Those Golden Moments
M
Double Trigger wins his third Doncaster Cup: September 10, 1998
A
FTER a wonderful career in which he won 12 Group
races, a feat bettered only by Brigadier Gerard
since the introduction of the Pattern at that time,
Double Trigger made his final racecourse appearance in the Doncaster Cup at the St Leger meeting of 1998.
He was running in the Group 3 race at the age of seven. The original plan
had been for Trigger to bow out in the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at
Longchamp the following month, but was forced to miss Paris after he
struck into himself at Doncaster. In a sense that was lucky for groom
Geordie Charlton, who had been devoted to the horse since Trigger
arrived in Middleham as a yearling. For while Geordie went to Doncaster
he would not have been at the French race.
Referred to by Timeform as "the people's horse", Trigger's career and
the never-say-die attitude which he epitomised arguably did much to
counter the anti-stayers feeling which had been prevalent at the time.
There was pressure to reduce the distance of some of the Cup races,
opportunities and prize-money were being squeezed and winning some
of the best staying contests seemed like the mark of Cain to most breeders. Unfashionable he may have been, but Double Trigger was undoubtedly the biggest star Mark had trained to that date.
The horse ran in the colours of owner Ron Huggins, who shared him with
Julian Clopet and Dick Moules.
Trigger's campaign as a seven-year-old did not get off to an auspicious
start. Mark had warned that he wasn't as forward as he usually was for
his reappearance at the beginning of May in Ascot's Sagaro Stakes, and
he duly finished sixth behind Persian Punch. He was still below form in
the Henry II Stakes at Sandown, returning to Middleham with swollen
forelegs.
In an effort to restore Trigger to his former glory, some subtle changes
to his routine had been made; he wintered at Bill Gredley's stud farm
rather than in Middleham that year, he no longer had to lead out his lot
on the gallops and it was decided to leave his tail unplaited in his races
in an effort to relax him.
Whether as a result of these tweaks, or as a result of Darryll Holland taking over in the saddle, or whether Trigger simply decided he had had
enough of being beaten, the great horse returned to form, with a
vengeance, in the Ascot Gold Cup. Sent off at an almost insulting 25/1,
Trigger ran a blinder, going down by just a neck to Kayf Tara, who was all
out to hold him off.
Double Trigger's return to form was confirmed next time out in the
Goodwood Cup. Winning the historic event for the third time, Trigger had
looked beaten early in the straight when short of room; but back he
came, simply refusing to be beaten, and battling on for Holland to beat
Canon Can (Kieren Fallon) and Celeric (Pat Eddery) by three-quarters of
a length and a length and a quarter, with Kayf Tara, his Ascot conqueror,
back in fifth.
And so to Doncaster for the Doncaster Cup, run over two and a quarter
miles. The Cup is Doncaster's longest established race. Inaugurated in
1766, it predates the St Leger by 10 years. No horse had won the race
three times since Beeswing dominated the event in the 1840s. Six went
Darryll Holland (left)
pushes Double Trigger
to his third Doncaster
Cup victory
to post and Double Trigger was sent off joint favourite (at
9/4) with Henry Cecil's Canon Can, to whom he was conceding
two pounds. John Gosden's four-year-old Three Cheers was next best
on 11/4, while Barry Hills' Busy Flight, the Yorkshire Cup winner, was rated
an 11/2 chance.
The race itself was summed up simply by Jon Lees of the Racing Post
who wrote: "In true Trigger style, he led from start to finish, and when
Busy Flight threatened to ruin the celebrations with a dangerous challenge, he shot him down."
Double Trigger : Factfile on an MJR superstar
March 1991: Solac gives birth to a chesnut
colt by Ela-Mana-Mou.
October 92: Ron Huggins buys for 7,200 gns
the Ela-Mana-Mou colt at Goffs sales. It is
later named Double Trigger.
September 93: Double Trigger wins his nine
furlong Redcar Maiden by 10 lengths and
breaks the track record.
October 93: Zetland Stakes (Listed)
November 94: St Leger Italiano (G3)
May 95 and 96: Sagaro Stakes (G3)
May 95 and 96: Henry II Stakes (G3)
June 95: Ascot Gold Cup (G1)
July 95, 97 and 98: Goodwood Cup (G2)
September 95, 96, 98: Doncaster Cup (G3)
Racing career: 29 starts, 14 victories
including 12 Group races and one Listed.
www.markjohnstonracing.com
16
Timeform rating of 123. Named Top European
Stayer in Cartier Racing Awards of 1995.
Career earnings: £559,102
Winning jockeys: Jason Weaver (first 10
wins, from 1993 to 1996); Darryll Holland
(two wins); Frankie Dettori (one win); Michael
Roberts (one win).
Jason Weaver
Mark Johnston’s wife Deirdre has wonderful
memories of Double Trigger. “He was an unbelievable horse to train,” she said.
“To have a horse win 12 Group races, and be in
training with you for several years, means that
he becomes a big part of your life. Consequently
it leaves a big hole when he's no longer there. He
was so unique in his looks that he always stood out in the string and
on the racecourse.
“I had so many exciting times with “Trigger”, and have so many fond
memories of him, that it is difficult to single out any in particular. But
if forced to do so, I would say that his Ascot Gold Cup win and his third
Goodwood Cup win stand out for me. His win at Ascot was our first winner there and the euphoria was just incredible. His third win in the
Goodwood Cup had people running to the winner’s enclosure to try to
get a good position to cheer him in. It was very emotional when he was
led in and the noise was deafening!
“I was very kindly allowed to send one of my mares to him and have my
own little “Trigglet”. He was broken at three last year, and he will start
his real education shortly, hopefully to become a successful eventer.
So watch out for Kingsley Park Triggerman, who keeps my fond memories of Double Trigger fresh in my mind.”
At the line, Trigger had prevailed by a length from Busy Flight, with Canon
Can beaten a further two and a half lengths away in third.
There was great delight that Trigger's final appearance on a British racecourse had gone to plan. A tearful Geordie Charlton told the
press: "He's gone out in glory. He's the champion stayer in
Europe!" Owner Ron Huggins, forced to miss the day by business commitments abroad, was able to see the race on television at Biggin Hill airport having touched down from Spain
minutes earlier.
"He started his career with a win," recalled Ron,
"and now he's ended it on a high as well!
He's an amazing horse. It's been a
fairy tale."
Alastair Down of the Racing Post noted
that, amid all the hysteria, Mark looked
serious as Trigger was welcomed into the
winner's enclosure. He suggested that Mark
was perhaps 'sensing already the degree to
which Trigger's impending departure will
unpick some of the fabric of his yard and leave
an inevitable hole.' I rather think that any apparent sadness on Mark's part was better explained in
his column in the following day's Post.
"The sad thing about seeing Double Trigger retire," he
wrote, "is that the horse is happier now and easier to
train than at any other time in his life."
Putting the horse's career into perspective, Mark wrote that he felt
Double Trigger hadn't received the credit he was due.
"In 1995, Strategic Choice was champion stayer. No disrespect to him, but
it was ludicrous. This horse won five Cup races." Even so, Mark was
delighted with how Trigger had improved again in his final season. "I
think 1998 has really been the special year for him, far more than
before."
Perhaps it says it all about this special day and that special horse that,
in the voting for the 1998 Racegoers' Club Racehorse of the Year award,
the members of the Club voted for Trigger as 'the horse that has done
most to further interest in British racing during the year.'
www.markjohnstonracing.com
17