Golden Miller
Encyclopedia
Golden Miller was a Thoroughbred
racehorse
who
is the most successful Cheltenham Gold Cup
horse ever, having won the race in five consecutive years between 1932 and 1936. He also is the only horse
to have won both of the United Kingdom
's premier steeplechase
races - the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National
in the same year (1934).
winners. His dam, Miller's Pride, was an ex-hunter who was placed and the dam of the good steeplechaser, May Crescent. Her sire, Wavelet's Pride, won the Great Metropolitan Stakes, a hurdle race and other races before he became a top jumper sire.
in Longstowe
, Cambridgeshire
and owned by the eccentric Dorothy Paget
, who was the British flat racing Champion Owner
in 1943, and the leading National Hunt owner in 1933-34, 1940-41 and 1951-52.
In 1931 Golden Miller made his steeplechasing debut at Newbury Racecourse
where he finished first, only to be disqualified for carrying incorrect weight. On 30 December he won the Reading Chase before winning the Sefton Steeplechase on 20 January 1932.
In 1933, as a six year old and winner of two Cheltenham Gold Cups, he started as the 9/1 favourite in the Grand National, but fell at the Canel Turn.
In the 1934 Grand National win he set a new course record of 9 min 20.4s for Aintree
. This victory was the middle of five consecutive Gold Cup victories, a Gold Cup record.
He retired in 1939 with a record of 29 wins from 52 races. He was He is buried at Elsenham Stud, a working farm in Elsenham
, West Essex
.
, named because its founder, on the brink of bankruptcy, wagered his remaining savings on the horse and won. Many of the firm's coaches have a portrait of the horse on the front or side of the vehicle.
A statue of Golden Miller was erected near the parade ring at Cheltenham Racecourse
.
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...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who
is the most successful Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
horse ever, having won the race in five consecutive years between 1932 and 1936. He also is the only horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
to have won both of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's premier steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
races - the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
in the same year (1934).
Breeding
He was by the unraced, Goldcourt, who stood at a stud fee of five guineas, but he did sire two Irish Grand NationalIrish Grand National
The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped...
winners. His dam, Miller's Pride, was an ex-hunter who was placed and the dam of the good steeplechaser, May Crescent. Her sire, Wavelet's Pride, won the Great Metropolitan Stakes, a hurdle race and other races before he became a top jumper sire.
Racing record
Golden Miller was trained by Basil BriscoeBasil Briscoe
Basil Briscoe was a British racehorse trainer. The son of William Arthur Briscoe, of Longstowe Hall, Cambridgeshire, and May Matilda Boughey, he was educated at Eton College...
in Longstowe
Longstowe
-Demography:At the time of the 2001 census, Longstowe had 193 residents living in 73 households. All described themselves as White; 73.6% were Christian and 26.4% did not follow a religion or did not state one.-Landmarks:...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
and owned by the eccentric Dorothy Paget
Dorothy Paget
Dorothy Wyndham Paget was a British racehorse owner.She was the daughter of Lord Queenborough and Pauline Payne Whitney of the United States Whitney family. She was a cousin of Jock Whitney, owner of the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Easter Hero and latterly American Ambassador in London. She...
, who was the British flat racing Champion Owner
British flat racing Champion Owner
The Champion Owner of flat racing in Great Britain is the owner whose horses have won the most prizemoney during a season. The list below shows the Champion Owner for each year since 1894.-----See also:* British flat racing Champion Jockey...
in 1943, and the leading National Hunt owner in 1933-34, 1940-41 and 1951-52.
In 1931 Golden Miller made his steeplechasing debut at Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
where he finished first, only to be disqualified for carrying incorrect weight. On 30 December he won the Reading Chase before winning the Sefton Steeplechase on 20 January 1932.
In 1933, as a six year old and winner of two Cheltenham Gold Cups, he started as the 9/1 favourite in the Grand National, but fell at the Canel Turn.
In the 1934 Grand National win he set a new course record of 9 min 20.4s for Aintree
Aintree Racecourse
Aintree Racecourse is a racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England.It was served by Aintree Racecourse railway station until the station closed in the 1960s....
. This victory was the middle of five consecutive Gold Cup victories, a Gold Cup record.
He retired in 1939 with a record of 29 wins from 52 races. He was He is buried at Elsenham Stud, a working farm in Elsenham
Elsenham
Elsenham is a small village in north west Essex in southern England. Its neighbouring towns include Bishop's Stortford, Saffron Walden, and Stansted Mountfitchet.-History:...
, West Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Honours
A coach operator, Tellings-Golden MillerTellings-Golden Miller
Tellings-Golden Miller , a subsidiary of Arriva, is a bus service and coach operator in the United Kingdom.-Golden Miller:Reputedly, Fred Varney began the Golden Miller company with the winnings from a bet made on the horse Golden Miller, which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in...
, named because its founder, on the brink of bankruptcy, wagered his remaining savings on the horse and won. Many of the firm's coaches have a portrait of the horse on the front or side of the vehicle.
A statue of Golden Miller was erected near the parade ring at Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...
.