"…………The night air was cold on my skin and I really was not used to being outside after sundown. Not only was I supposed to be inside, but they wanted me to compete and run in this condition? Needless to say I was completely against the situation from the beginning but the boss man thought it was a good experience to teach me. He wanted me to get out of my house and run, he wanted me to get some extra exercise, he wanted me to get "battle hardened". (His words, not mine!) I was completely against the whole thing. I wanted to sleep and enjoy my time eating and dreaming, I wanted to count sheep jumping over 5 foot hurdles, I wanted to wait for Happy the following morning with some sugar cubes and a carrot………….Not be put out here in the cold night air and expect to give of my best!! I was not happy. I was even more upset when one of the horses running against me looked at me funny. He sort of glared at me. I found out he was from New Zealand. What is New Zealand then? Whatever it was I didn't like it very much. Now I have to run while I'm cold, upset and scared!!! Happy was not there either as he comes to see me early so he worked a different shift. I'm not happy and I'm not going to do my best…………." "The rest, as they say, is history. I ran as well as I could but the air was so cold, the distance they wanted me to run was so short and I was really upset with the horse from New Zealand looking at me funny. I finished behind two other horses. The horse that won was the fellow who looked at me funny! I was mortified, gutted and most of all Mad as Hell!!!! I promised myself that night that no horse will EVER beat me again!!!!!"

"After that horrible night my career took flight and I kept true to what I had promised myself that cold, cold night! No horse will ever beat me again. I ran in so many different places and I must have done really good because my boss man, Happy and that nice lady that dresses so well kept on telling me how wonderful I am. They sent me to a place called Kenilworth. I liked it there as the air was fresh and the people were nice. I ran there and won two races. I loved the vibe there and would be lucky enough to return to Kenilworth later on but not for racing. I went back to my house and ran a few more times there, once again winning all the races. The boss man came to see me one night and told me I was the best he ever had! He was going to send me to a place called America to run there. Was Happy going with me? Would I like it there? As long as I keep my head in front of the other horses I'll be just fine! No more losing for me, never again!!"

"The trip to this place called America was long and tiresome. Happy took good care of me the whole trip but even he looked tired after a while. Even though I felt tired and moody I was excited about going to a new place and doing something new. I wonder how things would work out for me. I think it would be best to trust Happy. He will take good care of me!!"

"The next few months flew by. I was training every day, but I was running on a type of sand, something I had never seen before. I enjoyed it though. All I wanted to do was run. The people here were a little bit funny. They sounded funny when they spoke to me. I could not understand much of what was being said, until the little man got on my back and told me to run! That I understood and loved to do! I even ran in a race here in America. I did my best for the little man on my back and for Happy waiting for me. I won the race and everybody was telling me that the next stop would be the Breeders Cup. So much is happening to me. I was doing everything I had always dreamt of. I'm running against the best and traveling all around the world…………..and one morning it all came to an abrupt end. I went out exercising and came back with a bad pain in one of my legs. Nobody noticed it right away so I decided to do something I had never done before…..I limped my sore leg. I was taken to a big place where people took pictures of my legs, inside and outside. I could hear them whispering about my sore leg but I could not make out what they said!! I think my running days are over forever!!"

"So here I am standing in my house in America, doing what is expected of me every day. I run outside and I take care of some female companionship the owners set me up with. I was never big on blind dates but the women never seem to stick around too long. I feel a little used but hey, it's a living right?!?!?! I heard from a friend of mine I will be going back to my old home far, far away. I can't wait to go home, to see the big boss man, the nice lady who dresses well and most especially my friend Happy!!!!!"

This is my tribute to the greatest race horse I have seen in my life. He thrilled so many during his all too brief career and enriched us all with his sheer brilliance! We are glad to have you back home Horse Chestnut and we wish you all the best with your many "blind dates" here in Sunny South Africa!!! - Christiaan van Buuren