By John Berry
While he isn't one of the very best horses to have raced in Great Britain during 2020, Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) has to be a contender for any Horse of the Year award. The star of Jim Goldie's Scottish stable, Euchen Glen put up one of the best handicap performances of 2018 when taking the 19-runner John Smith's Cup H. at York by two and a quarter lengths from Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate). Thundering Blue was giving Euchen Glen 1lb that day but, while Thundering Blue returned to York to win the G2 Sky Bet York S. on his next start and then to finish third to Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) and Poet's Word (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. the following month before setting off on some rewarding overseas forays, Euchen Glen didn't run again for nearly two years as he was found to have sustained a tendon injury in the race.
When Euchen Glen resumed in June this year, exactly 23 months after his John Smith's Cup triumph, he was had a BHA rating of 107. He finished third to Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid) in a listed race at York that day, came home sound and has now raced nine more times. Following wins in the Old Borough Cup H. at Haydock, the G3 Cumberland Lodge S. at York and the G3 St Simon S. at Newbury, he is now rated 109 and, as an improving 7-year-old, he looks like he might be able to give his owner/breeder William Johnstone even more excitement in the years to come.
The discovery of damage to a horse's tendon always sinks the spirits of owners and trainers. Too many horses never return to racing afterwards. Of those that do, many find that the problem reappears after only a handful of races and/or that they have lost the bulk of their previous ability. It speaks volumes for the skill of Jim Goldie not only that Euchen Glen was back racing merely two years later, but has progressed to become even better than he had been before disaster struck. It is hard to think of a horse in recent years who has made a more successful comeback from tendon trouble than the one which this very popular gelding has enjoyed in 2020.
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