Tom Dascombe: ‘We loved him and we still do’.
Tom Dascombe called Brown Panther "an absolute superstar" after reflecting on some of the incredible feats that led up to his victory at the Irish St Leger a decade ago.
He was bred by and partially owned by former England international Michael Owen. He was a constant on the staying scene, winning 11 of his 28 races. In addition to his obvious talent, he was well-known for his perseverance and drive to succeed on the racetrack.
His impressive resume featured victories at Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup, second place in the St. Leger, and several tasks that took him throughout the world in pursuit of big-race success. But at the start of his six-year campaign, he was still missing out on a Group One prize.
But 2014 was Brown Panther's finest year yet. After victories at Chester and Sandown were followed by heroic collapses in defeat, notably in the Ascot Gold Cup, the son of Shirocco gave his connections a memorable day when he helped horse, trainer, and dependable ally Richard Kingscote become the first person to enter the Classic record books.
That day, he caused jubilant scenes by defeating an all-star field that included Aidan O'Brien's Gold Cup hero, Leading Light. Brown Panther's abilities were unmatched, as he won by a commanding six and a half lengths.
The following spring, he would add the Dubai Gold Cup to his resume before suffering the cruellest of blows in 2015 when he was mortally injured while defending his Irish Leger title.
"He was an absolute superstar for me," Dascombe reminisced, looking back on his journey with his one and only Group One-winning horse.
"When I believed he was a given, he went from winning at Southwell to losing at Kempton. He won at Chester after we taught him the basics of racing at Haydock, then he took off at Ascot.
However, he went on to win the Classic in Ireland before tragically suffering a fatal injury in the same race the following year. He won for us at Meydan, and he hammered them in that St. Leger.
"We took him to Santa Anita after he got loose at Woodbine and was a non-runner. He was just a superstar, and we had some great days." For someone who is not a runner, Canada is a hell of a place to go, but that's life."
Dascombe finds solace in the knowledge that Brown Panther died doing what he loved, despite having experienced both victory and heartache at the Curragh in the course of a single year.
Dascombe said, "We loved him and we still do."
"I had the best days of my career with him." He was a fighter who ultimately sacrificed his life for his passions.
"He was really dependable and genuinely enjoyed being with you; you would never choose someone else as your partner. He was a talented racehorse who simply enjoyed being one."
