MEMORY MAKERS: DARK IVY (1976 – 1987)

As the years come and go, and one season gives way to another, horses come along who capture our imagination and stir our souls. Sometimes, our passion for them is enduring, and sometimes just fleeting. We may hold them in our hearts for a lifetime, or just for one day.  And so it seems fitting that now and again we take a few minutes to blow the dust off our memories and relive the stories of the horses who have meant so much to us.  Today I would like to share with you the story of a horse whose untimely demise helped to change the face of the World’s greatest race, and who remains the subject of debate two decades after his death. The horse was Dark Ivy, and this is my  memory of him.

EARLY DAYS

Dark Ivy was foaled in 1976, by grey stallion My Swanee out of a mare named Cloudy Dawn. The grey colouring which earned him so many admirers later in life had been passed down his sire’s side for generations.

At some point in his lifetime he was purchased by Mr and Mrs Stewart Catherwood of County Antrim, and in early 1986 was placed in the care of the late, great Gordon Richards at Greystoke Castle in Cumbria.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you anything of much consequence about Dark Ivy’s racing career. I do know he was beaten three lengths in the Tote Eider Chase at Newcastle in the February preceding his death, and had competed in Ireland during his novice career. He was certainly good enough for Richards to unhesitatingly describe him as a classier athlete than either of his two Grand National winners by virtue of possessing “an extra gear” and, whatever his journey, all roads would only lead to one place: Aintree.

RACE DAY

Born in the same year as Dark Ivy, I was 11 years old when the National was run on 4^th April 1987. Although I have vague memories of earlier Nationals, this is the first one that I vividly remember and which I still remember above all others. It was also the first time I truly comprehended the fearsome challenge the race presented to horse and rider, the sheer thrill of the field pouring over those huge obstacles and, to my absolute gut-wrenching shock and horror, the first time I realised that horses sometimes don’t survive their tangle with the toughest of fences. All of these things I learned that day.

In the build up to the race, Dark Ivy had been the subject of much media coverage. He was a supremely handsome and elegant horse, and his beautiful grey coat set him apart from the rest of the field. He was so well fancied that he started as 11/2 second favourite, and was heavily backed to become the first grey to win the race in 26 years.

In the pre-race build up, the BBC placed much focus on Dark Ivy and I remember being mesmerised by footage of him rolling in his box, and other similarly charming scenes – and I wasn’t alone; the public adored him.

Before the race, he was the pick of the paddock and so it was a formality when he was awarded the prize for best turned out horse, winning his proud stable lass Tracey Halstead a £100 cash prize. Sadly for Tracey her delight would quickly turn to devastation.

HORROR AT BECHER’S

The preliminaries dispensed with, the runners were soon hurtling towards the first fence with Dark Ivy racing just better than mid-division. After a small mistake at the first, he settled into his stride and was travelling well approaching Becher’s Brook, a 4ft 10 inch fence with a drop on the landing side where the ground rolled away into a ditch. Readying himself for take off, Dark Ivy was squeezed for space between Attitude Adjuster ridden by Niall Madden, and Why Forget ridden by Chris Grant. Jockey Phil Tuck recalled afterwards that ‘he popped in a short one’; and as we watched, he rose then fell, perpendicular, arcing through the air in a grotesque somersault of death. The hind legs pedalled for a few seconds and then were still, and the cavalry charged on without him. It was a moment that I’ll never forget. The gasps of horror; followed by a deathly silence; then kids wailing and my mother sobbing.

The unthinkable had happened. Dark Ivy, the beautiful Dark Ivy, lay dead; his neck broken, his prostrate body clearly visible as the camera panned away. According to press reports, Gordon Richards is said to have broken down in tears when he reached Becher’s and saw the body being loaded into the horse ambulance. Stable jockey Tuck, who was concussed in the fall and could be seen crawling towards his stricken mount, later commented “Everybody connected with Dark Ivy is upset. He was a lovely horse, and what happened to him broke my heart. I’ve just got to get myself together and carry on. I still have a job to do.”

THE AFTERMATH

A week after the race it emerged in the press that Dark Ivy’s hide had turned up at a tannery in Rochdale with instructions to preserve the hair. Trainer Gordon Richards was said to be disgusted by the “sickening” reports that the horse’s skin could end up as a carpet and he pledged to find out who had bought it, commenting “He [Catherwood, the horse’s owner] was shocked and disgusted, and so am I.” However, according to the report in a Sunday paper, the tannery had refused to disclose the hide’s owner.

Ten days after the race the Jockey Club announced that Niall Madden would face a disciplinary committee for his riding of Attitude Adjuster during the race. Madden had come in for widespread criticism for his use of the whip and the positioning of his horse at Becher’s, and had been blamed for leaving Dark Ivy short of room and unsighted. Unfortunately I’m unable to find any information as to the outcome of that hearing, but looking through internet forums two decades later it seems there are plenty who still hold him guilty.

The inevitable public outcry that resulted from the horse’s ugly demise rumbled on for weeks. It was the first time there had been widespread unrest over the race’s safety and the RSPCA were quick to condemn Becher’s Brook and press for modifications to the landing side and ditch. Dark Ivy’s death was undoubtedly the beginning of the end for the fence as we knew it and, in 1989, after a further two horses had been killed there, the course bowed to pressure and significantly remodelled the landing side and ditch in an attempt to reduce fallers and fatalities.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Every year on Grand National day my mind drifts back to a day that would otherwise be long forgotten. I have rarely, if ever, recalled the winner of the race, Maori Venture, but I have remembered Dark Ivy on many, many occasions and can still recall the pain and fury of his death. Looking back, the spectacle of the horse’s death ensured it would always be hard to forget – the shock and awe of the perpendicular fall, all the more vivid thanks to the light colour of his coat against the blur of brown and green.

PUBLIC OPINION

These are just a few of the many comments on YouTube and various internet forums, that are still being posted two decades after Dark Ivy’s death:

“This was the last year I ever watched the Grand national, I loved Dark Ivy a beautiful horse especially to a 12 years old as I was at the time. I’ll never forget how I felt when it died.”

“Dark Ivy was baulked at Bechers. Attitude Adjustor’s rider, Nial Madden steered his horse right into the middle of the track to enable his horse to go across Bechers at an angle. I’m not too sure he realised what had happened. However, his horse veers across Dark Ivy and another horse just as they are about to jump the fence. Dark Ivy ended up as the meat in a sandwich, and had nowhere to go. I always wondered whether the stewards should have asked Nial Madden to explain his actions.”

“I have never forgotten dark ivy falling.I was only 13 (35 NOW) but it has stuck in my head as I remember seeing on telly in the run up to the day showing Dark Ivy rolling around in the saw dust in it’s stable.Also they kept putting the awful photo of Dark Ivy side on view of it going down,in the papers for day and days after. A sickening fall.”

“Read the comments on Boots Madden and Attitude Adjuster and think people are being slightly harsh. 1. Attitude adjuster was a notoriously difficult ride, 2.Madden legitimately went for a gap, this is the National, horses get blocked it was just Dark Ivy was both a grey and the housewives choice. 3. Madden has lost his whip four out so it looks like he is beating the crap out of the horse when in fact he is using the flat of his hand.”

“Enjoyed that footage but I think Dark Ivy’s demise contributed significantly to the easing of some of the fences to what they are now. Can any of you remember that photo taken from alongside the fence showing Dark Ivy hitting the ground,neck first? Truly horrible & the anti-Grand National lobbyists understandably used it to highlight their cause (I think the fact Dark Ivy was a grey seemed to pull on the heartstrings even more, evoking memories of Grey Sombrero breaking his leg in the 73 race)”

“I also HATED Attitude Adjuster for causing Dark Ivy`s death, i was only 13 and was devastated by this fall, he was a favourite of mine, Learned a hard lesson about jumping that day, But still love it to this day”

“I was 14 and was split between Dark Ivy and Maori Venture to bet on – I plumped for Dark Ivy only to witness that horrible fall – I can still hear my dad saying “that horse has had it” I was so upset and didn’t bet ever again on any horse race – just too much for me especially at that age altho I don’t say races should be banned etc – that jump is very tricky tho. Anyway national on again tomo and living in Liverpool can exactly escape it!”

SOURCES:

If you’ve got this far, thank you! This article is based on information taken from the following sources:

YouTube

SportingIntelligence.com

PedigreeQuery.com

The Glasgow Herald

CWHerald.com