Moscow Flyer: A Look Back at His Fortria Chase Triumphs Navan hosts a two-day meeting this weekend and some superstars could return, with the likes of Kopek Des Bordes, Brighterdaysahead and Marine Nationale among the entries. The latter could be set to run in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase, a race which was won twice by one of the greatest two-mile chasers of all time, Moscow Flyer. It wasn’t to be when connections took aim at the race for the third time but he will always go down as one of the best winners in its history. We’re going to take a look back at Moscow Flyer’s successes in that race, both of which came on his seasonal return. 2003 Expectations were high ahead of the 2003-2004 season, as Moscow Flyer had produced a magnificent performance to win the Champion Chase at Cheltenham during the previous campaign. Travelling well throughout the race, he pulled seven lengths clear of Arthur Moore’s Native Upmanship on the run-in. At that stage of his career, he would either win, fall or unseat and he did the latter when attempting to follow up at Punchestown. It’s no surprise that he was sent off the 30/100 favourite at Navan and the quick ground wasn’t a problem for him. Barry Geraghty made all the running that day and pushed the button after the second-last and the horse responded well to his rider’s drive. Arthur Moore must have been sick of the sight of Jessica Harrington’s gelding, as his runner Glenelly Gale finished five lengths behind in second. Rathgar Beau was back in third and Fiery Ring was well beaten back in fourth, finishing last. Victory over Azertyuiop in the Tingle Creek at Sandown was next on the agenda but it wasn’t to be at Cheltenham, as he blundered at the fourth-last and unseated Barry Geraghty. 2004 Moscow Flyer got back on track with a comfortable victory in the Melling Chase at Aintree on his final start of the previous campaign and he again started at 30/100 for the Fortria. He was potentially slightly fitter for his seasonal bow in 2004 - either that or the softer ground helped. But whatever the case, the son of Moscow Society was a significantly more impressive winner this time around. Geraghty got him settled in second during the early stages but took up the running after the fourth. Moscow Flyer then edged a few lengths clear after the fourth-last and the race was over from that point on. The further they went, the bigger the gap between him and his rivals became and he was 25 lengths clear of the runner-up as they crossed the line. Noel Meade’s Arctic Copper finished second this time around, with Fiery Ring returning to take third. Fadoudal Du Cochet was fourth, while Rathgar Beau lost his rider at the final fence. 2005 It wasn’t to be for Moscow Flyer in 2005, although he was once again sent off the well-backed favourite. It’s always hard for older horses to compete in graded two-mile chases and as an 11-year-old, he had clearly lost a yard of pace during his final season. Harrington’s charge disputed the lead and was narrowly headed before the third-last, before regaining the lead at the second-last. Dessie Hughes’s Central House had younger legs and that made the difference in the end and Moscow Flyer finished second. He lost nothing in defeat, however, and is still arguably the best horse to win this race. Moscow Flyer ran two more times that season, finishing fifth behind Newmill in the Champion Chase on his last career start. No-one could live with Moscow Flyer at his best and his two Fortria wins put him joint-second in the list of most successful horses, with only Big Zeb managing to win it three times.
