The Fellow (1985–2008) was an
AQPS
AQPS ("Autre Que Pur-Sang"), translated as "Other than Thoroughbred" (not "Other than Pure-Blood"), is a general term used in France to refer to horses not listed as Thoroughbreds but destined to race. Anglo-Arabians, Selle Français (or French ...
top-class
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 in the early 1990s. He won the 1994
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 narrowly lost the 1991 and 1992 renewals. He also won the 1991 and 1992
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 ...
and the 1991
Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris
The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 6,000 metres, and during its running there are twe ...
. Along with
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
, he is one of only two horses to win both the latter race and the Gold Cup. A full brother to French Horse of the Century
Al Capone II
Al Capone II (20 March 1988 – 21 October 2020) was a French Autre Que Pur-Sang (AQPS), translated as ''Other than Thoroughbred'') steeplechaser. Sired by the Selle Français jumper Italic, and out of the Thoroughbred mare L'Oranaise, he is a ...
, The Fellow was trained in France by
François Doumen
François Doumen (born 11 June 1940) is a retired French racehorse trainer. From 1956 to 1970 he was an amateur jockey, and he then worked as an assistant trainer to his father Jean. As a young man he had also been a competitive slalom skier. He ...
, ridden by the Polish jockey
Adam Kondrat
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as ...
, and owned by the Marquise Soledad de Moratalla.
The Fellow first came to prominence in Britain when he ran in the 1990
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 ...
as a young five-year-old, although the previous month he had won the
Group One
Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...
Prix La Haye Jousselin
The Prix La Haye Jousselin is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 5,500 metres (about 3 miles and 3½ furlongs), and it is scheduled ...
at
Auteuil Hippodrome
The Auteuil Hippodrome is a horse racing venue on Route des Lacs in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France. The 33-hectare (82-acre) race course opened November 1, 1873. It is designed exclusively for steeplechase racing.
Modernized a number of tim ...
in France. He finished third in the King George behind
Desert Orchid
Desert Orchid (11 April 1979 – 13 November 2006), known as ''Dessie'', was an English racehorse. The gray (horse), grey achieved a revered and esteemed status within National Hunt racing, where he was much loved by supporters for his fron ...
and Toby Tobias, then ran in a French hurdle race before returning to the UK to run in 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 ( ...
. He was still a young horse and went off at 28/1. However, despite his age he was only beaten a short-head into second place by
Garrison Savannah
The Garrison Savannah in the country of Barbados, is a horse racing venue located within the Garrison Historic Area, just outside the capital-city Bridgetown. A clockwise grass course, the Garrison Savannah is known internationally for the annual ...
and defeated a number of good horses including
Desert Orchid
Desert Orchid (11 April 1979 – 13 November 2006), known as ''Dessie'', was an English racehorse. The gray (horse), grey achieved a revered and esteemed status within National Hunt racing, where he was much loved by supporters for his fron ...
,
Cool Ground
Cool Ground is a former National Hunt racehorse. He won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1992, as well as the Kim Muir in 1989, the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase in 1990 and 1991, the Welsh National in 1990, and the Greenalls Gold ...
and Celtic Shot. In fact, BBC commentator Sir
Peter O'Sullevan
Sir Peter O'Sullevan (3 March 1918 – 29 July 2015) was an Irish-British horse racing commentator for the BBC, and a correspondent for the Press Association, the ''Daily Express'', and ''Today''. He was the BBC's leading horse racing commen ...
(possibly biased through being a friend of the horse's owner) thought that The Fellow was going to just get up to win the race.
During the summer of 1991, The Fellow won the
Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris
The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 6,000 metres, and during its running there are twe ...
as well as two other chases. He returned to the UK for another tilt at the
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 ...
. In a close finish, he just beat
Docklands Express
Dockland or Docklands are areas occupied by, or in the neighbourhood of maritime docks, sometimes described as a Sailortown (dockland). The term is more common in Britain and British Commonwealth.
Specifically the term may refer to:
* Aarhus Doc ...
and
Remittance Man
In British history, a remittance man was an emigrant, often from Britain to a British colony, supported by regular payments from home on the expectation that he stay away.
In this sense, remittance means the opposite of what it does now, i.e. mo ...
, with
Desert Orchid
Desert Orchid (11 April 1979 – 13 November 2006), known as ''Dessie'', was an English racehorse. The gray (horse), grey achieved a revered and esteemed status within National Hunt racing, where he was much loved by supporters for his fron ...
falling when beaten in his last race before retirement. The Fellow then tried again to win 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 ( ...
the following spring. In this race, he lost again by a short head, this time to
Cool Ground
Cool Ground is a former National Hunt racehorse. He won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1992, as well as the Kim Muir in 1989, the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase in 1990 and 1991, the Welsh National in 1990, and the Greenalls Gold ...
with Docklands Express in third.
The next season, he won two further races at Auteuil before running in the
Hennessy Gold Cup
/Ladbrokes Trophy
The Coral Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run ...
, where he was a good third under top-weight behind
Sibton Abbey
Sibton Abbey, an early Cistercian abbey located near Yoxford, Suffolk, was founded about 1150 by William de Chesney, High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. A sister house of Warden Abbey, near Bedford, Bedfordshire, Sibton Abbey was the only Cis ...
and
Jodami
Jodami (6 April 1985 – 1 December 2008) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist steeplechaser, he ran thirty-nine time and won eighteen races in a career which lasted from March 1990 until February 1997. A ...
. He then retained his
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 ...
crown. Although he won the race by 6 lengths, he was outpaced entering the home straight and didn't look like the winner at the second last. He went straight to Cheltenham to try to finally win the Gold Cup. He went off the short-priced 5/4 favourite. However, he was well-beaten back in fourth behind
Jodami
Jodami (6 April 1985 – 1 December 2008) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist steeplechaser, he ran thirty-nine time and won eighteen races in a career which lasted from March 1990 until February 1997. A ...
. His jockey,
Adam Kondrat
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as ...
, was heavily criticised by members of the racing press who felt he had kept the horse too far off the pace. Especially scathing in his criticism was
John McCririck
John Michael McCririck (17 April 1940 – 5 July 2019) was an English horse racing pundit, television personality and journalist.
McCririck began his career at '' The Sporting Life'', where he twice won at the British Press Awards for his camp ...
. The Fellow then was sent off the 7/2 favourite for the
Whitbread Gold Cup
Whitbread plc is a multinational British hotel and restaurant company headquartered in Houghton Regis, England.
The business was founded as a brewery in 1742, and had become the largest brewery in the world by the 1780s.
Its largest division ...
but finished fifth.
The following season, The Fellow's best performances in his first six races of the season were four thirds. He failed to retain the King George, finishing third behind
Barton Bank
Barton Bank (1986-2007) was one of the top National Hunt chasers of the mid 1990s. He won the 1993 King George VI Chase as well as two Charlie Hall Chases at Wetherby (1993 and 1995).
Background
He was trained by David Nicholson and in his ...
and
Bradbury Star Bradbury may refer to:
People
*Bradbury (surname)
*Baron Bradbury, a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, including three barons with the surname Bradbury.
Places
* Bradbury, County Durham, England
*Bradbury, California, city of the United ...
, and then came third in the
Racing Post Chase
The Coral Trophy is a Grade 3 Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 3 miles (), an ...
behind Antonin. However, in that race he had stayed on well at the end of the race and was giving substantial amounts of weight away to all of his rivals bar
Docklands Express
Dockland or Docklands are areas occupied by, or in the neighbourhood of maritime docks, sometimes described as a Sailortown (dockland). The term is more common in Britain and British Commonwealth.
Specifically the term may refer to:
* Aarhus Doc ...
, where it was only 5 pounds.
Barton Bank
Barton Bank (1986-2007) was one of the top National Hunt chasers of the mid 1990s. He won the 1993 King George VI Chase as well as two Charlie Hall Chases at Wetherby (1993 and 1995).
Background
He was trained by David Nicholson and in his ...
, one of the favourites for 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 ( ...
, was injured shortly before the race, which improved The Fellow's chances of winning. He went off 7/1 third favourite.
Jodami's mistake at the last fence ended any chance of him stopping The Fellow, who won by a length and a half.
Peter Scudamore
Peter Scudamore MBE (born 29 June 1958), often known as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey (including one title shared with John Francome), riding 1,678 winning horses in his ca ...
said about the ride the horse was given: ''" ...and beautifully ridden by Adam Kondrat, who understandably was very hurt by the illinformed, illjudged comments about his previous Gold Cup defeats."''
[The Sporting Life National Hunt Review 1993/94] The weights for the
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
are decided well in advance of the Gold Cup. This left The Fellow with 11 stone and 4 pounds to carry. However, the National is a race where the higher weights have a dire record. Additionally, torrential rain made the ground heavy. The Fellow tired after
Becher's Brook
Becher's Brook ( ) is a fence jumped during the Grand National, a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England. It is jumped twice during the race, as the and fence, as well as on four other occasions du ...
on the second circuit where he went down on his nose, he made another mistake at the next (Foinavon), before falling heavily at the
Canal Turn
The Canal Turn is a fence on Aintree Racecourse's National Course and thus is jumped during the Grand National Steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase which is held annually at the racecourse, located near Liverpool, England. Named for the Leeds ...
(fence 24) when fourth - his form going into the Grand National read; 5-33331.
The Fellow won a race at Auteuil Hippodrome in the summer of 1994 but was well beaten in other races. This included a final effort at the King George VI Chase, where he was pulled up behind
Algan Aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN) is a semiconductor material. It is any alloy of aluminium nitride and gallium nitride.
The bandgap of AlxGa1−xN can be tailored from 3.4eV (xAl=0) to 6.2eV (xAl=1).
AlGaN is used to manufacture light-emitting d ...
. Ironically, that horse had the same trainer and owner as The Fellow. His last race was at Auteuil on 18 June 1995, where he was pulled up.
Racing colours -
Red, light green cap.
Cheltenham Gold Cup record
•1991 - Second to
Garrison Savannah
The Garrison Savannah in the country of Barbados, is a horse racing venue located within the Garrison Historic Area, just outside the capital-city Bridgetown. A clockwise grass course, the Garrison Savannah is known internationally for the annual ...
- 6yo, 28-1.
•1992 - Second to
Cool Ground
Cool Ground is a former National Hunt racehorse. He won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1992, as well as the Kim Muir in 1989, the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase in 1990 and 1991, the Welsh National in 1990, and the Greenalls Gold ...
- 7yo, 7-2.
•1993 - Fourth to
Jodami
Jodami (6 April 1985 – 1 December 2008) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist steeplechaser, he ran thirty-nine time and won eighteen races in a career which lasted from March 1990 until February 1997. A ...
- 8yo, 5-4F.
•1994 - First - 9yo, 7-1.
King George VI Chase record
•1990 - Third to
Desert Orchid
Desert Orchid (11 April 1979 – 13 November 2006), known as ''Dessie'', was an English racehorse. The gray (horse), grey achieved a revered and esteemed status within National Hunt racing, where he was much loved by supporters for his fron ...
- 5yo, 10-1.
•1991 - First - 6yo, 10-1.
•1992 - First - 7yo, EvensF.
•1993 - Third to
Barton Bank
Barton Bank (1986-2007) was one of the top National Hunt chasers of the mid 1990s. He won the 1993 King George VI Chase as well as two Charlie Hall Chases at Wetherby (1993 and 1995).
Background
He was trained by David Nicholson and in his ...
- 8yo, 7-2F.
•1994 - PU before three out - 9yo, 7-2.
References
racingpost.co.uk- ''The Fellow's race record''
- ''The Fellow dies aged 23''
{{DEFAULTSORT:The Fellow
1985 racehorse births
2008 racehorse deaths
Cheltenham Gold Cup winners
Cheltenham Festival winners
Racehorses trained in France
French steeplechase racehorses
National Hunt racehorses
Non-Thoroughbred racehorses