Champion
Murray's Dream Wins - The Kings Cup
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Down
Recorder 1998
A
DUNDRUM pigeon fancier had his dreams
fulfilled when he won the Kings Cup,
the sport’s blue riband race,
at the weekend.
Archie Murray lifted the sport’s
most prestigious honour when his five
year old cock ‘Murray’s
Dream’, flew home from Rennes
in France, and finished ahead of the
rest in what was an amazing coup for
the Dundrum trainer.
The cock’s breeding is half Van
Braeune through A.H. Bennett, England,
a quarter Billy Walkingshaw, Killyleagh
and a quarter John Channing, Newport
Wales. This was the bird’s fourth
race from France and when he arrived
on Sunday morning at 5.50am Archie knew
he was on a winner.
Archie
said “I have been racing pigeons
for 30 years, and I never thought I
would have bird good to win the Kings
Cup.
Its
a dream come true,” he remarked.
His
son Patrick takes up the story, “I
knew that we had a really special pigeon
after we clocked “Murray’s
Dream” in 1997 to take 19th Open
INFC Old Bird National St. Nazaire (France)
505 mile. To me this was his greatest
result, even better than winning the Kings
Cup a year later”.
This
result was made more remarkable because
at the beginning of the 1997 racing season,
even before “Murray’s Dream”
had even been entered into a race, our
birds were attacked by a peregrine falcon
around the house and “Murray’s
Dream” was injured flying into electric
wires. As a result of this he wasn’t
fit to fly or exercise around the loft
for 4 weeks.
Once
he did venture outside again for inland
Irish races had already taken place. After
slowly recovered from his injuries, he
was nursed back to fully health again
and gradually started to exercise again
around the loft. This continued until
he was flying in excess of an hour every
time he was released. This soon became
two hours and making us think that he
had, fully recovered from his injuries.
After
some deliberation it was decided to start
training him again in the hope of perhaps
sending him to the National once again,
if everything was well. Before we could
even contemplate this though he knew first
we had to get him as race fit as possible
in the time available.
He
was started training at 5 miles, then
10 etc until he was at the 40 miles mark.
As good luck had it an Arklow fancier
called Joe O’Reilly who was visiting
a neighbouring fancier called Eric Carlisle
in Dundrum and it was arranged that he
would take “Murray’s Dream”
and two other pigeons we had for the French
races back to Arklow and release them
the following morning. We must thank Joe
for taking good care of the birds and
liberating them the following day as arranged.
On
the Sunday morning “Murray’s
Dream” and the other two birds arrived
together all in excellent condition. Thus
race preparation was now fully underway.
He
was next entered into a comeback race
in the East Down Combine from Dungarvin,
two weeks later. This race turned out
to be a head wind, which was what we had
hoped for to give “Murray’s
Dream” at least 5 hours fly. He
arrived home in great condition and was
our fourth bird home. The next day when
we let him out he flew for an additional
30 minutes alone after the remaining birds
had landed and this give us a good indication
that the race had doe him a lot of good.
After this he started ranging around the
loft alone after the other birds had landed
for up to an additional hour at times.
This
made our minds up that we would send him
to Saint Nazaire because he was now showing
no sign of distress from his earlier injuries.
This turned out to be a wise decision
as we clocked him shortly after 8am on
the second morning to record 19th Open.
After this we decided we would have one
last try with him at the King’s
Cup, thinking with unhindered preparation
he could on the right day win the race.
“Murray’s
Dream” only received two channels
races from Wales in his life, one from
Talbenny as a yearling and the second
from the Penzance yearling National were
he ended up 2nd club, 7th South Down Fed
(beaten by a loft mate). Any other time
he competed in a channel race it was from
France, having been only raced inland
in Ireland prior to the race. He was always
sent to the French races sitting 10-12
days on eggs, with the eggs being removed
and replaced a 12 day youngster the night
prior to basketing.
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Mourne
Observer 1998
Pigeon
Racing: Kings Cup from Rennes
by Raymond Stewart
Pigeon
Fancier Archie Murray Knows A Winner When
He Sees One And He Has Good Reason To
Wear A Contented Smile This Week.
He
has just won the big race of the season,
the King’s Cup from Rennes, and
the success hasn’t come as too big
a surprise to
the Dundrum man and his racing partner,
son Patrick.
Their blue chequer five-year-old cock
was a good bet to perform well in the
race from France and Archie began to get
excited when his early Sunday morning
vigil saw him race to the clock at 5.53am.
“I didn’t exactly expect to
win but I knew
he would go close” said delighted
Archie as the partnership look forward
to receiving their prize of a new car,
around £4000
cash, an £800 clock and, of course
the prestigious King’s Cup.
“I
named the pigeon Murray’s Dream
as I always thought it had the qualities
of a winner. This is the third year in
a row it had timed in the King’s
Cup and there’s quite an interesting
history with the bird.
ELECTRICITY
WIRES
“Last
year as we were preparing him for the
King’s Cup when he hit electricity
wires flying around the house after a
peregrine falcon attack, which left the
skin along his breast bone peeled back..
The peregrine probably scared him and
in the panic he hit the wires. He lay
up in the loft for three to four weeks,
but recovered fully in enough time for
us to prepare him and send him on to the
1997 St. Nazaire Kings Cup National. He
finished 19th Open so we reckoned that
if he did so well when he wasn’t
one hundred percent fit then he was in
with a good chance of winning the race
if given the right preparation.””
“His training all year was geared
towards the National race and when it
was time to send him away, we knew he
was in great condition, and all we could
do now is wait and hope that the wind
suited him.””
“The birds were released at 8.l5am
on Saturday after a holdover and I was
out at a quarter to four on Sunday morning
waiting for him.” The “Dream”
became a reality at 5,53am as Archie spotted
him raced to the loft and by mid afternoon
a phone call had confirmed their success.
GREATEST
Ronnie Johnston, from Dundonald, a past
president of the Irish National Flying
Club and regional editor of the Racing
Pigeon, was first to give them the good
news. “This is one of the greatest
pigeons in the history of the National
Flying Club” confirmed Ronnie. “It
wins a Hall of Fame having been in the
money three times from the King’s
Cup.” It was 23rd in 1996, 19th
last year and now a winner and that places
it in the Hall of Fame’s top three.
In fact, it is only the third bird in
history of the Flying Club that the winning
pigeon has also won a Hall of Fame in
the same year.
“It’s
certainly the achievement of a lifetime
to win this race. It’s like the
Grand National of horse racing and the
World Cup of football, the one every fancier
wants to win. And Archie’s pigeon
won the race by two clear hours. I can’t
emphasise enough how magnificent an achievement
this is in an extremely difficult race.
SPECIALISE
Archie has been racing pigeons for 30
years and there are around 50 birds in
the family loft at present. “I specialise
in the long distance races while Patrick
likes to race every week. There were 2,400
pigeons from all over Ireland in the King’s
Cup race this year and only 20 were home
within two days”, added Archie.
The
winner his half Van Bruaene, quarter Channing
and quarter Walkinshaw. The dam was down
off two Van Bruaene pigeons originating
from pigeons purchased from former Pau
National winner A.H. Bennett of Shropshire,
while the sire was from John Quinn, Clough.
The sire was bred from a pigeon from Jim
MC Call, Clough and one from Billy Walkinshaw,
Killyleagh. This is the second time the
Kings Cup has come to Dundrum with Eddie
and Philip Connor the winners in 1978.
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Sunday Life 1998
PIGEON
RACING SCENES
Murray’s take ~ the honours in Cup
of woe
THE Blue Riband Kings Cup race attracted
a fantastic entry of 2,386 birds after
the event’s switch back to Rennes,
one of the most successful liberation
points from France.
But where did it all go wrong is the question
most are asking?
A whole generation of long distance birds
appear to have been wiped out over a tough
race with no birds recorded in Ireland
on the day and just under 20 arriving
before dark the next. Most will await
a report on the event and maybe a slight
hope that some of the favourite birds
will turn up over the next few days and
weeks. From recent reports it appears
that all south road organisations experienced
difficult racing conditions. Indeed liberation
was held up for a full day.
But
the weather was virtually as forecast
and, other than a moderate North West
wind; there was no obvious reason for
anything other than good racing.
Overall
winners were the Dundrum partnership of
Archie Murray and son, Paddy, who timed
their great five-year-old Black Cheq cock
at 5.53am. Sammy Hendry and Son from Carrick
and District took 2nd Open INFC after
timing at 9.3Oam and recording velocity
727 for the 489 miles.
The
winner has a fantastic record from France.
In 1995 he finished 13th Open East Down
Combine OB Derby Dinard and in the Kings
Cup, 23rd Open Rennes 1996 and 19th Open
St Nazaire in 1997.
In 1998 the bird achieved a highly prized
Hall of Fame Diploma for featuring three
times in the Kings Cup result.
The
Top 10 were as follows: A Murray and Son,
Dundrum 837; S Hendry and Son, Carrick
and Dist 727; N Thompson. Dunedin 691;
P J Corcoran, Balbriggan 685; J Kirk.
Ballyclare 660: S Murtagh and Sons, Armagh
658: A and E Bell, Springvale. 631: S
Corrigan. Loughgall 584: J Greenaway,
Bondhlll 560; D Benson, Derriaghy
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A
right royal win in Dundrum
The
1998 King’s Cup race from Rennes
proved to be one of the most difficult
races from Rennes for many years, with
no birds home on the day. However,
the Dundrum partnership of Archie Murray
and his son Patrick clocked their great
blue chequered five year old cock now
known as ‘Murray’s Dream’
at 5.53am on the second day of the race
to win not only the King’s Cup an
in excess of £3,500 but also a car,
a timing clock, an electronic clocking
system and one of the coveted Hall of
Fame diplomas for being a prize-winner
three times from the King’s Cup.
‘Murray’s
Dream’ has an outstanding record
from France. As a two year old in 1995
he was 13th open East Down Combine from
the Dinard the Old Bird Derby. In 1996
from Rennes Kings Cup with the INFC he
was 23rd Open, 1997 from St Nazaire King’s
Cup with the INFC he was 19th ‘Open
and this year the top spot.
Many congratulations to the Murray’s
on a magnificent performance and ‘Murray’s
Dream’ as
this tremendous result flies into the
record books.
A.
Murray & Son
13/14 Church Avenue,
Dundrum,
County Down, N. Ireland
Tel. No (013967) 51713
Blue
Chequer (Murray’s Dream)
IHU
93 N 36633
%
Van Bruaene x ¼ Walkingshaw x ¼
Channing
1994
2nd club, 7th South Down Fed. Penzance
Yearling National 286 miles
1995 1st club, 3rd South Down Fed. 13th
Open EDC Dinard (France) 422miles
1996 2nd club, 2nd South Down Fed. 23”
Open INFC Old Bird National Rennes (France)
460miles vel. 924ypm 1067 members sent
2954 birds
1997 1st club, 1st South Down Fed. 19th
Open INFC Old Bird National St. Nazaire
(France) 505 miles vel. 733ypm 728 members
sent 1901 birds.
1998 1st club, 1st South Down Fed, 1st
Open INFC Old Bird National Rennes (France)
46Omiles vel. 887ypm 887 members sent
2386 birds.
Irish
Hall of Fame winner. Winner of:- New car
13 clock Belgium electronic clocking system
£5,000.
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Archie
Murray with the Kings Cup at home
in Dundrum |
After
receiving Kings Cup at the INFC
presentation night at the Stormont
Hotel Belfast 1998 |
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Champion
Murray's Dream
Blue Chequer IHU.93.N
36633
Sire and grand sire
of winners
½
- Van Brueane
¼ - Walkingshaw
¼ - Channing
1995 - 13th Open
EDC Dinard
1996 - 23rd Open
INFC Rennes
1997 - 19th Open
INFC St. Nazaire
1998 - 1st Open
INFC Rennes |
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G.
Sire: -
Blue Bar IHU 91
N 45210 being of
½ Fred Channing
(Newport) x ½
Billy Walkingshaw
(Killyleagh) |
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G.Dam:
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Blue Chequer IHU 86
N 08816 Pure
Van Bruaene
Bred for stock
Dam
of winners for us
and others from
50 to 500 miles |
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G.G.
Sire: -
Blue Bar GB 77 C 71314
Bred by A. H. Bennett
Pure Van Bruaene |
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G.G.
Dam: -
Blue Tip IHU 81 N
07719
Pure Van Bruaene
1st club, 5th Open
East Down Combine
Dinard 422miles
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Published
by
HOMER
Tel/Fax (028) 256 44683
E-mail: reynoldshomer@aol.com |