Tidal Bay is an Irish bred

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, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a nar ...

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

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 ...

race horse 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 ...

foaled on 12 May 2001. He was the winner of three Grade 1 jumps races, the

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 dis ...

and the

Maghull Novices' Chase The Maghull Novices' 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 Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile ...

in 2008 as well as the Lexus Chase in 2012. Trained by initially by Howard Johnson and subsequently by Paul Nicholls and owned by Graham and Andrea Wylie, he was bred by John Dorgan.

Racing career

Debut

He made his debut in a

National Hunt flat race National Hunt flat races, informally known as bumper races, are a type of flat racing but run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland. National Hunt flat races were created on 15 July 1891 when a conference between the stewards of ...

(under Michal Kohl) at

Wetherby Wetherby () is a market town and civil parish in the City of Leeds district, West Yorkshire, England, close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire, and lies approximately from Leeds City Centre, from York and from Harrogat ...

on 18 March 2006, where he finished a half

length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Inte ...

second to Scribano Eile. He was then second again by only a neck just under a month later at Aintree. In doing so he beat the decent Kicks For Free, Hennessy and Wichita Lineman.

2006/07 season

In his first season racing Tidal Bay was sent novice

hurdling Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion. Today, ...

winning in his first three attempts by a total of 21 lengths. He was second by only a neck to Massini's Maguire in the

Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (known as the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle for sponsorship reasons) is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Brita ...

at 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 Ra ...

in March 2007. On that day he had future

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 ...

winner

Imperial Commander ''Imperial Commander'' is a 15mm science fiction war game A wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a realistic simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to trai ...

well behind him. Tidal Bay then went on to improve on that in

Mersey Novices' Hurdle The Mersey Novices' Hurdle is a Grade One National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree, Merseyside, over a distance of about 2 mil ...

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 ...

in April 2007, where he beat Wins Now by 8 lengths under Paddy Brennan.

2007/08 season

In the 2007–2008 season, Tidal Bay was to embark on a hugely successful Novice Chasing campaign. He was sent off at odds on for his first three Novice Chases, the first at Aintree where he beat the brilliant Albertas Run by a staggering 22 lengths. He comfortably won his next two starts and was made ante-post favourite for the

at Cheltenham. His prep run for that race came in a Novices Chase at

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated i ...

in February, where he was sent off a 1/4 shot, but after making a mistake at the second last he was beaten a neck by Leslingtaylor. He was sent off the 6/1 second favourite for the 2008 Arkle Challenge Trophy behind market leader Noland (7/4) and it was in this race that Tidal Bay gained the biggest success of his career to date, where he was a comfortable 13 length winner over Kruguyrova. He went on to add to this success at Aintree in April 2008, where he won the Grade 1

by 6 lengths from Takeroc.

2008/09 season

His first race out of novice company came at Carlisle on 2 November 2008. He won comfortably, again beating Albertas Run. Next he headed to Sandown Park for the Grade 1

Tingle Creek Chase The Tingle Creek 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 Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mil ...

. Here he put up a valiant effort beaten only by the juggernaut that is

Master Minded {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Master Minded , image_name = Master Minded.jpg , caption = Master Minded at Sandown in 2011. , sire = Nikos , grandsire = Nonoalco , dam = Haute Tension , damsire = Garde Royale , sex = Gelding , foaled = ...

. He was then 2nd again on boxing day in the

Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase The Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Wetherby over a distance of about 3 miles ...

at Wetherby this time beaten 7 lengths by Nozic. In January 2009 Tidal Bay was 3rd behind Joe Lively and

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 ...

winner Halcon Genelardais in the Letherby & Christopher chase on heavy going at Cheltenham. He headed straight back to Cheltenham for the Festival finishing fourth behind

in the Ryanair Chase. Tidal Bay then went to Aintree for the

Melling Chase The Melling Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Marsh 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 Aint ...

but could only manage a 5th at the end of a hard season. Subsequently, he was treated for a back problem and would return early in the 2009–2010 season.

2009/10 season

Tidal Bay returned in October 2009 at Aintree in the Old Roan Chase. He put up a decent performance for 2nd behind Monet's Garden and in doing so beat that seasons eventual

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 handica ...

winner

Don't Push It Don't Push It is a Grand National-winning thoroughbred racehorse in England. Debut Don't Push It began his career on 5 December 2004 at Warwick in a National Hunt flat race, finishing third. 2005–06 season His first full season began a ...

. He disappointed at Huntingdon in December when finishing 4th when sent off the 15/8 favourite for the Peterborough Chase. Questions were now being asked as to whether his back was still an issue. Tidal Bay then pulled off a shock when winning the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival Trials meeting beating ace hurdlers Lough Derg and Katchit as well as the potentially top class chaser Time For Rupert. It was decided that he would remain over hurdles and be aimed at the

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 mile ...

at the Festival in March. Unfortunately Tidal Bay was unable to repeat that form finishing 7th behind Big Buck's and Time For Rupert. He faced Big Buck's again at Aintree but could only manage 4th.

2010/11 season

Tidal Bay's first run of the 2010/11 season was again over hurdles, at Wetherby. He finished a decent 3rd before being reverted to chasing at Haydock (Grade 1

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 an ...

) in November. Here he pulled off an amazing performance to finish second to

having been virtually tailed off with a circuit still to travel. Admittedly however Imperial Commander was always in control and Tidal Bay was slightly flattered by the half length he was beaten by. Next for Tidal Bay was the Cheltenham Trials meeting where he was again second. Once again he tailed himself off before staying on strongly as Neptune Collonges faded. Tidal Bay started at around 14-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He travelled well through the first circuit, then once again he idled and found himself at one point over 80 yards behind the leaders with 4 fences remaining only to produce his incredible finish at the end of the race to go down by under 14 lengths to Long Run. His final race of the season was the John Smiths Grand National. There were high hopes for him before the race with many thinking that his Gold Cup performance made him "well in" at the weights. He unseated his rider on the first circuit – too early in the race to know if he was going to be involved at the finish.

2011/12 season

Tidal Bay's only win of the 2011/12 season came when beating Roalco De Farges by 15 lengths to win the

Bet365 Gold Cup The Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlo ...

Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse raci ...

2012/13 season

He started the 2012/13 season by winning the

West Yorkshire Hurdle The West Yorkshire Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain that is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Wetherby, West Yorkshire, over a distance of about 3 mile ...

. In his next race, 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 ...

, he finished 2nd to

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 ...

winner Bobs Worth by 3 lengths despite carrying top weight. He was then sent to Ireland to contest the Lexus Chase. He produced his trademark late surge to win the race beating First Lieutenant, Flemenstar, and Sir Des Champs in a four way go for the line.

References

{{reflist 2001 racehorse births Cheltenham Festival winners National Hunt racehorses Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 2-h