Golden Cygnet

Golden Cygnet
Golden Cygnet & Niall Madden at Naas before the Slaney Hurdle in January 1978
Sire	Deep Run
Grandsire	Pampered King
Dam	Golden Cygneture
Damsire	Golden Vision
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	21 June 1972
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	John T O'Brien
Owner	Ray Rooney
Trainer	Edward O'Grady
Record	7: 6-0-0 (hurdles)
Major wins
Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1978) Slaney Hurdle (1978) Fingal Hurdle (1978)
Honours
Timeform Champion Novice Hurdler 1977/78 Golden Cygnet Novice Hurdle

Golden Cygnet (1972 - 1978) was a racehorse who was described in the 1979 Irish Racing Annual by legendary Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien as "the best hurdler I've ever seen". His hurdling career lasted less than 5 months, as a result of the fatal injury he sustained in the 1978 Scottish Champion Hurdle.

Golden Cygnet, a bay gelding, was born on 21 June 1972, which made him a very late foal in bloodstock terms (although barely 6 months old on the 1st January 1973, he was officially a yearling). He was from the first crop of Deep Run - who proved to be the best National Hunt sire of his era by becoming Champion Jumps Sire for 15 consecutive seasons - and his dam (mother) was the unraced Golden Vision mare Golden Cygneture. Golden Cygnet turned out to be the only foal of his dam. His grand-dam My Cygneture was also unraced and had only two foals apart from Golden Cygneture, both of which were colts with one of them being a minor winner.

Golden Cygnet was sent to Goffs November Sales as an unbroken 3-year-old in 1975, where he was bought by trainer Edward O'Grady for 980 guineas.

He began his racing career as a 4-year-old in a flat maiden over 2 miles at Leopardstown in June 1976. He was well supported in the betting market (7/1 to 3/1) and although he won the race, he was disqualified for causing interference inside the final furlong and placed second. His next run was in a national hunt flat race at Roscommon where he was a fast-finishing third, beaten less than a length before signing off for the year with an 8-length win at Naas in a one-and-a-half mile flat maiden for amateur riders in early October.

It was almost a year before Golden Cygnet appeared on the racetrack again, finishing last in a flat handicap over 2 miles at Listowel in September 1977 before heading to Punchestown the following month for another handicap over a trip that was short of ideal (9 furlongs). The form book noted; 'never placed to challenge, some late progress.' Following this run he contested the Leopardstown November Handicap and was heavily supported in the betting market (20/1 to 7/2). With only 7-7 to carry, the leading British-based lightweight jockey, Richard Fox, was booked for the ride. However, Golden Cygnet failed to settle in the early stages of the race and was in front with half a mile to run before fading in the straight to finish seventh. This being the last day of the flat season, Golden Cygnet's sights were then switched to hurdling.