LEGEND LOST
All-time great Istabraq dies aged 32 as JP McManus pays emotional tribute to one of the best horses ever
He meant so much to so many
LEGENDARY racehorse Istabraq has died at the age of 32, owner JP McManus confirmed in an emotional statement.
An all-time great adored by punters, Istabraq won the Champion Hurdle three times in a row from 1998.
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His billionaire owner said in a statement: "Sadly, Istabraq passed away at 1.15am this morning at the ripe old age of 32.
"He was a very special horse who gave us many great days of fun and enjoyment.
"Our thanks to Lara Hegarty, Johnny O'Brien and all the staff at Martinstown who took such fantastic care of him over many years.
"We are pleased that we gave him a good celebration for his most recent birthday in May.
"He leaves Noreen, myself and the family with wonderful memories."
The Aidan O'Brien-trained sensation - dubbed the 'horse of a lifetime' - won 25 of his 40 races under rules and amassed more than £1million in prize money.
What they said about him
"He has to be a freak. He has so much ability." - Charlie Swan
"I was down in Ballydoyle the week before the race (1998 Champion Hurdle) and I said to Aidan, 'Well, what do you think?' He turned around to me and said, 'Charlie, he won't just beat them, he will destroy them.' Unbelievable. When I heard Aidan saying something like that I knew I just had to keep him out of trouble." - Charlie Swan
"The long and the short of it is that he's so superior to other horses. There's such an engine there." - Aidan O'Brien
"RIP Istabraq. Lived 32 wonderful years - he truly was the horse of a lifetime." - AP McCoy
"He'd cruise along at any speed no matter how fast it was and before a hurdle he would just launch, and, when he was in his prime, he'd always come up way earlier than every other horse and land a lot further away than anything else. He was literally like a cat." - Aidan O'Brien
By Sadler's Wells, Istabraq started off as a Flat horse for John Gosden, winning Class 4s at the likes of Salisbury and Ayr before moving to Ballydoyle.
It was there he was sent over hurdles and crafted into a winning machine who got his first Cheltenham Festival success in the 1997 Royal Sunalliance Novices' Hurdle.
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That victory came part of an astonishing ten-race winning streak which culminated the following year with his first Champion Hurdle success.
A shock defeat to Pridwell at Aintree followed that before he proved unbeatable once more.
Another eight-race winning run - five of them Grade 1s - followed that before he was infamously turned over at 1-7 by Limestone Lad at Fairyhouse in November 1999.
But it proved a temporary blip, with Istabraq's 2000 Champion Hurdle win - a four-length defeat of Hors La Loi III - cementing his position as one of the greats.
His chance to officially become the greatest hurdler of all time - with four Champion Hurdle wins - was taken from him at the 2001 Festival when the Foot and Mouth outbreak forced it to be cancelled entirely.
Ridden by Charlie Swan in every race, Istabraq's career ended the next year in the same race - won this time by Hors La Loi III - when he was pulled up.
Seeing Istabraq run lame was a massive anti-climax but not even that could lessen the hold he had on punters' hearts.
Istabraq's greatest wins
Champion Hurdle - 1998, 1999, 2000
Irish Champion Hurdle - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Aintree Hurdle - 1999
Punchestown Champion Hurdle - 1999
Hatton's Grace Hurdle - 1997, 1998
December Festival Hurdle - 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle - 1997
Royal Bond - 1996
Future Champions Novice Hurdle - 1996
Described as 'being like a vintage Rolls Royce' for the way he effortlessly ate up the turf and dismissed rivals with ease, Istabraq was a massive fan favourite.
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Reacting to news of his passing, one wrote: "Best hurdler I've ever seen. Great age for the old boy to live to though. A true warrior and great of the National Hunt game."
And another said: "One of my favourite NH horses of all time. RIP legend."
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