The love of an underdog is the reason Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) had a massive fan base and why his death from a heart attack at the age of 12 while preparing for his 109th start in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh this weekend was mourned around the racing world.
A horse born on the wrong side of the tracks, Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) could elicit a bid of no more than 2000 euros as a weanling at the 2008 Goffs November Sale.
Owner Morgan Cahalan purchased Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) with the intention of on-selling him as a yearling at the Goffs October Yearling sale.
But when he failed to make his modest €5,000 reserve, Cahalan kept him and sent the colt to lifelong friend Tom Hogan.
It was no instant success story. Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) broke his pelvis at his first start in Roscommon in July 2010. The son of Byron was off the scene for a year before his reappearance in a 2000 metre maiden at the Curragh where he trailed home last of the 14 starters.
It was an upward trajectory from there although it still took seven starts before Gordon Lord Byron found a taste for winning.
The grand old warrior took connections on the ride of a lifetime, competing in Ireland, England, France, Hong Kong, Dubai, Qatar and Australia.
In 2012 Gordon Lord Byron earned his first Group 1 win in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and the following year added the Group 1 Haydock Park Sprint Cup before finishing second when defending his title in the Prix de la Foret.
The hugely impressive winner that day was Moonlight Cloud who the previous year came closest to ending Black Caviar’s perfect career in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Arriving unheralded in Australia, Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) lined up for the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill in March 2014 having not started since finishing fourth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile the previous December.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) came from midfield to defeat the game Speediness by a short neck, with New Zealand three-year-old El Roca three-quarters of a length away in third.
“He was a great horse and we had great times with him, but all good things come to an end.” Hogan told the Irish Field.
“He was in super form. He did a great piece of work at the Curragh last Thursday and he was in great form – real happy in himself.
“It happened this morning. He wasn’t a horse that would have liked retirement – he died with his boots on.
“We were upset immediately after it happening. Looking at it now though, we’re just delighted to have been part of the story.”
Gordon Lord Byron was a son of the Green Desert stallion Byron who won three times including the Group II Lennox and Mill Reef Stakes, and he was also second in the Group III Prix du Palais Royal and third in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains.
Byron is out of the Woodman mare Gay Gallanta who was the champion juvenile filly in Europe where her wins included the Cheveley Park Stakes and the Queen Mary Stakes.
The dam of Gordon Lord Byron is the unraced Intikhab mare Boa Estrela a half-sister to multiple Group III winner Cheyenne Star from the family of champions Capote and Exceller.
