Papini (Ire)

Sadly, we lost Papini on Tuesday 19th February 2008. It seems that he became cast in his box and in his attempts to stand up, he struck into his elbow with his hind hoof with such severity that the bone fractured. A horrible, horrible accident, that sadly nobody could have ever foreseen. Papini was put to bed on the Monday night, in fact he was the last horse Nicky patted on the nose, and when Jamie (Snowden) did the feeding early on Tuesday morning he found Papini standing in his box but unable to put any weight on his off-side fore. The vet was immediately called and soon after Papini was taken into the surgery. The X-ray showed that Papini had sustained a very serious fracture to the elbow and the vets started operating on him straight away to plate and fix the fracture and didn’t finish until nearly 6 hours later. Sadly, when Papini recovered from the anaesthetic and put weight onto the leg, the fracture fixation failed leaving no alternative other than euthanasia.

It has been such a sad time since then, Papini touched the syndicate in such a special way, giving us all so many wonderfully euphoric times on and off the racecourse. Papini was such a kind and gentle horse, that all who rode and cared for him couldn’t help but fall in love with him; on a racecourse he was genuine and brave to the line, showing resolve and guts when it mattered most. He was what every owner dreams of – a perfect racehorse in every way, talented, honest, straightforward, and a total pleasure to own. Papini owed NewROG nothing, providing us with days racing at the big tracks, at the big meetings and in the big races not forgetting all the trips to the Winners’ Enclosure. His record proves it all: 18 National Hunt runs, 5 Wins, 6 Places and notching up a total of just over £68,000 in prize money. To say that he will be sorely missed is an understatement, the hole he has left will not be easily filled; the cynics will say but ‘how can you become so attached, he was just a horse’, but he wasn’t just a horse, he was our wonder horse, farewell lovely ‘Ini’.

2007 ~ 2008 Race Reports - click here.
2006 ~ 2007 Race Reports - click here.
2005 ~ 2006 Race Reports - click here.
2004 ~ 2005 Race Reports - click here.

Papini's History: Papini came to us in August '04, after Nicky travelled over to Germany especially to see him. Instantly taken with this beautifully bred (by the mighty Lomitas, the highest rated horse of all time in Germany; 1991 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-y-o, winning 3 Group 1 races back-to-back) and striking 3-year-old 16h 1in chestnut colt, Nicky bought Papini on the spot for NewROG. Until then Papini had spent two seasons running on the flat in Germany, being placed twice in four starts including a close second in the Group 2 Oppenheim-Union-Rennen at Cologne.

 

Papini travelled well over to the UK, arriving at the end of August 2004, and we decided to geld him immediately. Seldom has Nicky seen a horse come on from this operation so well or so quickly and Papini was back in full work by the end of September and being schooled over hurdles in October. Papini took to jumping better than any of us could have imagined - a real natural - and it was apparent even before his first race that we had a real star on our hands.

Papini's Racing Post Entry

Left: A smiling Mick Fitz onboard Papini being led into the Winner's Enclosure by his Lass, Natasha, after his impressive debut win at Newbury, 10th November 2004.