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Eclipse Award victory for British chaser
17th January 2012
Brightwells graduate named America's leading steeplechaser
The glitz and glamour of the 41st Eclipse Awards in Beverley Hills, California, is a world away from Herefordshire, but breeder Brian Griffiths had reason to celebrate on Monday night when, several thousand miles away from home, Black Jack Blues scooped the Eclipse Award for leading steeplechaser.
Griffiths bred the nine-year-old out of his Strong Gale mare Melody Maid, who was Grade 3-placed over hurdles in the care of Nicky Henderson as well as finishing runner-up in the Stakis Casinos Final handicap hurdle at the 1999 Cheltenham Festival. The mare was bought for just 6,000gns at the DBS May Sales in 1996, and produced seven foals before her death in 2008.
Black Jack Blues, who was bought for just £5,000 at the Brightwells Ascot August Sale in 2007, was put into training with Rebecca Curtis in Wales, and after finishing runner-up on his debut at Chepstow, he won his next two bumper starts in 2009.
The winner of three hurdle races, Black Jack Blues was second in the Listed Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle at Aintree and also finished runner-up in last year’s Welsh Champion Hurdle.
He made a smooth transfer to chasing this season, winning twice in June and July, before recording a farcical victory at Ffos Las in August, on what would be his final start in Britain, when all three of his rivals had fallen after just three fences.
Under the care of trainer Joseph W Delozier III, Black Jack Blues made his first start in the US a winning one, triumphing in the Dorothy Fred Smithwick Memorial Stakes Hurdle at Middleburg by over four lengths on October 1.
Just three weeks later, the four-year-old ran the race of his life to win the Grade 1 Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills by seven lengths, bagging himself the Eclipse title in the process.
The son of Definite Article is now the winner of over £150,000 in prize money.