{{Infobox racehorse , horsename = My Way De Solzen , image = , caption = , sire = Assessor , dam = Agathe De Solzen , damsire = Chamberlin , sex =

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 ...

, foaled = 2000 , country =

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, colour =

Bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...

, breeder = Catherine Ricous-Guerin & Jacques Guerin , owner = B Winfield,A Longman,J Wright & C Fenton , trainer =

Alan King Alan King (born Irwin Alan Kniberg; December 26, 1927 – May 9, 2004) was an American actor and comedian known for his biting wit and often angry humorous rants. King became well known as a Jewish comedian and satirist. He was also a serious ac ...

, record = 24: 10-7-0 , earnings = £433,651 , race =

World 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 ...

(2006)

Arkle Challenge Trophy The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham, England, over a dista ...

(2007)

Long Walk Hurdle The Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (3 ...

(2005)

National Spirit Hurdle The National Spirit Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Fontwell Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 3 ...

(2006)
Dipper Novices' Chase (2007) , honours = , updated = December 5, 2008 My Way De Solzen (foaled 2000) was a French-bred

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

racehorse, who began his racing career trained in France by A. Lamotte D'Argy.

Racing career

2004/5

He made his first start in 2 mile 1 furling chase at Dieppe, where he was pulled up. After his second race, he was sold to new connections and sent to England to be trained by

. He made his British debut on November 15, 2004 at Leicester, where he won a 2-mile Class D Novices hurdle under jockey, Robert Thornton. After winning his second race a month on at Bangor, My Way De Solzen was stepped up in class, where he contested the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown, finishing fifth. In his debut season in Britain (2004-2005), he went on to contest top Novice Hurdle races at both the

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 ...

and

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 ...

Festivals, where he finished a distant 15th in the

Supreme Novices' Hurdle The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of a ...

and a 6 length 2nd in the Mersey Novices Hurdle, respectively.

2005/6

It was the following season (2005-2006), where My Way De Solzen began to shine. He began the season finished 2nd to St. Matthew in a Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in November. Then, when stepped up to 3 miles for he first time, he ran out a 5 length winner of the

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 ...

in December 2005. In his prep run for the

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Rac ...

, he came home a comfortable 9 length winner of the

at Fontwell. He then went on to contest the 2006

at Cheltenham, where he was sent off a 9/2 chance. He stayed on strongly up the hill to deny the Mick Halford trained Golden Cross by a head, and in the process securing his first victory at the

. In his final appearance of the season, he finished a 7 length second to Mighty Man in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

2006/7

My Way De Solzen reappeared in the 2006-2007 season in the Grade 2 John Smith's Hurdle at Wetherby in October. He was sent off a 4/9 chance, but could only finish second when trying to give 8 pounds in weight to the winner, Redemption. His trainer,

, then decided to embark on a novice chasing campaign that season, and My Way De Solzen began with a 14 length victory in a Lingfield Beginners Chase. He was stepped straight up in class, where he contested the Grade 2 Henry VIII Novices Chase at Sandown, where he was sent off an odds on 4/7 chance, but could only finish second to Fair Along. He, however regained the winning thread in his next two races, winning Grade 2 Beginner's Chases at Cheltenham and Haydock respectively. Following this, he was sent off the 7/2 2nd favourite for the

at Cheltenham, where he was a most impressive 5 length winner under jockey, Robert Thornton. After a long season, Alan King put his gelding away for the season and began to prepare him for the 2007-2008 season.

2007/8

He began the 2007-2008 season, with connections dreaming of the

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 ( ...

and started off in the 2007

Betfair Chase The Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles and furlongs (3 miles 1 furlong ...

, where he was unable to trouble the odds on favourite

Kauto Star Kauto Star (19 March 2000 – 29 June 2015) was a French-bred National Hunt champion racehorse trained by Paul Nicholls in Somerset and owned by Clive Smith. He was known for his versatility and longevity, being the only horse ever to be top ...

and eventually finished 5th. Connections, however, were not too disheartened and were sure their gelding would come on for the run when he contested the Grade 1

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of ...

at Cheltenham. He was sent off 13/2 3rd favourite behind odds on favourite

and Exotic Dancer. But he never managed to get into the race and was eventually pulled up. Alan King then reverted him back to hurdles for the remainder of the season, but My Way De Solzen was still unable to regain the winning thread, finishing 2nd in the

, and 5th and 6th respectively in the

at Cheltenham in March and the

Aintree Hurdle The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (), ...

in April.

References

pedigreequery.com
- ''My Way de Solzen's pedigree''
racingpost.com
- ''My Way de Solzen's race record'' 2000 racehorse births Cheltenham Festival winners National Hunt racehorses Racehorses bred in France Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Non-Thoroughbred racehorses