Racing Post countdown to the Derby Saturday June 7, 2014.

Terimon (Tony) lead horse for Clive Brittain Newmarket 1991

Mystiko (Jock red jacket) days before winning the 1991 2,000 Guineas.
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Graham Dench remembers Derby Longshot Terimon (1989)

Racing Post today countdown to Epsom:

 EQUUS ZONE

 

Pic: Terimon (green cap) chases home Nashwan at Odds of 500-1

Clives book Chapter Thirteen  King of the Outsiders page 163 -164

Clive Brittain Equus Zone Timeline 

Clive's motto Aim High policy (same as mine at school), and of the streak of hard- headed realism that can lie beneath it, was Terimon's second in the 1989 Derby to the virtually unbeatable Nashwan  partner Willie Carson (Clive's great friend Willie Carson) at the astonishing odds of 500-1, the longest price ever for a place in a Classic.

 

"Lady Beaverbrook's Bustino colt, who had cost her £140,000 guineas at the Newmarket sales, had failed to win in four starts as a two -year- old. His trainer always had regard for his ability, which was why he ran him in races like the Middle Park, but it was taking time to reveal itself. When Terimon won the Groby Maiden Stakes at Leicester nine days before the Derby, it was his eighth race and the 500-1 against him winning at Epsom seemed realistic.

 

" Lady Beaverbrook was worried that Terimon's participation in the Derby was going to lead to mockery. "You're not going to embarrass me, are you, Mr Brittain? She asked him more than once in her formal way. "Oh no, m'lady, I'm not going to sing, ' replied her trainer with a twinkle, before assuring her in all sincerity that Terimon was going to run into a place.

 

"Clive had his eyes not on the winner's prize - he never imagined that Terimon could beat the hugely impressive Nashwan - but on the £100,000 for second, and Terimon ran an excellent race to fulfil the plan.



 

Terimon with Tony At Home

 

"Held up at the back by Michael Roberts, Terimon was last but one turning for home. Switched off the rail, he began to stay on well and was driven out to pass Cacoethes and gain second, five lengths behind Naswan.

 

"It was an apperant improvement of 28lb's and some called it a fluke. Timeform, however, reflected that a strongly run race over the Derby distance suited Terimon: 'His improvement at a mile and a half should'nt have been surprising even if the ammount of the improvement he made was.

 

"Jockey and trainer had planned to ride Terimon for a place, dropping him out and picking off the others up the straight, and Roberts rode a copybook race doing just that says Clive. 'His confidence and judgement of pace got him there. ' The South African-born champion says "I dropped him out and took the shortest way home. Terimon kept picking up and rounding Tattenham Corner I was going so well that I was looking for Nashwan and thinking. "If Nashwan doesn't find another gear I'm going to win the Derby" .  Terimon ran a terrific race and was only beaten by a great horse. '

 

"Since becoming a trainer Clive has had a bet only on rare occasions. But he did one acquaintance a real favour over Terimon. A tailor's cutter in London was always pestering him for tips and Clive, in for a fitting shortly before the Derby, told him; "I've got this horse running at Leicester in a maiden. He'll win that and then he'll be in the Derby at any kind of price, back him each-way in that. Having picked up some punting money from Leicester in a maiden where Terimon won at 9-2, the intrepid punter put £400 each - way on Terimon at £1,000-1. To cap it all, he did the forecast with Nashwan, which paid more than £1,000 to a £1 stake. He won enough money to buy himself a sandwich shop in London and, through Clive, obtained Lady Beaverbrook's permission to name it after her horse. Clive and Maureen were on the offer of a free sandwich anytime they chose to call. "