would have been his final race at Punchestown.

[Grand Canyon]

Sorry to hear this news Archie, he was a credit to you with his performances. Hopefully he has a great retirement.

[That Horse]

Kemboy has picked up a tendon injury and been retired in advance of what would have been his final race at Punchestown.

Bowed out with a win in a grade 3, congrats to him on a fine career. If you don't mind me asking, what happens with him post racing, are there plans in place for where he spends his retirement? The only retired horses I'm aware of are those at the national stud, but obviously they only house a few.

[Odin]

Kemboy has picked up a tendon injury and been retired in advance of what would have been his final race at Punchestown.

I assume and hope based on the brevity of the message that the prognosis is good?

If so, congrats to him and you for a wonderful career. If not, fingers are crossed for his full recovery and long happy post-racing life.

[archie]

Bowed out with a win in a grade 3, congrats to him on a fine career. If you don't mind me asking, what happens with him post racing, are there plans in place for where he spends his retirement? The only retired horses I'm aware of are those at the national stud, but obviously they only house a few.

I'll put up more details in a while but it's planned that he'll go to one of his owners. They will check out his suitability for other competitive equestrian activities once his tendon has healed.

[RufusFlynn]

What a shame he couldn’t go out at Punchestown but what a fantastic horse he’s been for you archie - the sort any one would dream of being involved with!

Hope he makes a full recovery and goes on to enjoy whatever he does next.

[archie]

So, Kemboy strolls off into the sunset and goes to one of his owners to be assessed in other equestrian disciplines.

He came second in a flat race before moving to Closutton and then had 4 races in his novice hurdle season, winning his maiden. He was also second in a G2 and fifth in the Neptune. I bought in during the following summer when he was regarded as a potential staying hurdler so, naturally, his next appearance was coming second in a beginners chase. A win at the same level earned him a run in the JLT where he came fourth to Shattered Love. His next race was a fall at the first in the Irish National but he finished the season with wins in a G3 and off 147 in the valuable novice handicap at Punchestown.

Starting the following season rated 157 he won the Clonmel Oils Chase cosily and was set to run in the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury when strong winds prevented him travelling and he was a late withdrawal. It may have been a blessing in disguise because, in his first open G1 chase, he ran right away from ten other G1 winners in the Savills. He was to run in the the next 4 editions of the race, finishing second twice and third and fourth once each. Next up it was the Gold Cup where he was recorded as unseating at the first but he was actually knocked over by Presenting Percy jumping across him. This race and the Irish National were the only times that he failed to complete and both, in my view, were jockey error. His style of jumping won no prizes but, as Ruby said, you have to "Let him alone. He knows what he's doing". Redemption came less than 3 weeks later with a facile win in the Aintree Bowl then it was on to Punchestown for a Mayday showdown with Al Boum Photo where he famously retired Ruby on a high and earned the status as highest rated staying chaser for that season.

During the following 4 seasons he has provided us with many memories including the lockdown Irish Gold Cup and, in all that time, he only had one injury that kept him out for any length of time. As that was in the period of the Covid shutdown, it passed unnoticed by the majority. It's ironic that he's picked up his recent injury that will prevent him from having one last run at Punchestown but he's relatively in one piece which is a blessing.

His chasing career in figures is 30 races, 9 wins, 8 seconds and 2 thirds. Of those 30 races, 20 were at G1 level where he won 4, with 4 seconds and 2 thirds. He ran at 11 different tracks, winning at 6. The only track where he ran without coming in the first three was Cheltenham and his JLT fourth got him into the winners enclosure even there. Career prize-money, depending on the exchange rate used, is around ?830k or 980k euro.

The last word has to be:

[That Horse]

archie thanks for posting above, I enjoyed reading it.

I know it didn't work out at that Cheltenham Gold Cup where he was well fancied, but can you say anything about the build up to it? What was the mood like in the owners' camp and with Willie leading up to the event? I'm interested as I'm extremely unlikely to ever be part owner in horse with a favourite's chance in a Gold Cup so wondered how different it was compared to his previous races or if it wasn't different at all.

And then, to go from that to winning at Aintree and Punchestown must have been some high after the low of being taken out by Presenting Percy.

[Lobos]

Fabulous stuff Archie. What a little tiger he was and he gave you and the other owners a huge amount of fun and pride. You have certainly been a lucky owner.

[Joleg]

That makes great reading archie, you must be rightfully very proud to have been involved in such a well loved horse. i can only imagine the pleasure that he has brought you.

Any plans in getting involved with another, now that he's been retired ?

[archie]

archie thanks for posting above, I enjoyed reading it.

I know it didn't work out at that Cheltenham Gold Cup where he was well fancied, but can you say anything about the build up to it? What was the mood like in the owners' camp and with Willie leading up to the event? I'm interested as I'm extremely unlikely to ever be part owner in horse with a favourite's chance in a Gold Cup so wondered how different it was compared to his previous races or if it wasn't different at all.

And then, to go from that to winning at Aintree and Punchestown must have been some high after the low of being taken out by Presenting Percy.

It feels a long time ago. My main memory is that my normal Cheltenham group goes home on the Thursday morning so I spent the Thursday afternoon wandering around Evesham and watching the racing in various pubs and betting shops. The time through to Friday morning really dragged but seemed to fly by once I was en route to the course.

Before the race, most of us were optimistic that we had the best horse in the race but couldn't quite believe that everything would go smoothly. Later races would show that we were right on both counts although subsequent performances at Cheltenham might suggest that it was never going to happen there. I'd had previous runners at the Festival, sneaking a fourth place once, and had a course winner away from the Festival but being in the Gold Cup was an entirely different experience. Of course, our hopes came crashing down very early and the main concern was that Kemboy was ok but I do remember the field going over the final 2 fences and hoping that ABP would win and Presenting Percy wouldn't.

Aintree and Punchestown were proper compensation and having the Punchestown racecard signed by Ruby is a fairly cool memento.

[archie]

That makes great reading archie, you must be rightfully very proud to have been involved in such a well loved horse. i can only imagine the pleasure that he has brought you.

Any plans in getting involved with another, now that he's been retired ?

Front runners are always popular and he nearly always gave you a good run for your money. He does seem to have given pleasure to many ordinary racegoers and the racecourse commentary, "this is heartening to see", as he passed the post in his last race is a fitting tribute.

I've had shares in horses for nearly 40 years now. The total is over 30 and, I think, 53 wins. I thought that Airlie Beach was the horse of a lifetime so I'm doubly blessed to have had the share in Kemboy. I've been very fortunate.
Now that he's finished, I'm left with 3 in the stable.
Captain Kangaroo (Willie Mullins) - On a break after a long season. Various Nationals the likely targets come the autumn.
Esme Shelby (Donald McCain) - Several seconds but just can't get her head in front.
Ballynaveen Boy (Sam Allwood) - Being prepared for the summer jumping season.

I'm also looking at other options at the moment but there's something of a drain on resources as my mare, Coningbeg, is currently at Shade Oak Stud where it's hoped that she will get in foal to Dartmouth.

[robith]

30 races, good lord. What a dream of a horse to have been involved with!