Beldale Flutter
| Beldale Flutter | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Accipiter |
| Grandsire | Damascus |
| Dam | Flitter Flutter |
| Damsire | Cohoe |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 4 April 1978 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Warner L. Jones Jr. |
| Owner | A J Kelly |
| Trainer | Michael Jarvis |
| Record | 11:5-0-1 |
| Major wins | |
|
Criterium International d'Ostende (1980) William Hill Futurity (1980) Dante Stakes (1981) Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (1981) |
|
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating: 127 (1980), 130 (1981) | |
Beldale Flutter (foaled 4 April 1978) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old in 1980 he was rated one of the best horses of his generation after winning three of his five races, most notably a decisive victory over Shergar in the William Hill Futurity. As a three-year-old he won the Dante Stakes and was second favourite for the Epsom Derby before sustaining a serious injury in training which kept him off the racecourse for three months. He returned in August to win the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup against older horses. He ran poorly in his two remaining races and was retired to stud, where he had limited success as a sire of winners.
Beldale Flutter was a dark-coated bay horse with a narrow white stripe bred in Kentucky by Warner L. Jones, Jr. He was sired by the American stallion Accipiter, whose biggest win came in the 1974 Withers Stakes. His dam, Flitter Flutter had previously produced several winners, including Our Jimmy, a successful two-year-old in Britain 1976.
The colt was sold three times before appearing on the racecourse. He was sold for $32,000 as a foal and $20,000 as a yearling. In March 1980 he was offered for sale again and was bought for $20,000 by Joss Collins of the British Bloodstock Agency. He entered into the ownership of Tony Kelly and was sent to Europe to be trained by Michael Jarvis at his Pegasus House table in Newmarket, Suffolk.
After finishing fourth over six furlongs on his debut, he recorded his first success in a minor race over seven furlongs at Haydock Park Racecourse in August, beating Baz Bombati by half a length. He was sent to Belgium where he won the Criterium International d'Ostende at Hippodrome Wellington. In September he was moved up in class to contest the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes over one mile at Ascot Racecourse. He took the lead in the straight but was overtaken in the final furlong and finished fourth behind Robellino, Recitation and Gielgud. In October, Beldale Flutter started a 14/1 outsider in a field of seven runners for the Group One William Hill Futurity over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse. Robellino started favourite ahead of Recitation, who had won the Grand Criterium in France, while the other fancied runners included Shergar, who had won his only previous start. Ridden by Pat Eddery, Beldale Flutter tracked the leader Sheer Grit before moving into the lead two furlong from the finish. He stayed on strongly in the closing stages and won by two lengths from Shergar, with Sheer Grit two and a half lengths back in third.
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