A Tribute to a Legend – Many Clouds

A day that was meant to be full of celebration, tears of joy and pure ecstacy turned to tears of sadness, grief and anguish in a matter of minutes as sadly we lost one of the true National hunt greats’, MANY CLOUDS. Oliver Sherwood’s former Grand National winner treated us to one of the shock’s of the season, battling his way up the Cheltenham hill to beat the horse that was meant to be invincible, Thistlecrack. The duo went head to head up the hill in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase and Many Clouds got the better of the affair by a head. Sadly, a few yards after the line he collapsed and we are very sorry to report that he did not make it. This is a horse that simply loved running, he loved giving his all, he enjoyed jumping, he put his heart and soul into his job and we owe him a huge debt as horse racing fans. No doubt he will be sorely missed by connections and our thoughts go out to all involved with the horse, including Oliver Sherwood and Trevor Hemmings. Nathan Horrocks, work rider of Many Clouds, spoke to Racing UK after the race.

“He was such a hard horse but that was his downfall as well, he never knew when to give up.” Nathan Horrocks, work rider of #ManyClouds #RIP pic.twitter.com/mgbL9Afl6v

— Racing UK (@Racing_UK) January 28, 2017

Hennessy Gold Cup 2014

Leighton Aspell rode him to victory in the Newbury showpiece in 2014, seeing off the attentions of horses’ like Houblon Des Obeaux, Merry King and Smad Place. It was a terrific performance on testing ground and he was entered in the Cheltenham Gold Cup right after it. It was a great performance and Leighton was given a seven day ban for excessive use of the whip. Trainer Oliver Sherwood said “It was a great ride from Leighton. I am chuffed to bits, he is a very tough horse and I am delighted for the whole team”. He went on to win the BetBright Cup Chase at Cheltenham in the lead up to the festival and finished a creditable 6th behind Coneygree in the Gold Cup.

Aintree Grand National 2015

After his gallant effort in the Gold Cup where he finished 6th to the amazing novice Coneygree, Many Clouds was sent to the Aintree Grand National a few weeks later. We wouldn’t usually be fans’ of running a horse in a war of attrition at Cheltenham and then run him over four and a half miles a couple of weeks later but that was the sort of horse he was, he simply loved to run. He had to carry the burden of top weight in the National, a staggering 11 stone and 9 pounds so it was no surprise to see him go off at an SP of 25/1. Well, he proved everybody wrong and he stayed on so strongly and showed so much heart to see off Saint Are by 1.75 lengths. He was giving that rival well over a stone so it was a monumental effort. He also recorded the second fastest time in the races’ history and no horse carried such a weight to victory since Red Rum way back in 1974. He was a once in a life-time horse and we’re so sad to see him leave us.