The hunter-'chaser.

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Ted Walsh’s stable star was a former high-class chaser as a Grade 2 winner who had got within a length of Grade 1 success in the 2015 Hennessy at Leopardstown. was the second-fastest in the race's history to that point behind the figure achieved by Red Rum in 1973 when carrying a stone less. The sound instruction and information given in this book make it a particularly valuable one for the amateur owner and would-be trainer, for whom primarily it is designed.

Instead, the temptation of another Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase was taken, and while Spartan Missile gave Diana a fine ride and carried her into sixth place behind the Alan Hill-ridden Elmboy he finished lame. In simple terms, if Spartan Missile faced Hazel Hill in a handicap hunters' chase he would be asked to carry 18lb more, a significant weight concession to a horse we know is very good. The Double Silks and Teaplanters that we all loved and followed and, especially, Spartan Missile, were owned, trained and ridden by genuine amateurs, not the shamateurs that now dominate. Pacha Du Polder and Noble Prince managed to get closer to him at Aintree and Punchestown respectively, however neither could deny him a historic first triple crown of the top spring hunter chases at the big festivals. We got him home and gave him a week, but then asked my uncle, Peter Thorne, who was a vet, to take a look, and he said there was no hope.Five days after that triumph Spartan Missile turned out again at Sandown and won under 13st, while at Towcester he gave 11lb to former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Ten Up and beat him four lengths before going to Aintree and victory in the Fox Hunters' Chase.

His only reservation was one other horse in the race – at a time when there were few restrictions on which horses ran – had not even won a point-to-point, and he said, 'If that horse brings me down I'll shoot its owner'. Spartan Missile was put down and buried at Windsor House Stables [Nicky Henderson's base before he gained Seven Barrows], and I've been going there most years since to visit the grave and clean the headstone. The next time around he just took hold of the bit and headed straight for it and jumped it cleanly, with Nicky holding on.

When he was being broken in he did like bucking, and so we backed him in a stable to give ourselves a bit more control.