Brown Panther leads home his rivals in the 2014 running of the Irish St Leger© Photo Healy Racing
Tom Dascombe hailed Brown Panther “an absolute superstar” in looking back on some of the stellar achievements which culminated in his Irish St Leger triumph 10 years ago.
Bred and part-owned by former England international Michael Owen, he was an ever-present on the staying scene and a winner 11 of his 28 starts, with his popularity coming not only from his undoubted talent, but from his fight and will to succeed on the racecourse.
His decorated CV included Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup, finishing second in the St Leger and many assignments travelling the globe in search of big-race success. But a Group One prize was still eluding him at the beginning of his six-year-old campaign.
However, 2014 proved to be Brown Panther at his very best and after wins at Chester and Sandown were followed by brave runs in defeat – including in the Gold Cup at Ascot – the son of Shirocco gave his connections a day to savour when horse, trainer and long-time ally Richard Kingscote entered the Classic record books.
On that day, he prompted joyous scenes when beating an all-star cast – including Aidan O’Brien’s Gold Cup hero Leading Light – who had no answer to the powers of Brown Panther as he romped six and a half lengths clear.
He would go on to add the Dubai Gold Cup the following spring before fate delivered the cruellest of blows when fatally injured while defending his Irish Leger crown in 2015.
“He was an absolute superstar for me,” said Dascombe, as he fondly remembered the journey he went on with what is currently his only Group One-winning horse.
“He went from winning at Southwell and getting beat at Kempton when I thought he was a certainty. We taught him how to race at Haydock before winning at Chester and then he bolted up at Ascot.
“But then he won the Classic in Ireland and very sadly had a fatal injury a year later in the very same race. He thumped them in that St Leger and he also won at Meydan for us.
“He was just a superstar and we had some great days, we took him to Santa Anita after he got loose at Woodbine and was a non-runner. It’s a hell of a way to go is Canada for a non-runner, but that’s life.”
Dascombe may have experienced both triumph and heartbreak at the Curragh in the space of 12 months, but takes some comfort in the fact Brown Panther lost his life doing what he loved.
“We loved him and we still do,” continued Dascombe.
“He gave me the best days of my career. He was a warrior and he ended up giving his life for what he loved.
“You would always want him as your mate rather than someone you had to take on you know, he was just solid and he just loved it. He just loved being a racehorse and he was quite good at it.”
