The Sport of Kings Trivia Quiz

Answer: West Tip

Richard rode all four horses to victory in various races, but it was West Tip that he piloted to success in 1986. He had ridden West Tip in the previous year's race as well, but they parted company at Beecher's Brook on the second circuit. He rode Minnehoma to victory in the 1994 National, Charter Party was his mount when he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1988, and he rode the legendary Dessert Orchid to victory in the King George VI Chase in both 1989 and 1990.

Answer: 0

Despite having a phenomenal record over his 40+ year career, Piggott never passed the 200 winners target. His achievements include riding over 5000 winners in total, nine Derby wins and 11 times Champion Jockey. He finally retired, for the second time, in 1995 in his 60th year.

His career was marred by a short spell in prison in 1987-88 for tax evasion, and he was stripped of his O.B.E. in 1988 following his release from jail.

Answer: St. Leger

The 1000 and 2000 Guineas races are run over the same weekend in May at Newmarket. The Oaks and the Derby are run at Epsom around a month later as part of a premier meeting. The St Leger is run in September at Doncaster.

Answer: Great Leighs

Great Leighs is situated just north of the Essex town of Chelmsford. It is an all weather, floodlit track which allows for night meetings. There were several invitation only meetings to begin with before the first public meeting in May 2008. The other courses mentioned can trace their racing histories back to the 19th century. Lincoln racecourse is the only one listed no longer open, it closed down in 1965 and its major race, the Lincoln Handicap, was transferred to Doncaster.

Answer: Ayr

The St. Leger has moved several times in its long history. During World War II it moved more than once, it first went to Thirsk, then Manchester, then Newmarket, and finally to York before returning home in 1946. The 1989 meeting was relocated to Scotland because of subsidence at the Doncaster course.

It was again moved in 2006, this time to York, when Doncaster racecourse was refurbished.

Answer: Esha Ness

Just before the start of the race, protesters were noticed on the track in front of the first fence. After they were removed, two false starts caused the race to be abandoned. 30 of the 39 runners didn't realise that a second false start had been called and carried on to complete the whole course. Esha Ness was a 50/1 outsider trained by Jenny Pitman.

She first won the race in 1983 with Corbiere, becoming the first female trainer to do so. Party Politics won in 1992 and Rough Quest in 1996.

Answer: Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham is a 'jump' meeting whilst all the others are 'flat' meets. Frankie Dettori is a 'flat' race jockey. Frankie is known as the 'housewife's favourite' and his record is phenomenal. In September 1996, he rode every winner in a seven-card meeting at Ascot.

Answer: The Booth

There are several fences at Aintree that are higher than the standard 4 feet 7 inches. Valentine's is 5 feet high, but has a brook on the landing side. Beecher's Brook looks fairly straight-forward on the takeoff, but has a massive 6 feet 9 inch drop on landing.

The Chair is a huge 5 feet 3 inches tall with a 6 foot ditch on takeoff. It differs from The Booth in that the ground is higher on the landing side than it is on the takeoff. The Chair and the Water Jump, with it's 6 foot wide hazard on landing, are only jumped on the first circuit of the Grand National. All other fences are jumped twice.

Answer: Leicester

Leicester racecourse has a 1 mile 6 furlong course for National Hunt, and a 1 mile 5 furlong course for the flat. Uttoxeter is a left hand course of 1 mile 2 furlongs, Towcester (pronounced toaster) is a right hand National Hunt circuit that holds meetings between October and June. Southwell (pronounced Suthal) is one of only a few courses that are all weather and so can hold meetings all year round.

It is a right hand National Hunt course.

Answer: Nijinsky

The English Triple Crown consists of the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger Stakes. All the listed horses have won at least one of the three, but Nijinsky was the first horse to do the triple in 1970, since Bahram achieved it in 1935.

Answer: Dick Francis

Francis started racing after leaving the Royal Air Force in 1946. He was jockey to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother from 1953-1957 when he was forced to retire due to injury. He went on to carve out a very successful career as a writer of racing based fiction. Devon Loch was uninjured following the fall and continued racing in subsequent events.

Answer: Northern Ireland

Racing in Ireland is regulated on an all Ireland basis. The two courses, Down Royal and Downpatrick, both in County Down, do not form part of the British racing calender. They are administered by Horse Racing Ireland.

Answer: Rag Trade

Red Rum, or 'Rummy' started his racing career by running in low level races, usually at distances of up to 1 mile. He was passed from trainer to trainer until he was bought by Ginger McCain, a Liverpool car dealer. 'Rummy' suffered from an incurable bone disease in his foot, and McCain used to take him for a therapeutic swim in the sea before every meeting. Red Rum died in October 1995 and was buried beside the winning post at Aintree racecourse.

The inscription on the stone read: "Respect this place, this hallowed ground, a legend here, his rest has found, his feet would fly, our spirits soar, he earned our love for evermore". L'Escargot beat Red Rum in 1975, and Rag Trade won in 1976.

Answer: Ruby Walsh

Despite the name, Ruby Walsh is a man. He was christened Rupert Walsh in 1979 in County Kildare. A talented jockey, in the 2004-05 season he rode the winner in 3 of the 4 domestic Nationals including the Grand National when he piloted Hedgehunter.

Answer: Queen Anne

Although competitive racing can trace it's roots back much further, it was banned by Cromwell. It was during the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714) that races began to feature more than two horses at one time. Up until this period it was more the norm for the events to be 'match' races, i.e, matching one horse against another. Courses opened up all over the country, and larger and larger purses were offered in an attempt to attract the best horses.

It was these prizes that allowed owners to breed better and better horses.

In 1750, a need for a governing body was seen and the Jockey Club was born.