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As I prepared for the start of the 1970 flat season I had another set of flying fillies who had been setting the gallops alight. I was particularly excited about a two-year-old called Windstorm, owned by Miss Hurst. Miss Hurst had made her money in the fashion industry and would always be immaculately dressed in the latest look when she came to watch her horse. I'd previously trained for a few owners from the rag trade, including Mr Hartley and Mr Greenwood who had brought me nice gifts including suits and coats. However, Miss Hurst's creations were quite something else and I couldn't see myself in one of her dresses but she did bring one or two for Alice which were put away for best. I found a race for Windstorm at Newcastle on 31st March, a mixed card of flat and jump racing, and I put Lester Piggott up for her debut. Somehow word had leaked out of the yard that Windstorm was working well at home and the booking of Piggott was a sure signal to the bookmakers who sent her off the 7/4 favourite despite never having seen the filly race before. Windstorm won and Lester didn't even need to pick up his stick, riding her out with hands and heels and cleverly winning by a head. Windstorm finished runner up next time but her third racecourse outing saw her take the Robert B Massey Trophy at Beverley ridden by Geoff Wragg. On 27th June 1970 we took Windstorm to Newcastle for the Chesters Stakes. There was a huge crowd at Gosforth Park that day, for it was the day of the Northumberland Plate, the biggest race of the season. The whole town stopped to watch the 'Pitman's Derby' which was won by Yorkshire owner/breeder Phil Bull's horse Philoctetes. The Chesters Stakes followed the Northumberland Plate and my filly didn't disappoint. Windstorm was expertly ridden by Brian Connorton to beat Cock Of The Walk and was returned at odds of 100/8. She was the only one of my four runners to make the frame that day, but little did we know that Red Rodney, who ran unplaced in the opener, was a star in the making and would later become a yard legend. Unfortunately Windstorm didn't train on at three and was retired in 1971. She headed to the paddocks where she had a foal called Wind Swallow. |
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