Dorans Pride (27 May 1989 – 13 March 2003) was an Irish thoroughbred

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

Racing career

Dorans Pride joined Michael Hourigan's yard in 1992 and was sold by the trainer to Tom Doran in February 1993, who gave the then nicknamed Padjo, his racing name. That season Dorans Pride won his only start in a bumper at

Ballinrobe Ballinrobe () is a town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is located on the River Robe, which empties into Lough Mask two kilometres to the west. As of the 2016 census, the population was 2,786. History Foundation and development Ballinrobe is c ...

. Hurdling beckoned and Hourigan opted to start Padjo in a maiden hurdle at the Listowel Festival. He won it easily. During his next three starts he finished only second in average company but when stepped up to handicap level he claimed what later proved his greatest scalp so far, subsequent

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...

winner

Imperial Call Imperial Call (21 February 1989 – 29 November 2014) was an Irish racehorse. He was a specialist steeplechaser who ran thirty-two times and won sixteen races under National Hunt rules. After showing promise as a hurdler and novice chaser, ...

. Not having contested any Graded race, Dorans Pride lined up for the 1994 Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle as an unfancied 14-1 shot but was disputing second with the

Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies (born 16 May 1957, Crickhowell) is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Naunton, Gloucestershire. He began training in 1981 and sent out his first winner, Last of the Fo ...

-trained Corrouge when falling at the final hurdle. He won the

Stayers' Hurdle The Stayers' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain. It is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles ...

the following year. Having resented his retirement, he returned as a 14-year-old to run in the

Foxhunter Chase Foxhunter (1940–1959) was a champion show jumping horse ridden by Harry Llewellyn, best known for their part in securing Great Britain at the 1952 Summer Olympics, Great Britain's only gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics (in the Equestrian at ...

at the 2003 Cheltenham Festival but was killed when falling at the second fence."Hourigan has hopes crushed on day of sorrow" by Julian Muscat, ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'', page 50, 14 March 2003

References

{{Reflist
Michael Hourigan's tribute

Racing Post Dorans Pride file
1989 racehorse births 2003 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Ireland Cheltenham Festival winners Racehorses trained in Ireland Non-Thoroughbred racehorses