Further Flight
| Further Flight | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Pharly |
| Grandsire | Lyphard |
| Dam | Flying Nelly |
| Damsire | Nelcius |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1986 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Grey |
| Breeder | S Wingfield Digby |
| Owner | S Wingfield Digby |
| Trainer | Barry Hills |
| Record | 70: 24-7-7 |
| Earnings | £514,021 |
| Major wins | |
| Ebor Handicap 1990 Jockey Club Cup 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 Goodwood Cup 1991, 1992 St. Simon Stakes 1991 Doncaster Cup 1992 | |
| Awards | |
| Top Older Horse 1995 | |
| Last updated on June 22, 2007 | |
Further Flight (3rd May 1986-2001) was a thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Jockey Club Cup for five successive years.
Background
Further Flight was foaled in Ireland in 1986, sired by the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Pharly out of the Cambridgeshire Handicap winner Flying Nelly, from whom he inherited his grey coat. He became a firm favourite of the British racing public, competing in and winning numerous long-distance events in a career that lasted from 1988 to 1998. He was trained throughout his career by Barry hills and ridden in 64 of his 70 starts by Michael Hills.
Racing Career
Further Flight did not appear on the racecourse until the autumn of 1988 when he ran down the field in a minor event at Chepstow. As a three-year-old he ran four times, winning once at Ayr. As a four-year-old he emerged as a top-class staying handicapper winning four races including the Ebor Handicap and finishing second in the Cesarewitch Handicap. In 1991 he moved up to Group Class winning the Goodwood Cup, St Simon Stakes and his first Jockey Club Cup. He also finished first in the Prix Kergorlay but lost the race after a Steward's Inquiry. In 1992, he was dominant, adding wins in the Doncaster Cup and Lonsdale Stakes to repeat victories in the Goodwood Cup and Jockey Club Cup. As a seven-year-old in 1993 he captured a second Lonsdale Stakes and a third Jockey Club Cup. 1994 brought a fourth Jockey Club Cup and a win in a listed event at Newmarket. By 1995, it was clear that his very best days were behind him, but wins at Haydock and Doncaster were followed by an emotional fifth vicory in the Jockey Club Cup. Further Flight continued to race for another three sesons, winning once in each of them, and putting in a number of bold efforts, including a third place as an eleven-year-old in the 1997 Jockey Club Cup. Further Flight was retired in 1998; he died after suffering an injury to his hind leg in July 2001.
Assessment
Further Flight was named Top Older Horse in the 1995 Cartier Racing Awards. It was a sentimental choice, but a very popular one. The Further Flight Stakes, named in his honour, is a listed race run at Nottingham in April.