Arkle (19 April 1957 - 31 May 1970) was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, his grandsire was the unbeaten (in 14 races) flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath by Mrs. Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin. Owned by Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, Arkle was trained by Tom Dreaper at Greenogue, Kilsallaghan in County...
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Arkle (19 April 1957 - 31 May 1970) was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, his grandsire was the unbeaten (in 14 races) flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath by Mrs. Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin. Owned by Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, Arkle was trained by Tom Dreaper at Greenogue, Kilsallaghan in County Dublin, Ireland and ridden during his steeplechasing career by Pat Taaffe. Arkle became the first racehorse in Britain to capture public attention outside racing circles and he is regarded as the greatest steeplechaser of all time.
At 212 his Timeform rating is the highest ever awarded to a steeplechaser; indeed, it is still, forty years or more later, the highest awarded to any racehorse. Only Flyingbolt, who was also trained by Tom Dreaper, had a rating anywhere near his at 210. The third highest is Mill House on 191. Despite his career...
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