Grundy (horse) - Racing Career - 1975:three-year-old Season

1975:three-year-old Season

Grundy's preparation for the British Classic Races was interrupted in March by a training accident when he was kicked in the face by one of his training companions. He made his three-year-old debut in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April. Running on very heavy ground he lost his unbeaten record when he finished second by two lengths to Mark Anthony. In the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Grundy started 7/2 favourite in a field of 24 runners but finished second again, beaten half a length by the 33/1 outsider Bolkonski. The start of the race had been delayed for twenty minutes by protests by striking stable lads. Grundy was then sent to Ireland for the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh. He took the lead at the midway point of the race and "romped away" to win by one and a half lengths from the French-trained Monsanto with Mark Anthony a length a way in third to record his first win of the season.

On 4 June Grundy was sent off the 5/1 second favourite for the Epsom Derby. The Derby attracted a crowd reported to number 750,000, which included the Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and the Duke of Edinburgh. The 6/4 favourite for the race was the French-trained Green Dancer, who had won the Observer Gold Cup on his previous visit to Britain, and had since won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the Prix Lupin. Grundy was restrained by Eddery in the early stages before moving up to fourth place on the turn into the straight. Grundy overtook the front-running Anne's Pretender to take the lead a furlong and a half from the finish and pulled clear to win by three lengths from the filly Nobiliary with Hunza Dancer in third. Three weeks after his win at Epsom, Grundy was sent to the Curragh for the Irish Derby for which he started 9/10 favourite. In the closing stages he broke away fro the field and won decisively by two lengths from King Pellinore and Anne's Pretender.