Niche (foaled 1990) was a British

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

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 ...

best known for winning the Group 3 classic trial the

Nell Gwyn Stakes The Nell Gwyn Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Ne ...

and coming 2nd in the

1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

, before her career was cut short by a freak accident on the gallops. Bred by Highclere Stud, Niche was owned by Lord Carnarvon - the Queen's racing manager, owner of top class fillies

Lemon Souffle Lemon Souffle (22 February 1991–8 October 2001) was a European champion Thoroughbred racehorse, bred and trained in the United Kingdom. In the International Classification for 1993 she was the highest-rated two-year-old filly in Europe and ...

and

Lyric Fantasy Lyric Fantasy was an Irish-bred, British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse. She was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly at the 1992 Cartier Racing Awards, and was the highest rated filly in the International Classification. In her ...

, and grandson of George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon who discovered the tomb of

Tutenkhamun Tutankhamun (, egy, twt-ꜥnḫ-jmn), Egyptological pronunciation Tutankhamen () (), sometimes referred to as King Tut, was an Egyptian pharaoh who was the last of his royal family to rule during the end of the Eighteenth Dynasty (ruled ...

Racing career

Trained by

Richard Hannon, Sr. Richard Michael Hannon (born 1945), known as Richard Hannon Sr. to distinguish him from his son, is a former United Kingdom, British horse trainer. He was British flat racing Champion Trainer four times, achieved more than a century of victories in ...

, and ridden in all her races bar one by the (then) 57-year-old

Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest f ...

, Niche started her career with three wins in a row, including the Group 3 Norfolk Stakes. In her fourth race, the Cherry Hinton Stakes (one of the top 2yo filly races of the season) she met

Sayyedati Sayyedati (26 January 1990 – August 2007) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from June 1992 to October 1995 she ran twenty-two times winning six races and being placed eight times. Sayyedat ...

for the first time, finishing fourth carrying a penalty. These fillies would battle for honours throughout their two- and three-year-old careers. Before the end of her first season, Niche also went on to win the Group 2

Lowther Stakes The Lowther Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each ...

over 6f. At 3yo, Niche met

in the classic trial the

Nell Gwyn Stakes The Nell Gwyn Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Ne ...

, beating her rival and placing her at the top of the betting for the

1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

. Sayyedati hit back in the one mile fillies classic, beating Niche into 2nd when Lester Piggott reputedly felt that she became unbalanced in the Dip. Sayyedati would go on to win the

Sussex Stakes The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and ...

and the Prix Jacques le Marios. Niche went on to win the Group 2

Falmouth Stakes The Falmouth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,60 ...

beating Dancing Bloom (

Princess Royal Stakes The Princess Royal Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres) on the Rowley M ...

) and Culture Vulture (

Premio Emilio Turati The Premio Carlo Vittadini is a Group 3 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Milan over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early Ju ...

Prix Marcel Boussac The Prix Marcel Boussac is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is sched ...

, Fillies Mile), winning unchallenged in what would turn out to be her last race.

Untimely Death

Whilst in training for the

Prix Jacques Le Marois The Prix Jacques Le Marois is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile ...

, Niche unseated her rider on the gallops, running into the road and collided with a van. She died almost immediately. Her trainer,

said: "'She caught the edge of the all-weather gallop, stumbled and went down, her lad going over the top. I went after her but then she crossed a minor road, which normally wouldn't see 10 cars between 7am and 4pm. It was a million to one chance. My blacksmith was travelling slowly up the road and the filly crashed into his van. She died within a minute. She was one of the best I've trained. I still cannot believe it's happened." Lady Carolyn Warren, daughter of Lord Carnarvon, added: "'She was such a gutsy filly, very brave and gave us a tremendous amount of pleasure. It is a major loss for us and must have been horrible for Richard Hannon to be at the scene."

Pedigree

Niche is by Risk Me, British-trained French Champion 2yo and winner of the

Prix Jean Prat The Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is sched ...

Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it ...

Greenham Stakes The Greenham Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs () at Newbury in ...

and the

National Stakes The Vincent O'Brien National Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres ...

. He is also the sire of popular sprinter Branston Abby. Cubby Hole, is a half sister to Ascot Gold Cup winner

Little Wolf Little Wolf (''Cheyenne'': ''Ó'kôhómôxháahketa'', sometimes transcribed ''Ohcumgache'' or ''Ohkomhakit'', more correctly translated Little Coyote, 18201904) was a Northern Só'taeo'o Chief and Sweet Medicine Chief of the Northern Cheyenne. ...

, but never raced. Niche is half sister to three winners: Wolf Mountain; Holetown; and, Ravine.

References

{{reflist
Independent report on Niche's death

Pedigree of Niche
1990 racehorse births 1993 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom