Easter Hero

As an eight-year-old, when in the ownership of Belgian financier Alfred Loewenstein, Easter Hero found fame, or infamy, when falling, when in the lead, at the Canal Turn on the first circuit of the 1928 Grand National, thereby causing a pile-up that decimated the field and contributed, in no small part, to the victory of 100/1 outsider Tipperary Tim. Loewenstein died, under bizarre, suspicuous circumstances on July 4, 1928 and Easter Hero was subsequently bought by American John Hay ‘Jock’ Whitney and put into training with John ‘Jack’ Anthony in Letcombe Regis, Berkshire.

Ridden by five-time champion jockey Dick Rees, Easter Hero was sent off 7/4 favourite for the 1929 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Adopting his usual front-running role, the son of My Prince led his nine rivals a merry dance, holding a huge lead at halfway and eventually passing the post 20 lengths ahead of his nearest pursuer, Lloydie. Just 10 days, Easter Hero started favouite for the 1929 Grand National, which featured 66 runners, the largest field ever assembled for the celebrated steeplechase. Under the welter burden of 12st 7lb, he finished second, failing by six lengths to concede 17lb to 100/1 outsider Gregalach, trained by Tom Leader and ridden by Robert Everett.

Easter Hero was sent off at 8/11 for the 1930 Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Tommy Cullinan replacing Rees, who rode his main market rival, Gib, trained by Percy Woodland. Easter Hero, himself, survived two uncharacteristic early blunders but, with the market leaders neck-and-neck at the second last, Gib unshipped Rees, leaving Easter Hero to come home unchallenged, by 20 lengths, for the second year running. John Randall of the ‘Racing Post’ later wrote of him, “Easter Hero did not win a record number of Gold Cups but he, not Golden Miller, was the greatest steeplechaser between the wars.”