Punjabi (horse)
Encyclopedia
Punjabi is a British Thoroughbred
racehorse
, born to sire, Komatie and dam, Competa. Punjabi started racing as a three year old in 2005. He won his first race, a Class 6, in May 2006 at Newcastle Racecourse
in Newcastle
, England
.
Punjabi’s first notable win came in February 2007 at Kempton Park Racecourse
in Surrey
, England where he won the Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle
, a Grade 2 National Hunt race
. However, it wasn’t until 2008 when Punjabi started to make a name for himself, when he became the first horse to legitimately contend for the WBX
sponsored Triple Crown of Hurdling
. The Triple Crown of Hurdling awards a £1,000,000 bonus to the horse that wins the Fighting Fifth Hurdle
at Newcastle, the Christmas Hurdle
at Kempton Park and the Champion Hurdle
at Cheltenham
in Gloucestershire
, England in the same racing season.
Entering the 2008-2009 racing season, those involved with Punjabi believed their horse was a contender to win the Triple Crown of Hurdling. In early December 2008, jockey Barry Geraghty
and Punjabi narrowly beat out Sublimity to win the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. Later that month, Punjabi was running well but fell two fences from the finish line at the Christmas Hurdle. The race was won by Harchibald
. In March 2009, Punjabi held off a late charge by Celestial Halo to win the Champion Hurdle in a dramatic photo finish
. After the win at the Champion Hurdle, trainer Nicky Henderson
lamented at the fact that the fall in the Christmas Hurdle could have been "the most expensive fall in history."
In his career, Punjabi has amassed 12 wins, 2 places and 4 shows, with all four of his 12 wins coming in Grade 1 races. As of May 2009, his overall winning percentage stands at 40%.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, born to sire, Komatie and dam, Competa. Punjabi started racing as a three year old in 2005. He won his first race, a Class 6, in May 2006 at Newcastle Racecourse
Newcastle Racecourse
Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park near Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It stages both flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland Plate held annually in June.-History:...
in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Punjabi’s first notable win came in February 2007 at Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England where he won the Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle
Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle
The Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...
, a Grade 2 National Hunt race
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
. However, it wasn’t until 2008 when Punjabi started to make a name for himself, when he became the first horse to legitimately contend for the WBX
WBX
World Bet Exchange is a person-to-person betting exchange based in Notting Hill Gate, London in the United Kingdom, and licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. WBX.com was founded in 2002 by Malcolm Gray but did not officially launch until November, 25th, 2006...
sponsored Triple Crown of Hurdling
Triple Crown of Hurdling
The Triple Crown of Hurdling is awarded to any horse that wins all three of the Grade 1 Hurdling races in any given English National Hunt season...
. The Triple Crown of Hurdling awards a £1,000,000 bonus to the horse that wins the Fighting Fifth Hurdle
Fighting Fifth Hurdle
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newcastle over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped...
at Newcastle, the Christmas Hurdle
Christmas Hurdle
The Christmas Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...
at Kempton Park and the Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England in the same racing season.
Entering the 2008-2009 racing season, those involved with Punjabi believed their horse was a contender to win the Triple Crown of Hurdling. In early December 2008, jockey Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...
and Punjabi narrowly beat out Sublimity to win the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. Later that month, Punjabi was running well but fell two fences from the finish line at the Christmas Hurdle. The race was won by Harchibald
Harchibald
Harchibald is a French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Perugino and dam, Dame D’Harvard. He is owned by DP Sharkey, trained by Noel Meade and predominately ridden by Paul Carberry....
. In March 2009, Punjabi held off a late charge by Celestial Halo to win the Champion Hurdle in a dramatic photo finish
Photo finish
A photo finish occurs in a sporting race, when two competitors cross the finishing line at near the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to discriminate between which of the competitors crossed the line first, a strip photo, a series of rapidly triggered photographs, or a video taken at the...
. After the win at the Champion Hurdle, trainer Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson
Nicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...
lamented at the fact that the fall in the Christmas Hurdle could have been "the most expensive fall in history."
In his career, Punjabi has amassed 12 wins, 2 places and 4 shows, with all four of his 12 wins coming in Grade 1 races. As of May 2009, his overall winning percentage stands at 40%.