Born in 1927, Golden Miller lived for 30 years, becoming one of the most successful horses in the UK, especially when it came to domestic races. Born and bred in Country Meath, Miller came to be known as an aggressive variety that could nudge opponents right out of the competition. One thing that stands out for this one horse is that he was not particularly descended from the finest pedigree-those of his blood who had come before had okay careers but did not necessarily put themselves on the map. Miller was the exception, rather than the rule, in this case.
Career
Miller was owned by Dorothy Paget and trained by Basil Briscoe. His 1931 steeple chasing debut sort of ended in a whimper when he won at the Newbury Racecourse but was disqualified on the technicality that he was not carrying the correct weight. In the same year, he came back strongly to win the Reading Chase before capping off a great 365 days with the Sefton Steeplechase early the following year. While these were notable achievements, Miller really stood out because of his performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, of which he won 5 times. He holds the record as no other horse has been able to even come close to that feat. He is also the only horse to have won the Grand National and well as Cheltenham Gold in the same year, which for him happened in 1934.
When Golden miller retired in 1939, he had participated in 52 races and walked away with 29 victories.
Legacy
A story is told about a fan who bought a ticket that drew Miller as the winner. When the horse won, the fan started a coach company. The company ownership has changed hands since then but the coaches still have an image of the horse somewhere on the front or at the side.
