Viking Flagship
Viking Flagship
During my second spell with Champion National Hunt Trainer David Nicholson I was lucky enough throughout the 1994/95 National Hunt Season to have Viking Flagship as one of the four horses that I looked after, the other three were Silver Wisp, Master Hope and Shanker.
Anyhow, after leaving Nicholson's yard for the first time back in 1987 I had always followed his horses at the races and when one day in December 1991 Nicholson had a four year old called Viking Flagship running at Newton Abbot ridden by the 7lb claimer Warren Marston it just interested me a little. Viking Flagship had previously been with ex Champion National Hunt Trainer Martin Pipe and had won four races for Pipe including one on the all-weather at Lingfield Park and looked an interesting addition to the Nicholson yard.
The race itself at Newton Abbot was just a 2 mile and half a furlong 0-125 handicap hurdle and Viking Flagship had top weight of 12 stone. He led until the sixth but soon weakened and I have got to say that watching on the SIS in the bookies I was quite disappointed in the way a Nicholson horse had ran as although the "Dukes" horses came on for a run they were never unfit and yet Viking Flagship ran as if he badly needed the run.
I found it very interesting to see that Nicholson pulled Viking Flagship out again at Kempton Park only 10 days later in another 2 mile handicap hurdle once again ridden by Warren Marston and after leading to the sixth ran on steadily enough to finish fourth only five lengths behind the winner Rodeo Star. A bit more encouraging.
David Nicholson had quite a few principals as a trainer and as a rule hardly ever ran horses on firm ground or ran them again quickly after a race and yet here was Viking Flagship pulling out again for the third time in 26 days on good to firm ground in a handicap hurdle at Ascot Racecourse this time ridden by ex Champion Jockey Richard Dunwoody.
Yet again after leading for three quarters of the race Viking Flagship just stayed on at one pace and finished slightly further behind the winner Rodeo Star than he had done at Kempton Park.
It seemed as if Viking Flagship liked going racing as only five days later he was off again to Taunton for a 2 mile and half a furlong 0-140 handicap hurdle and ridden with a little more restraint by Richard Dunwoody bolted up. The horse obviously took some getting fit but took his racing well which was worth remembering for later on his career.
This was early in 1992 and although Viking Flagship didn't win again in the 1991/92 season he ran well when third in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and third at the Aintree Grand National meeting.
It was at this point that Nicholson moved to Jackdaws Castle from Cotswold House in Condicote near Stow-on-the-Wold and was advertising for stable staff in the Sporting Life. I jumped at the opportunity and phoned him up straight away and asked for a job.
I had already worked for him from 1984 to 1987 but he said to go down the following day and ride out.
I dare say he just wanted to see if I could still ride!
In fact I rode two lots that morning Beauchamp Grace (a Million In Mind Partnership horse) first lot and Uncle Mogy (owned by Lord Vestey) second lot and by the time that I got back in from second lot the "Duke" had beggared off racing and I was still none the wiser if I had the job or not.
The secretary said that I should ring up that evening and see what he says.
Anyhow, I rang him again and asked if I could have a job and he replied "You need to get yourself fit. You're as fat as shit!"
I thought thanks very much, exactly how fat is shit?
Nicholson did not mince his words and on occasions was not the easiest to talk to. Sometimes there could be a stoney silence during telephone conversations when you would wonder if he was still there and this was one of those times. What do I say know?
Once again I asked him if I could have a job and he said "Yes but your not riding in races for me. Start on Monday."
That was it I had a job at Jackdaws Castle and in to the bargain I did ride racing for him again during the second season there.
Viking Flagship was not seen again at the races again until early 1993 when between the 2 of February and 29 of April he had seven races falling in the first of them at Nottingham and then winning the following six on the bounce at Wolverhampton, Leicester, Wincanton, Chepstow and then two in the space of three days at the Punchestown Festival in Ireland.
Viking Flagship had been entered at the Cheltenham Festival but had side stepped there as the going in the Spring of 1993 was quite dry and as Viking Flagship had met with a bit of leg trouble in the past it was thought that the going in Ireland would be better so he was entered in a couple of valuable races at the Punchestown Festival. The idea being that just in case of any mishaps in the first race he could run in the second.
The first of these races was the BMW Handicap Chase worth 25,000 and after disputing the lead Viking Flagship went on approaching the last and won well.
Two days later Viking Flagship was entered in the Bank Of Ireland Novice Chase and it was decided that as he had come out of the first race well he would try his luck again. Viking Flagship showed he was made of pretty tough stuff and that he was none the worse for wear by winning again.
It was then, in between the 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons that Richard Dunwoody left Nicholson's and went to Martin Pipe as first jockey with Adrian Maguire becoming the Nicholson stable jockey and Viking Flagship had himself a new rider.
In his second season as a chaser, after needing his first couple of runs at Haydock and Newbury, finishing second on both occasions, Viking Flagship started to go from strength to strength and after being reunited with Richard Dunwoody, won the 1994 Victor Chandler Handicap Chase at Warwick a race in which Adrian Maguire rode what was possibly at the time the Nicholson first string runner Waterloo Boy to finish fourth of four runners.
This was followed by an authoritive win in the Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase at Newbury Racecourse with Maguire back in the saddle and then the superb win in the 1994 Queen Mother Champion Chase.
This win showed what a brilliant combination Maguire and Viking Flagship were when at the second last with defeat staring them in the face Maguire threw Viking Flagship in to the fence with not a care in the world and the horse stood off a mile from the jump which when you consider they only beat Travado by a neck could be considered as their race winning manoeuvre.
Defeat followed at Liverpool in the Martell Aintree Chase but the horse had earned his money for the season and lost nothing in defeat on very heavy ground giving away a stone and six pound to Uncle Ernie who was trained by Jimmy Fitzgerald and ridden by Mark Dwyer.
During his initial years with Nicholson Viking Flagship was looked after by Jill Wormall. She had quite a fair three to look after at one point when she did Viking Flagship, Mysilv winner of the 1994 Triumph Hurdle and Another Coral winner of the 1991 Mackeson Gold Cup and 1992 Tripleprint Gold Cup.
Jill and myself used to ride first lot together, she would be on Viking Flagship and I would ride Silver Wisp.
These two horses were kept to the straight gallop for various reasons.
One morning Jill said to me that she was thinking of leaving the yard at the end of the season. I was the first to know and I thought right, Viking Flagship will be going spare next season and I shall ask if I can do him so that evening I asked Clifford Baker who was Nicholson's Head Lad if I could look after Viking Flagship if Jill ever left.
One thing lead to another and six weeks later just before the start of the 1994/95 season Clifford told me that I could do Viking Flagship during the forthcoming season.
What a scoop. From watching the four year old Viking Flagship run in a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot on the SIS in the bookies I was now just about to start looking after the Champion Chaser Viking Flagship.
The first time I lead Viking Flagship up was in the 1994 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park.
We had two in the race Viking Flagship ridden by Adrian Maguire and Wonder Man ridden by Graham Bradley. Viking Flagship won the race nicely with Wonder Man fourth. It was a good day for the Nicholson yard as Relkeel had won the William Hill Handicap Hurdle earlier in the day.
The next race for Viking Flagship was the Castleford Chase at Wetherby where in very bad going Viking Flagship absolutely trounced his rivals.
It was rather an "all hands to the pump" sort of day as we were scheduled to have four runners at Wetherby all due to be ridden by Adrian Maguire but jockey and trainer got held up in traffic and did not get there for the first two runners Seaward in the Juvenile Hurdle and Arthur's Minstrel in the handicap chase. Replacement jockeys were found, Brian Storey for Seaward and Peter Niven for Arthur's Minstrel. Russ Garrity was booked for the final runner of the day Raisin Turf but Viking Flagship was left open to the last minute.
I had to help Jeremy Willis the travelling head lad saddle up these runners before rushing back to the stable yard to get Viking Flagship ready for his race.
Arthur's Minstrel just managed to get his head in front for a short head victory so at least we were off the mark for the day. Was Adrian going to get there in time for the plum ride on Viking Flagship though? The answer was yes, with two minutes to spare, Adrian Maguire quickly weighed out, the tack was "thrown on" and the combination like true pros that they were just went out and did the business with the minimum of fuss. There was quite a lot of team work that day to keep the Jackdaws Castle bandwagon on the road.
Viking Flagship was two out of two for the season and was a hot favourite, even though he was set to carry 12 stone, for the big post Christmas sponsored race the Victor Chandler Handicap Chase at Ascot Racecourse.
In the days that led up to the race rumours were rife that the horse was not 100%, that he had been lame. Nicholson was out of the country and the big mystery was where had this rumour come from. It was alleged that the Jackdaws Castle "mole" was in operation. It was suggested that the "mole" was a wearer of glasses but I'm not so certain about this (or should I say I don't think he wore glasses all of the time - just some of the time).
I dare say that will make sense to some people.
Anyhow, Viking Flagship ran one of his few poor races when only managing to finish quite a well beaten fifth in a strongly run race, won by what was, as it turned out, a handicap good thing in Martha's Son who was carrying 10-9 who went on to win the 1997 Queen Mother Champion Chase for Captain Tim Forster.
The fourth time I lead Viking Flagship up was in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
It looked to be a good opportunity for Viking Flagship to get his season back on track as there were only three runners and he was the 2/5 favourite.
As I remember it was a horrible day and very wet.
The race got underway and everything looked like it was going to plan but disaster struck.
Adrian Maguire had just sent Viking Flagship to the front when just after landing at the fourth last the horse appeared to put his foot in a hole in the very heavy ground and fell leaving Nakir and Jamie Osborne to come home well clear of the other runner Snitton Lane. None the worse for wear Viking Flagship got to his feet and cantered riderless up past the winning post and ran straight up to me and I took him back to the stables.
The Champion Chaser had his colours lowered again!
With the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching Viking Flagship needed a run.
The Emblem Chase at Kempton Park was chosen. It was just over two weeks before the Queen Mother Champion Chase and looked a fairly easy sort of race and with stable confidence fairly high Viking Flagship was backed to odds-on but he was beaten again. Thumbs Up in receipt of a stone in weight beat him a length. I've got to say that I was disappointed with this run as Viking Flagship did not jump with his usual fluency and possibly lost the race at the last fence with a slow jump. I would have thought that the main reason for this was the very heavy ground at Kempton Park that day but at least Viking Flagship had done a good piece of work. We could go to Cheltenham with a bit more certainty about his fitness and at least he would be a backable propsition for the Champion Chase.
The day I lead Viking Flagship up in the 1995 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham was also my last day racing for Nicholson as I had handed in my notice and had decided to leave but that took nothing away from the day as it was a once in a lifetime experience leading up the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Adrian Maguire had been hurt in the run up to Cheltenham and substitute jockeys for all the Nicholson horses were needed.
I remember we had three runners that day, Putty Road in the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle ridden by Norman Williamson, Viking Flagship in the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Charlie Swan on board and Kadi in the Mildmay Of Flete Challenge Cup Handicap Chase ridden by Norman Williamson.
All three won and a memorable treble at the Cheltenham Festival was achieved.
Viking Flagship was truly on form this day and beat Deep Sensation by 5 lengths taking up the running just after three out and winning most impressively.
The day was made even more the sweeter as I had a hundred pounds on him at 5/2.
During my second spell with Champion National Hunt Trainer David Nicholson I was lucky enough throughout the 1994/95 National Hunt Season to have Viking Flagship as one of the four horses that I looked after, the other three were Silver Wisp, Master Hope and Shanker.
Anyhow, after leaving Nicholson's yard for the first time back in 1987 I had always followed his horses at the races and when one day in December 1991 Nicholson had a four year old called Viking Flagship running at Newton Abbot ridden by the 7lb claimer Warren Marston it just interested me a little. Viking Flagship had previously been with ex Champion National Hunt Trainer Martin Pipe and had won four races for Pipe including one on the all-weather at Lingfield Park and looked an interesting addition to the Nicholson yard.
The race itself at Newton Abbot was just a 2 mile and half a furlong 0-125 handicap hurdle and Viking Flagship had top weight of 12 stone. He led until the sixth but soon weakened and I have got to say that watching on the SIS in the bookies I was quite disappointed in the way a Nicholson horse had ran as although the "Dukes" horses came on for a run they were never unfit and yet Viking Flagship ran as if he badly needed the run.
I found it very interesting to see that Nicholson pulled Viking Flagship out again at Kempton Park only 10 days later in another 2 mile handicap hurdle once again ridden by Warren Marston and after leading to the sixth ran on steadily enough to finish fourth only five lengths behind the winner Rodeo Star. A bit more encouraging.
David Nicholson had quite a few principals as a trainer and as a rule hardly ever ran horses on firm ground or ran them again quickly after a race and yet here was Viking Flagship pulling out again for the third time in 26 days on good to firm ground in a handicap hurdle at Ascot Racecourse this time ridden by ex Champion Jockey Richard Dunwoody.
Yet again after leading for three quarters of the race Viking Flagship just stayed on at one pace and finished slightly further behind the winner Rodeo Star than he had done at Kempton Park.
It seemed as if Viking Flagship liked going racing as only five days later he was off again to Taunton for a 2 mile and half a furlong 0-140 handicap hurdle and ridden with a little more restraint by Richard Dunwoody bolted up. The horse obviously took some getting fit but took his racing well which was worth remembering for later on his career.
This was early in 1992 and although Viking Flagship didn't win again in the 1991/92 season he ran well when third in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and third at the Aintree Grand National meeting.
It was at this point that Nicholson moved to Jackdaws Castle from Cotswold House in Condicote near Stow-on-the-Wold and was advertising for stable staff in the Sporting Life. I jumped at the opportunity and phoned him up straight away and asked for a job.
I had already worked for him from 1984 to 1987 but he said to go down the following day and ride out.
I dare say he just wanted to see if I could still ride!
In fact I rode two lots that morning Beauchamp Grace (a Million In Mind Partnership horse) first lot and Uncle Mogy (owned by Lord Vestey) second lot and by the time that I got back in from second lot the "Duke" had beggared off racing and I was still none the wiser if I had the job or not.
The secretary said that I should ring up that evening and see what he says.
Anyhow, I rang him again and asked if I could have a job and he replied "You need to get yourself fit. You're as fat as shit!"
I thought thanks very much, exactly how fat is shit?
Nicholson did not mince his words and on occasions was not the easiest to talk to. Sometimes there could be a stoney silence during telephone conversations when you would wonder if he was still there and this was one of those times. What do I say know?
Once again I asked him if I could have a job and he said "Yes but your not riding in races for me. Start on Monday."
That was it I had a job at Jackdaws Castle and in to the bargain I did ride racing for him again during the second season there.
Viking Flagship was not seen again at the races again until early 1993 when between the 2 of February and 29 of April he had seven races falling in the first of them at Nottingham and then winning the following six on the bounce at Wolverhampton, Leicester, Wincanton, Chepstow and then two in the space of three days at the Punchestown Festival in Ireland.
Viking Flagship had been entered at the Cheltenham Festival but had side stepped there as the going in the Spring of 1993 was quite dry and as Viking Flagship had met with a bit of leg trouble in the past it was thought that the going in Ireland would be better so he was entered in a couple of valuable races at the Punchestown Festival. The idea being that just in case of any mishaps in the first race he could run in the second.
The first of these races was the BMW Handicap Chase worth 25,000 and after disputing the lead Viking Flagship went on approaching the last and won well.
Two days later Viking Flagship was entered in the Bank Of Ireland Novice Chase and it was decided that as he had come out of the first race well he would try his luck again. Viking Flagship showed he was made of pretty tough stuff and that he was none the worse for wear by winning again.
It was then, in between the 1992/93 and 1993/94 seasons that Richard Dunwoody left Nicholson's and went to Martin Pipe as first jockey with Adrian Maguire becoming the Nicholson stable jockey and Viking Flagship had himself a new rider.
In his second season as a chaser, after needing his first couple of runs at Haydock and Newbury, finishing second on both occasions, Viking Flagship started to go from strength to strength and after being reunited with Richard Dunwoody, won the 1994 Victor Chandler Handicap Chase at Warwick a race in which Adrian Maguire rode what was possibly at the time the Nicholson first string runner Waterloo Boy to finish fourth of four runners.
This was followed by an authoritive win in the Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase at Newbury Racecourse with Maguire back in the saddle and then the superb win in the 1994 Queen Mother Champion Chase.
This win showed what a brilliant combination Maguire and Viking Flagship were when at the second last with defeat staring them in the face Maguire threw Viking Flagship in to the fence with not a care in the world and the horse stood off a mile from the jump which when you consider they only beat Travado by a neck could be considered as their race winning manoeuvre.
Defeat followed at Liverpool in the Martell Aintree Chase but the horse had earned his money for the season and lost nothing in defeat on very heavy ground giving away a stone and six pound to Uncle Ernie who was trained by Jimmy Fitzgerald and ridden by Mark Dwyer.
During his initial years with Nicholson Viking Flagship was looked after by Jill Wormall. She had quite a fair three to look after at one point when she did Viking Flagship, Mysilv winner of the 1994 Triumph Hurdle and Another Coral winner of the 1991 Mackeson Gold Cup and 1992 Tripleprint Gold Cup.
Jill and myself used to ride first lot together, she would be on Viking Flagship and I would ride Silver Wisp.
These two horses were kept to the straight gallop for various reasons.
One morning Jill said to me that she was thinking of leaving the yard at the end of the season. I was the first to know and I thought right, Viking Flagship will be going spare next season and I shall ask if I can do him so that evening I asked Clifford Baker who was Nicholson's Head Lad if I could look after Viking Flagship if Jill ever left.
One thing lead to another and six weeks later just before the start of the 1994/95 season Clifford told me that I could do Viking Flagship during the forthcoming season.
What a scoop. From watching the four year old Viking Flagship run in a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot on the SIS in the bookies I was now just about to start looking after the Champion Chaser Viking Flagship.
The first time I lead Viking Flagship up was in the 1994 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park.
We had two in the race Viking Flagship ridden by Adrian Maguire and Wonder Man ridden by Graham Bradley. Viking Flagship won the race nicely with Wonder Man fourth. It was a good day for the Nicholson yard as Relkeel had won the William Hill Handicap Hurdle earlier in the day.
The next race for Viking Flagship was the Castleford Chase at Wetherby where in very bad going Viking Flagship absolutely trounced his rivals.
It was rather an "all hands to the pump" sort of day as we were scheduled to have four runners at Wetherby all due to be ridden by Adrian Maguire but jockey and trainer got held up in traffic and did not get there for the first two runners Seaward in the Juvenile Hurdle and Arthur's Minstrel in the handicap chase. Replacement jockeys were found, Brian Storey for Seaward and Peter Niven for Arthur's Minstrel. Russ Garrity was booked for the final runner of the day Raisin Turf but Viking Flagship was left open to the last minute.
I had to help Jeremy Willis the travelling head lad saddle up these runners before rushing back to the stable yard to get Viking Flagship ready for his race.
Arthur's Minstrel just managed to get his head in front for a short head victory so at least we were off the mark for the day. Was Adrian going to get there in time for the plum ride on Viking Flagship though? The answer was yes, with two minutes to spare, Adrian Maguire quickly weighed out, the tack was "thrown on" and the combination like true pros that they were just went out and did the business with the minimum of fuss. There was quite a lot of team work that day to keep the Jackdaws Castle bandwagon on the road.
Viking Flagship was two out of two for the season and was a hot favourite, even though he was set to carry 12 stone, for the big post Christmas sponsored race the Victor Chandler Handicap Chase at Ascot Racecourse.
In the days that led up to the race rumours were rife that the horse was not 100%, that he had been lame. Nicholson was out of the country and the big mystery was where had this rumour come from. It was alleged that the Jackdaws Castle "mole" was in operation. It was suggested that the "mole" was a wearer of glasses but I'm not so certain about this (or should I say I don't think he wore glasses all of the time - just some of the time).
I dare say that will make sense to some people.
Anyhow, Viking Flagship ran one of his few poor races when only managing to finish quite a well beaten fifth in a strongly run race, won by what was, as it turned out, a handicap good thing in Martha's Son who was carrying 10-9 who went on to win the 1997 Queen Mother Champion Chase for Captain Tim Forster.
The fourth time I lead Viking Flagship up was in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
It looked to be a good opportunity for Viking Flagship to get his season back on track as there were only three runners and he was the 2/5 favourite.
As I remember it was a horrible day and very wet.
The race got underway and everything looked like it was going to plan but disaster struck.
Adrian Maguire had just sent Viking Flagship to the front when just after landing at the fourth last the horse appeared to put his foot in a hole in the very heavy ground and fell leaving Nakir and Jamie Osborne to come home well clear of the other runner Snitton Lane. None the worse for wear Viking Flagship got to his feet and cantered riderless up past the winning post and ran straight up to me and I took him back to the stables.
The Champion Chaser had his colours lowered again!
With the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching Viking Flagship needed a run.
The Emblem Chase at Kempton Park was chosen. It was just over two weeks before the Queen Mother Champion Chase and looked a fairly easy sort of race and with stable confidence fairly high Viking Flagship was backed to odds-on but he was beaten again. Thumbs Up in receipt of a stone in weight beat him a length. I've got to say that I was disappointed with this run as Viking Flagship did not jump with his usual fluency and possibly lost the race at the last fence with a slow jump. I would have thought that the main reason for this was the very heavy ground at Kempton Park that day but at least Viking Flagship had done a good piece of work. We could go to Cheltenham with a bit more certainty about his fitness and at least he would be a backable propsition for the Champion Chase.
The day I lead Viking Flagship up in the 1995 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham was also my last day racing for Nicholson as I had handed in my notice and had decided to leave but that took nothing away from the day as it was a once in a lifetime experience leading up the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Adrian Maguire had been hurt in the run up to Cheltenham and substitute jockeys for all the Nicholson horses were needed.
I remember we had three runners that day, Putty Road in the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle ridden by Norman Williamson, Viking Flagship in the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Charlie Swan on board and Kadi in the Mildmay Of Flete Challenge Cup Handicap Chase ridden by Norman Williamson.
All three won and a memorable treble at the Cheltenham Festival was achieved.
Viking Flagship was truly on form this day and beat Deep Sensation by 5 lengths taking up the running just after three out and winning most impressively.
The day was made even more the sweeter as I had a hundred pounds on him at 5/2.
