Earth Summit (1988–2005) was a British

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 ...

. He was foaled in 1988, a son of Celtic Cone, who was a winning stayer on the flat and over hurdles. Celtic Cone loved soft ground, as did many of his progeny. Earth Summit was bought by a six-man partnership aptly named The Summit Partnership, in 1992 (including footballer

Ricky George Richard Stuart George (born 28 June 1946) is an English former footballer, businessman and columnist. He is notable for scoring the winning goal for Hereford United in their giant killing 1971–72 FA Cup match against Newcastle United. He was ...

, Aintree press officer

Nigel Payne Nigel Payne (born March 1960) is a British business executive. Career He is currently the chairman of AIM Listed Gateley plc, the chairman of private company Green Man Gaming Holdings plc, a non-executive director of AIM listed GetBusy plc, a ...

, Partner in an accountancy firm Peter Earl, retired businessman Gordon Perry, local government officer Mike Bailey and media buying agency proprietor Bob Sims) and began his racing career as a four-year-old, finishing second in a bumper (a National Hunt flat race) at

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

. As the horse developed, it became clear that, like his father, he appreciated long distances. In a thirty-seven-race career that spanned eight years, Earth Summit fell only once, when in the lead, jumping the second last fence at Cheltenham in 1995. Twelve months earlier, as a novice, he had won the Scottish National over four miles one furlong at

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

. In February 1996, Earth Summit suffered a near fatal injury at

Haydock Haydock is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 11,416 Haydock's historic area covers the Haydock electoral ward and a section of the Blackbrook ward. Haydoc ...

and it seemed likely he would never race again. Twenty-one months later, the

gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...

returned to the track, again at Haydock, and came through unscathed. On 27 December 1997, barely seven weeks after his comeback race, Earth Summit won the

Welsh National The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow, Wales, over a distance of about ...

Chepstow Chepstow ( cy, Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western ...

, returning odds of 25 to 1. At

Aintree Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, north-east of Liverpool city centre, in North West England. It i ...

on 4 April 1998, Earth Summit jumped his way into the history books, when, having shared the lead with Suny Bay for the last third of the Martell Grand National, he pulled clear before the second last, running on to win the biggest horse race in the world by eleven lengths. No other horse in history, including

Red Rum Red Rum (3 May 1965 – 18 October 1995) was a champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years, 1975 and ...

, has ever won the Aintree Grand National and the Scottish and Welsh equivalents. After suffering a minor injury, Earth Summit was retired in 2000 and given to his lass,

Marcella Bayliss Marcella is a Roman cognomen and Italian given name, the feminine version of Marcello (Mark in English). Marcella means warlike, martial, and strong. It could also mean 'young warrior'. The origin of the name Marcella is Latin. Marcella may refer ...

. He won ten races and £420,000 in prize money.

Death

On 23 March 2005, Earth Summit was humanely put down after being diagnosed with cancer in his liver and spleen. The seventeen-year-old horse had been ill for two weeks.

References

Earth Summit's pedigree and racing stats
{{Authority control 1988 racehorse births 2005 racehorse deaths National Hunt racehorses Grand National winners Welsh Grand National winners ja:アースサミット