# Roman Hackle

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British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Roman Hackle Sire Yutoi Grandsire Santoi Dam Wanoya Damsire Wavelet's Pride Sex Gelding Foaled 1933[1] Country United Kingdom Colour Bay Owner Dorothy Paget Trainer Owen Anthony Major wins Broadway Novices' Chase (1939) Cheltenham Gold Cup (1940)

**Roman Hackle** (foaled 1933) was a British [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) racehorse who won the 1940 [Cheltenham Gold Cup](/source/Cheltenham_Gold_Cup). After winning several races over [hurdles](/source/Hurdling_(horse_race)) he was switched to steeplechasing in 1939 and made an immediate impact by winning the [Broadway Novices' Chase](/source/RSA_Chase). In the following year he won the Gold Cup as a seven-year-old but did not build on his early promise. In two subsequent bids for the Gold Cup he ran poorly when favourite in 1941 and fell in 1942. His British career ended when [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt) racing in Britain was suspended in September 1942 but he went on to win races in Ireland.

## Background

Roman Hackle was a "giant, raw-boned"[2] bay gelding bred in the United Kingdom. His sire Yutoi was a high class stayer who won the [Cesarewitch Handicap](/source/Cesarewitch_Handicap) in 1921.[3] Roman Hackle's dam Wanoya was a great-granddaughter of the Belgian-bred broodmare Muirninn, whose other descendants included leading [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt) stallion My Prince and the [Belmont Stakes](/source/Belmont_Stakes) winner [Amberoid](/source/Amberoid).[4]

During his racing career Roman Hackle was trained by Owen Anthony who had been a successful amateur jockey before taking up training: he had won the 1922 [Grand National](/source/Grand_National) with Music Hall and trained [Thrown In](/source/Thrown_In) to win the Gold Cup in 1927.[2]

## Racing career

Roman Hackle showed great promise early in his racing career, winning several [hurdle races](/source/Hurdling_(horse_race)) and one [steeplechase](/source/Steeplechase_(horse_racing)) before being bought as a six-year-old before the 1939 Cheltenham Festival by the eccentric English heiress [Dorothy Paget](/source/Dorothy_Paget). At Cheltenham he won the [Broadway Novices' Chase](/source/RSA_Chase), coming from an apparently impossible position at the last fence to defeat Up Sabre.[5]

The outbreak of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War) led many leading owners to withdraw their horses from racing, but Dorothy Paget persisted, reportedly claiming that the sport was good for morale.[2] Roman Hackle showed good form in the early part of the year and was strongly-fancied for the fifteenth running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup which was scheduled for 14 March 1940. The other leading contenders appeared to be Bel et Bon, Airgead Sios, Professor (favourite for the Grand National), Hobgoblin and Rightun. Snow fell on the eve of the race forcing a postponement of six days and several trainers used the delay to get another run into their horses. At [Wolverhampton Racecourse](/source/Wolverhampton_Racecourse) Professor defeated Airgead Sios but neither horse made the eventual Gold Cup field: Airgead Sios sustained an injury in the race whilst Professor's connections opted to reserve their horse for the National.[2] Roman Hackle however, won easily under top weight at [Windsor Racecourse](/source/Windsor_Racecourse) and started even money favourite for the rescheduled Gold Cup on 20 March. As part of the course had been ploughed up for wartime agricultural use the race was run over three miles, a quarter of a mile shorter than usual. Ridden by Evan Williams, the favourite was restrained in the early stages before taking the lead and never looked in any danger of defeat, winning easily by ten lengths from the outsider Black Hawk with the [1937 Grand National](/source/1937_Grand_National) winner Royal Mail taking third at odds of [100/1](/source/Fractional_odds).[2] In his next start Roman Hackle finished third in the Lancashire Chase at [Manchester Racecourse](/source/Manchester_Racecourse).[6]

Roman Hackle showed inconsistent form in the early part of the 1940/41 National Hunt season[7] but appeared to have returned to something like his best when winning at [Plumpton Racecourse](/source/Plumpton_Racecourse) in early March. He was started favourite to repeat his 1940 victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but ran poorly and finished unplaced behind [Poet Prince](/source/Poet_Prince).[6] Roman Hackle returned for a third attempt at the Gold Cup in 1942 but fell in a race won by [Medoc II](/source/Medoc_II).[6]

National Hunt racing was suspended in September 1942[2] and Roman Hackle was sent to race in Ireland. He recorded his last important success in 1945 when he won by a head at [Leopardstown Racecourse](/source/Leopardstown_Racecourse) although on that occasion he was receiving more than forty pounds in weight from the runner-up [Prince Regent](/source/Prince_Regent_(Irish_horse)).[2]

## Assessment and honours

In their book, *A Century of Champions*, based on the [Timeform](/source/Timeform) rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Roman Hackle a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[8] Roman Hackle's name is commemorated in Roman Hackle Avenue, a residential street in Cheltenham.[9]

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Roman Hackle (GB), bay gelding, 1933[1] Sire Yutoi (IRE) 1917 Santoi (GB) 1897 Queen's Birthday Hagioscope Matilda Merry Wife Merry Hampton Connie She (GB) 1909 Cyllene Bona Vista Arcadia Witty Girl St Simon* Bettywise Dam Wanoya (IRE) 1914 Wavelet's Pride (GB) 1897 Fernandez Sterling Isola Bella Wavelet Paul Jones Wanda Nonoya (GB) 1902 Buccaneer Privateer Primula Salvaich St Simon* Muirninn (Family: 8-c)[4]

* Roman Hackle is [inbred](/source/Inbreeding) 4S x 4D to the stallion [St Simon](/source/St._Simon_(horse)), meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

## External links

- [1940 Cheltenham Gold Cup newsreel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYskUiAxjmA)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pedigree_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pedigree_1-1) ["Roman Hackle pedigree"](http://www.pedigreequery.com/roman+hackle). Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Harman_2-6) Harman, Bob (2000). *The Ultimate Dream: The History of the Cheltenham Gold Cup*. Mainstream Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-84018-381-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84018-381-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Breedon_3-0)** Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). *The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records*. Breedon Books Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-873626-15-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-873626-15-3).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tbl_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tbl_4-1) ["Woodbine - Family 8-c"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130922010739/http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family8c.htm). Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Archived from [the original](http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family8c.htm) on 2013-09-22. Retrieved 2013-09-24.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** White and Gold (13 March 1939). ["Roman Hackle a chaser of great possibilities"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19390313&id=LUlAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3618,2070852&hl=en). [Glasgow Herald](/source/Glasgow_Herald).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-insane_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-insane_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-insane_6-2) John Saville (2009). [*Insane and Unseemly: British Racing in World War II*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PH6cPa-SwycC&q=%22Roman+Hackle%22&pg=PA49). Matador. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781848760349](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781848760349).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Sport in Britain: Grand National abandoned"](http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19410405.2.171.38&srpos=2&e=-------10--1----2Roman+Hackle--). [Auckland Star](/source/Auckland_Star). 5 April 1941.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-century_8-0)** Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). *A Century of Champions*. Portway Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781901570151](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781901570151).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Roman Hackle Avenue"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160410135301/http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/directory_record/46438/roman_hackle_avenue). Cheltenham Borough Council. Archived from [the original](http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/directory_record/46438/roman_hackle_avenue) on 2016-04-10.

v t e Cheltenham Gold Cup winners 1924 Red Splash 1925 Ballinode 1926 Koko 1927 Thrown In 1928 Patron Saint 1929 Easter Hero 1930 Easter Hero 1931 no race 1932 Golden Miller 1933 Golden Miller 1934 Golden Miller 1935 Golden Miller 1936 Golden Miller 1937 no race 1938 Morse Code 1939 Brendan's Cottage 1940 Roman Hackle 1941 Poet Prince 1942 Medoc II 1943 no race 1944 no race 1945 Red Rower 1946 Prince Regent 1947 Fortina 1948 Cottage Rake 1949 Cottage Rake 1950 Cottage Rake 1951 Silver Fame 1952 Mont Tremblant 1953 Knock Hard 1954 Four Ten 1955 Gay Donald 1956 Limber Hill 1957 Linwell 1958 Kerstin 1959 Roddy Owen 1960 Pas Seul 1961 Saffron Tartan 1962 Mandarin 1963 Mill House 1964 Arkle 1965 Arkle 1966 Arkle 1967 Woodland Venture 1968 Fort Leney 1969 What a Myth 1970 L'Escargot 1971 L'Escargot 1972 Glencaraig Lady 1973 The Dikler 1974 Captain Christy 1975 Ten Up 1976 Royal Frolic 1977 Davy Lad 1978 Midnight Court 1979 Alverton 1980 Master Smudge 1981 Little Owl 1982 Silver Buck 1983 Bregawn 1984 Burrough Hill Lad 1985 Forgive 'n Forget 1986 Dawn Run 1987 The Thinker 1988 Charter Party 1989 Desert Orchid 1990 Norton's Coin 1991 Garrison Savannah 1992 Cool Ground 1993 Jodami 1994 The Fellow 1995 Master Oats 1996 Imperial Call 1997 Mr Mulligan 1998 Cool Dawn 1999 See More Business 2000 Looks Like Trouble 2001 no race 2002 Best Mate 2003 Best Mate 2004 Best Mate 2005 Kicking King 2006 War Of Attrition 2007 Kauto Star 2008 Denman 2009 Kauto Star 2010 Imperial Commander 2011 Long Run 2012 Synchronised 2013 Bobs Worth 2014 Lord Windermere 2015 Coneygree 2016 Don Cossack 2017 Sizing John 2018 Native River 2019 Al Boum Photo 2020 Al Boum Photo 2021 Minella Indo 2022 A Plus Tard 2023 Galopin Des Champs 2024 Galopin Des Champs 2025 Inothewayurthinkin 2026 Gaelic Warrior

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roman Hackle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Hackle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Hackle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.