Park Top (May 1964 – 1989) was a top-class British racehorse. She had an unfashionable pedigree, cost only 500 guineas as a

yearling Yearling may refer to: *Yearling (horse), a horse between one and two years old *''The Yearling ''The Yearling'' is a novel by American writer Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, published in March 1938. It was the main selection of the Book of the Mo ...

and did not run as a two-year-old. Her Grand-dam Oola Hills was the dam of

Pappa Fourway Pappa Fourway (1952–1978) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the outstanding specialist sprinters of the twentieth century and one of the best horses trained in the North of England. After winning four ...

, but unlike him, Park Top was at her best over middle distances. Her career tally was 13 races worth £136,440. She was disappointing as a broodmare and her few foals had shown minimal talent before she was retired in 1979. Park Top was bred by Joan Scott of Buttermilk Stud Farm, South Newington, Oxfordshire.

Racing career

1966: two-year-old season

Being a late foal she was backward as a two-year-old and also suffered from problems with her fetlock joints and later developed a cough. All of these were factors in the decision not to run Park Top as a two-year-old.

1967: three-year-old season

She began her career with an easy win in the Mar Lodge Place (for 3-y-o maidens) at

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

. A second easy win, in the Twyford Stakes (3-y-o fillies) at Newbury, encouraged her owner to aim higher by tackling the

Ribblesdale Stakes The Ribblesdale Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and it is ...

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...

. Starting second favourite she won smoothly, defeating St Pauli Girl who had earlier finished second in The Oaks. Six weeks later she won the Brighton Cup (then a good handicap).

1968: four-year-old season

Won the Brighton Challenge Cup again, and also took the

Prix d'Hédouville The Prix d'Hédouville is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles) at Longchamp in Ma ...

at Longchamp.

1969: five-year-old season

It was as a five-year-old that she really shone. That year she was largely ridden by Lester Piggott but he was unable to ride her in the Hardwicke Stakes and Geoff Lewis took over for that race and the Eclipse Stakes. A victory at Longchamp in May was followed by a success in the

Coronation Cup The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

Hardwicke Stakes The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and ...

and

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

. She was beaten in the Eclipse Stakes by

Wolver Hollow Wolver Hollow (1964–1987) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion. In a career spanning four seasons, his performances in handicaps and top class company, including victory in the 1969 Eclipse Stakes, established him as a talented ...

when her rider Geoff Lewis pulled her off the rail allowing Piggott on Wolver Hollow to nip up the rail and go clear. When Park Top was extricated from a pocket she ran on strongly but was unable to reel in the winner. Piggott was reinstated as her rider when she easily won the King George at Ascot later in July 1969. In the

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

she was stuck behind a wall of horses and finished fast to be second behind Levmoss. Piggott blamed himself for her defeat but her owner the Duke of Devonshire was more forgiving in the book he wrote about Park Top ''A Romance of the Turf''.

1970: six-year-old season

After a warm up win at Longchamp in May, Park Top was beaten into second when trying to win the

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...

for the second time. Jarred up by the firm ground at

she did not race again until the

Cumberland Lodge Cumberland Lodge is a 17th-century Grade II listed country house in Windsor Great Park 3.5 miles south of Windsor Castle. Since 1947 it has been occupied by the charitable foundation known as Cumberland Lodge, which holds residential conferences ...

stakes at Ascot in September. She won well, but finished lame. Appearing to have made a full recovery from what was only temporary lameness, she returned to Longchamp, for a seventh time, to bid farewell. Sadly she was well below her best and could only finish third. Park Top was retired from breeding in 1980 and died in 1989.

References

* ''A Romance of the Turf'' – written by Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish * ''The Complete Encyclopedia of Horse Racing'' – written by Bill Mooney and George Ennor
Park Top's pedigree and racing stats
{{Authority control 1964 racehorse births 1989 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 26 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners