Jonjo O`Neill today led the tributes to the mighty Sea Pigeon who was put down last night, at the age of 30, on veterinary advice following a serious injury.
Sea Pigeon won 21 of his 40 races over jumps, including two Champion Hurdles, and 16 of his 45 starts on the Flat including the Chester Cup in 1977 and 1978 and the 1979 Ebor at York.
O`Neill, a former champion jumps jockey, had the distinction of riding the great horse on the Flat and over hurdles, and he said today: 'It is a very sad, poor old lad, he was the best I had ever ridden, he was fantastic really.
'Mind you he had to come late and he could make you look brilliant or an idiot if you came too late!'
Now a leading trainer, O`Neill was on board when Sea Pigeon won the first of his Champion Hurdles, and he was also in the saddle when he got home by a short-head in Ebor.
Sea Pigeon began his career in training with Jeremy Tree, before moving to Gordon Richards and then to Peter Easterby who will never forget the wins - and the victory celebrations.
He recalled: 'We have had some great days and bad heads because of him - I think the champagne was flowing down the stands one day at York!
'He had ability, it was as simple as that and he is one of the best we have ever had. The most exciting part about him as far as the public was concerned that they love a horse to come from behind thinking `will he or won`t he get there`. That is more exciting than a front-runner.'
Recalling some of best moments, Easterby went on: 'When John Francome rode him in the second Champion Hurdle, that was a masterpiece.
'And when Jonjo won the Ebor, only Jonjo knew he had won, he gave us heart failure and only won a short-head.'
There was another unforgettable success as he added: 'My son Tim rode him in the Moet & Chandon (for amateur riders) at Epsom as a 16-year-old.
'He had never even been there before let alone having ridden there, that was a good day.'
Sea Pigeon was laid to rest this morning at Easterby`s Great Habton stable and he concluded: 'We buried him alongside Night Nurse.
'They are in front of the house where the young horses school over logs and we will fence it off and plant three beech trees.
'It is doubtful if we will ever see another like him.'
Lord Oaksey, journalist and Channel 4 Racing presenter, played a great part in ensuring Sea Pigeon had a happy retirement.
He said today: 'The poor old horse had to be put down on Tuesday afternoon, a bone in his foot had deteriorated so badly the vet said that he could not possibly recover.
'I would rate him as the greatest all-rounder I ever saw, I never saw Brown Jack who had a fantastic record, but Sea Pigeon was the most exciting hurdler to watch, almost always coming with that strong late burst.
'Polly Perkins has been looking after him for the last ten years near Castle Howard. We formed a trust about ten years ago called the Sea Pigeon Trust and people contributed very generously to that and that has been keeping him going.'
When asked what his fondest racecourse memory was he echoed Easterby when recalling: 'Easily Francome`s win on him in his second Champion Hurdle, he never moved a muscle.
'He only hit the front halfway up the hill and he was sitting motionless - and the most exiting victory was the Ebor when Jonjo rode him and dropped his hands and very nearly got caught by Donegal Prince.
'It was literally the shortest of short heads, but all was well - he carried a record 10st that day.'
He went on: 'He had a lot of races against Night Nurse and when they were first retired they were turned out together and now they are buried together.
Gordon Richards` son Nicky is another to have good memories of Sea Pigeon, but one in particular not quite so good from his days as an amatuer rider.
He admitted: 'I think I must have been the only jockey to have been beaten on him - we got beat when he was 1-5 at Beverley one day, so that is some claim to fame for me!
'I think he came to us as a four-year-old and Ron Barry did most of the schooling on him, but Jonjo did his bit too.
'He was certainly the best hurdler father ever trained, he oozed class all his life and was a dream horse - they only come along now and again.'
