Moifaa

Moifaa (* 1895 in Takapau, New Zealand, † in the 20th century ) was a racehorse and VII supposedly the favorite horse Edwards He won on March 25, 1904, the Grand National in Liverpool, which was attended by 26 horses, with eight lengths ahead in 9: 59 minutes.

Life

The brown Thoroughbred gelding was 173 cm high. He was in New Zealand first, ridden by Alfred Ellingham, a relative of the blacksmith, who had bred the horse. In his first season he won the race under Ellingham eleven out of 16 races. He was then bought by the wealthy businessman Spencer Gollan and should be ridden by his daughter. This initially refused to ride the horse rather unattractive, but then learned to appreciate its qualities. Allegedly, the family discovered Gollan during an earthquake the unusual jumping talent of the horse. Moifaa was, like other racehorses that had Gollan, also shipped to England. After the race win in 1904 Moifaa, which, however, should never excel in races later, was purchased for Edward VII, who was a friend of Gollan.

Moifaa ran in front of the Grand National three more races in England, without showing special services. At the Grand National in 1904 but he should have won so impressively under jockey Arthur Birch, that the king decided to buy it. The following year, Moifaa entered the royal colors with another jockey back in this race, but crashed and was later placed in the hands of Colonel Brocklehurst, who rode him on hunts in Leicestershire. About the end of the horse, nothing seems to be known.

Sometimes more than one person is drawn to the sad fate that came with Moifaa contact: Arthur Birch died in 1911 as the result of a racing accident, he had however not suffered with Moifaa, his coach Jim Hickey died the same year in an asylum for the insane, and Spencer Gollan perished in a road accident in London: He stepped on the road, without perceiving an approaching bus. But apart from these coincidences themselves are also quite different on two episodes from the life of the horse highly publicized stories in circulation.

Moifaa the castaway?

Spectacular is the report of a shipwreck, the Moifaa to have survived: He should be transported from New Zealand to England in 1904; However, the ship should be sunk in a storm off Cape Town. The then about eight years old horse had a - saved about 160 km away, uninhabited island on which there remained two weeks until it had been found there, and picked up, and won shortly after the Grand National steeplechase - according to some testimonies.

In this version, the alleged adventures of the horse is represented in the lexicon of famous people about animals by Karen Duve and Thies. There are also reports on an animated presentation for children on kids.britannica.com about it.

In reality, the seafaring Moifaa went but probably unspectacular, because after other presentations were - according to some sources statement at the same time - two ships from New Zealand to England move, transported the horses. On the one vehicle located Moifaa and more horses named Toriki, Opea and Norton should have found, on the other, the Thermopylae, two more named Chesney and Kiora. Moifaa shall be without prejudice to come to England; the Thermopylae but on which Chesney and Kiora were actually stranded in September 1899. Sources establishing as a time of the accident the January 25, 1901 or January 12, 1901 can at least not related to the stranding of Thermopylae. The horses on board the Thermopylae were saved; Kiora launched in 1904 against Moifaa in the Grand National.

Role in the funeral of the king?

The frequently voiced assertion Moifaa had been brought hither as a favorite horse of the king at whose funeral in 1910 with an empty saddle behind the coffin is questionable. More likely is the version that Moifaa was on this occasion at best, ridden by Colonel Brocklehurst, later Lord Rank Borough and another horse the saddle was empty: Pictures from the funeral of King show a dark horse that has only small badge on the face. A photograph dated 26 July 1901 by Louis John Daroux proves, however, that Moifaa had a long, irregular blaze, where it would have been easy to spot.