Aubrey Brabazon

Born at The Curragh, County Kildare on January 7, 1920, Aubrey Brabazon was a stylish and successful jockey under both codes. Between 1935 and 1959, he rode a total of 406 winners in his native Ireland, including Masaka in the Irish Oaks in 1948 and the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Mighty Ocean in 1950. However, “The Brab”, as he was affectionately known, owes his place in the annals of racing to two National Hunt horses, Hatton’s Grace and Cottage Rake, both trained by the legendary Vincent O’Brien.

Brabazon rode Hatton’s Grace to the first two of his three consecutive wins in the Champion Hurdle in 1949 and 1950 but, more significantly, rode Cottage Rake to a hat-trick in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1948, 1949 and 1950. On the first occasion, as a nine-year-old, but lacking experience over fences Cottage Rake was sent off at 10/1 in a field of 12 and looked booked for second place, even in the eyes of his trainer, when outjumped by the better-fancied Happy Home at the final fence. However, Cottage Rake was not to be denied, rallying on the run-in to win by a length and a half. In so doing, he became the first horse bred, owned and trained in Ireland to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The rest, as they say, is history. Brabazon and Cottage Rake returned to Prestbury Park for the 1949 Cheltenham Gold Cup, rescheduled to be run in April, and the defending champion, once again, demonstrated his trademark turn of foot from the final fence to become the first multiple winner of the ‘Blue Riband’ event since World War II. Odds-on again in 1950, Brabazon and Cottage Rake took their third successive Gold Cup, beating main market rival Finnure by 10 lengths, with the jockey famously pictured grinning as he cleared the final fence.