'His jumping was electric' - tributes flow for Champion Hurdle hero Make A Stand

Make A Stand, who went from victory in a claimer on the Flat to landing the Champion Hurdle, has been hailed as the horse of a lifetime after his death at the age of 28.

He made a name for himself with a series of slick-jumping, front-running wins in the 1996-97 season, notably making all in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton and Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury.

That culminated in an all-the-way success at Cheltenham, where he broke the track record when giving jockey Sir Anthony McCoy a first win in the Champion Hurdle and trainer Martin Pipe his second following Granville Again in 1993.

Make A Stand was retired by owner Peter Deal in 2000 and had been living at a yard attached to that of Henrietta Knight, who said: "Lee Harfield looked after him and she did a wonderful job. She gave him a long, happy retirement but he had got very weak."

"It's a sad day but it brings back many happy memories," said Deal, who revealed that he had inadvertently ended up owning a Champion Hurdle winner outright.

"I first bought him at the Horses In Training sale and he went back to Henry Candy's and we formed a syndicate to go Flat racing, but it didn't work out," he recalled.

"He was claimed by Martin Pipe after winning a claimer and I phoned Martin and he kindly let me have him back but my partners didn't come back in, which was my good luck! The rest is history. I'd always loved him, he had great character."

Make A Stand's Champion Hurdle win was his ninth victory of an outstanding season which he launched by landing a maiden hurdle at Newton Abbot the previous May.

"You'd think they'd get him in the end and I remember feeling that as they were coming down the hill at Cheltenham, but then you could see they were rowing behind him," Deal said. "He'd taken them off their feet.

"I don't think you'll ever see a horse take the last in such brilliant style. His jumping was electric; he landed running and never lost anything in flight. They simply couldn't keep up with him.

"He was a remarkable horse, the horse of a lifetime. He'll be well celebrated because he captured the imagination; people loved his style of running and they knew he was a true hurdler.

"He won his races because he was an athlete; he was gutsy and he could hurdle with terrific flair."

Make A Stand: 'His jumping was electric'Credit: Pat Healy

"He had an amazing career," added Pipe. "He took a little while to learn to jump but he was an easy horse to train; he was a real gentleman and a lovely horse in every way.

"He kept improving all the time and his jumping was immaculate; he made all and really enjoyed life. He was a star and everybody loved him; he was certainly one of my favourites."

Reflecting on his time after racing, Deal said: "He had a wonderful retirement and he gave an enormous amount of pleasure to people. Quite recently he'd come back from the field with a kid on top of him. Martin and Sarah Bosley used to take him out hunting and he also did showjumping – he was active virtually all his life."

More to read:

The record-breaking feats of Martin Pipe and Peter Scudamore

Cheers, tears and adulation as Sir Anthony McCoy departs

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