FAREWELL TO EARTHMOVER

Earthmover (IRE) 21-y-o (01Jan91 ch g)

Mister Lord (USA) - Clare's Crystal (Tekoah)
Trainer: Richard Barber until 22 Jul 1998 / Paul Nicholls
Owner: RM Penny  Breeder: Brian McSweeny  Lass: Caromay Gifford  

From time to time we have to say farewell to one of our 4 legged friends.

Long before Ditcheat was the most famous yard in Somerset, before Paul Nicholls was Champion Trainer, and before all the superstars lit up Cheltenham for many years, that little quiet corner of the English countryside was brightened by the likes of See More Business, Flagship Uberalles, Call Equiname and a tall chestnut named Earthmover. The 3 first named are perhaps more famous, but it was Earthmover who would win first at the field of dreams - the Cheltenham Festival.

Earthmover was an old friend of ours. We followed him from the beginning when he was trained by Richard Barber and won his first Christie's Foxhunter Chase under young Joe Tizzard in 1998. After he moved to the then rising through the ranks yard of Paul Nicholls we had the extreme pleasure of meeting him and his lass Caromay Gifford at the yard in the days when they held Open Days. 

We loved the way he stayed on forever in his races and managed to dig ever deeper at the end. He was a kind and genuine horse and was always turned out so well by Caromay who he had a special bond with. Megan the young daughter of Paul called him 'Dennis', and he was her favourite horse in the yard before she grew up and met the unbelievable Big Bucks. At the races you could hear fans shouting, 'Come on Dennis!' when he looked to be in some impossible situation and going backwards because they knew he always gave his all and he always had a chance. 

We reached the point with him where it did not matter if he won or not. We, like many others, went to the races to see him, to be with him and to cheer him on. All we wanted was for Dennis to come home safely so we could see Caromay and connections give him a pat. He always looked like he thought he had won anyway - or at the very least he KNEW that he had given his best and that it was good enough.

And even at the age of 13 he still had a few surprises for those who might have doubted. No other horse had a 6 year gap between winning his first Foxhunter, and his second victory. And the old boy did it in such style too as he and Rilly went to the front approaching the fourth from home.

Two came after him but he fought them off. Never Compromise and Oneminutetofive were on his shoulder turning for home, Earthmover and Never Compromise jumped the last virtually together, two brave horses. It was our hero who in his familar 'never say die' style found even more on the run-in for a four-length success.

Winning rider Rilley Goschen said: ``It's a tremendous thrill to ride a Festival winner - he is such a smashing old horse. ``I was always happy with him in the race. He is a lovely horse to ride and dictates to you what he wants to do.''

Nicholls added: ``I really did fancy him, though with no disrespect to the others it wasn't the greatest of Foxhunters. But everything went right for him and Rilley give him a fantastic ride.

``It is up to the owner (Roger Penny) whether he is retired. It is something to think about."

``He is just an unbelievable horse and has been so hard to get right again. He was at death's door after a fall at Newton Abbot a few years ago and to come back and win a race he had won six years ago is unbelievable. All credit too him.''

He gave us some of our best ever days at the races cheering him on. Win or lose we loved him then, and always will. We were so grateful that he got a happy retirement with Charlotte and continued to enjoy life.

When he won his second Foxhunter we shouted until we were completely hoarse and then we cried. When we read that he had died we shed a few more tears.

Thank you so very much. 

A couple of our favourite articles on him.

Popular veteran rolls back the years to

record a famous doubleRacing Post

March 19, 2004
Byline: Carl Evans

A REMARKABLE old campaigner plugged his way into the record books yesterday when winning his second race at the Festival after a break of six years, writes Carl Evans.

Earthmover does not have the ability of Best Mate, and his performance was overshadowed by that great horse's spectacular effort in the previous contest, but he defied age and 23 rivals to win this highlight of the hunter chasing season by four lengths from Irish raider Never Compromise.

He was helped in his quest by Rilly Goschen, who rode an exemplary race strictly to the orders of trainer Paul Nicholls.

 

GOLDEN OLDIES: `After all that he's

come through, the latest Festival win
was the highlight of the meeting'Racing Post April 5, 2004Byline: Roy Briggs

Tell us about him.  "We were hoping he'd be Gold Cup class until he was seriously injured in a fall at Newton Abbot and was at death's door for a while. He's also been in the wars with other injuries and bled a few times. "So after all he's come through, the latest Festival win was the highlight of the meeting for me - he's very special, just like See More Business."

What's he like at home? "He has the most fantastic temperament. My daughter Megan [6]rides him around the yard and calls him Dennis."

Likes Caromay Gifford, who looks after him "and spoils him to death"; going out in the paddock.

Dislikes "None - he'd do anything for anyone."