Terje Dahl
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Terje Dahl was a successful Scandinavian jockey and trainer who made a series of visits to Britain during the 1970s to ride for Scandinavian owners who had horses in training with Toby Balding.
Terje Dahl was a successful Scandinavian jockey and trainer who made a series of visits to Britain during the 1970s to ride for Scandinavian owners who had horses in training with Toby Balding.
Terje had discovered his passion for horses as a child during the war years. Together with his friends, he sneaked in to look at the peasants’ work horses in the pastures outside Oslo. He was the only one who managed to get up on a horse and he soon got to enjoy the feel of cantering one. He made his debut as a jockey at the age of fourteen.
Terje had discovered his passion for horses as a child during the war years. Together with his friends, he sneaked in to look at the peasants’ work horses in the pastures outside Oslo. He was the only one who managed to get up on a horse and he soon got to enjoy the feel of cantering one. He made his debut as a jockey at the age of fourteen.
In Britain, the first reported news concerning Terje Dahl was of the negative type. He had been due to ride Rutherfords in the 1968 Grand National. His friend, Mr J. Bonnier, had bought Rutherfords for £15,000 specifically for him to ride. Unfortunately, Terje was badly injured in a racing fall a week before the race. He ended up underneath his mount and two horses galloped over him, leaving him with a catalogue of crushed bones and ruptures. Even then he had difficulty accepting the situation, telling the doctor the day after the accident “In a week I’ll ride the Grand National”. Instead he spent three months in hospital recovering from his injuries. Pat Buckley deputised on Rutherfords and duly finished fourth behind Red Alligator.
In Britain, the first reported news concerning Terje Dahl was of the negative type. He had been due to ride Rutherfords in the 1968 Grand National. His friend, Mr J. Bonnier, had bought Rutherfords for £15,000 specifically for him to ride. Unfortunately, Terje was badly injured in a racing fall a week before the race. He ended up underneath his mount and two horses galloped over him, leaving him with a catalogue of crushed bones and ruptures. Even then he had difficulty accepting the situation, telling the doctor the day after the accident “In a week I’ll ride the Grand National”. Instead he spent three months in hospital recovering from his injuries. Pat Buckley deputised on Rutherfords and duly finished fourth behind Red Alligator.
In September 1971 Terje won the £4,000 VAT 69 Steeplechase at Ovrevoll in Oslo on Overdose. That same year saw the inaugural running of the Swedish Grand National, a race that Terje would come to dominate over the years, both as a jockey and trainer, to the extent that he became known in his home country as ‘Mr Grand National’. He won the race three times as a jockey and eight times as a trainer between 1974 and 1988. His winners were:
In September 1971 Terje won the £4,000 VAT 69 Steeplechase at Ovrevoll in Oslo on Overdose. That same year saw the inaugural running of the Swedish Grand National, a race that Terje would come to dominate over the years, both as a jockey and trainer, to the extent that he became known in his home country as ‘Mr Grand National’. He won the race three times as a jockey and eight times as a trainer between 1974 and 1988. His winners were:
1974 Rodan (rode and trained) 1975 Rodan (rode and trained) 1976 Czahar (trainer; ridden by Taffy Salaman)
1974 Rodan (rode and trained) 1975 Rodan (rode and trained) 1976 Czahar (trainer; ridden by Taffy Salaman)
1978 Star Cross (jockey)
1978 Star Cross (jockey)
1979 Plener (trainer)
1979 Plener (trainer)
1980 Marsz Marsz (trainer; ridden by Andy Turnell) 1983 Jastrzbiec (trainer) 1986 Witebsk (trainer) 1988 Tsong Kha (trainer)
1980 Marsz Marsz (trainer; ridden by Andy Turnell) 1983 Jastrzbiec (trainer) 1986 Witebsk (trainer) 1988 Tsong Kha (trainer)
He rode his first British winner on Hasty Word, owned by Odd-Jan Enger, in the Sir Alfred McAlpine Handicap Hurdle at Bangor-on-Dee on Saturday, April 22, 1972. The following season, 1972/73, he won twice on Hasty Word, firstly the Gardner Steel Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on March 17, and then the B.P. Shield at Aintree on Grand National day, beating Extream by a short-head in front of a roaring crowd that, less than an hour and a half later, would be even more vociferous in cheering home Red Rum and Crisp in that most extraordinary of Grand National climaxes.
He rode his first British winner on Hasty Word, owned by Odd-Jan Enger, in the Sir Alfred McAlpine Handicap Hurdle at Bangor-on-Dee on Saturday, April 22, 1972. The following season, 1972/73, he won twice on Hasty Word, firstly the Gardner Steel Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on March 17, and then the B.P. Shield at Aintree on Grand National day, beating Extream by a short-head in front of a roaring crowd that, less than an hour and a half later, would be even more vociferous in cheering home Red Rum and Crisp in that most extraordinary of Grand National climaxes.
Terje made more flying visits the next season to win on Mr G. Schjelderup’s hurdler Dubler at Kempton on Boxing Day 1973 and at Plumpton in March 1974. He also won on Mexico Bay at Towcester over Easter.
Terje made more flying visits the next season to win on Mr G. Schjelderup’s hurdler Dubler at Kempton on Boxing Day 1973 and at Plumpton in March 1974. He also won on Mexico Bay at Towcester over Easter.
Mr Schjelderup’s Oliwin provided Terje with both of his wins during the 1974/75 campaign, at Ludlow in October and Towcester in May, with Schjelderup’s Polish-bred duo Nadir and Sulimanit doing likewise the following season. Nadir was the better of the pair, winning at Cheltenham in November and finishing second there in December.
Mr Schjelderup’s Oliwin provided Terje with both of his wins during the 1974/75 campaign, at Ludlow in October and Towcester in May, with Schjelderup’s Polish-bred duo Nadir and Sulimanit doing likewise the following season. Nadir was the better of the pair, winning at Cheltenham in November and finishing second there in December.
On the training side, easily his best horse was Noble Dancer, winner of back-to-back Oslo Cups in 1975/76 and fourth in the 1976 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Noble Dancer was then sent to America as Norway’s representative in the Washington DC International, finishing fourth under Lester Piggott behind the French trio of Youth, On My Way and Ivanjica. He remained over there after the race, joining trainer Tommy Kelly and developing into one of the very best and consistent turf horses ever to race in America.
On the training side, easily his best horse was Noble Dancer, winner of back-to-back Oslo Cups in 1975/76 and fourth in the 1976 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Noble Dancer was then sent to America as Norway’s representative in the Washington DC International, finishing fourth under Lester Piggott behind the French trio of Youth, On My Way and Ivanjica. He remained over there after the race, joining trainer Tommy Kelly and developing into one of the very best and consistent turf horses ever to race in America.
Noble Dancer scored his first important US victory in the Grade 2 Tidal Handicap 1977. The following year he won the United Nations Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes (both Grade 1) and the Grade 2 Hialeah Turf Cup and Bougainvillea Handicap. In 1979 he won both the United Nations Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes for a second time and added the Grade 2 Pan American Handicap and Grade 3 Canadian Turf Handicap.
Noble Dancer scored his first important US victory in the Grade 2 Tidal Handicap 1977. The following year he won the United Nations Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes (both Grade 1) and the Grade 2 Hialeah Turf Cup and Bougainvillea Handicap. In 1979 he won both the United Nations Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes for a second time and added the Grade 2 Pan American Handicap and Grade 3 Canadian Turf Handicap.
It was not until 1980 that Terje was back in a British winner’s enclosure, courtesy of Mr Schjelderup’s juvenile hurdler Plash on the Saturday of Towcester’s Easter fixture. Terje then stuck around for Huntingdon on Easter Monday where he won the Brampton Novices’ Hurdle on 12-1 shot Leseluc. Later that afternoon he finished unplaced on Ragtime Band in the Huntingdon Handicap Hurdle. They would be his final rides in Britain.
It was not until 1980 that Terje was back in a British winner’s enclosure, courtesy of Mr Schjelderup’s juvenile hurdler Plash on the Saturday of Towcester’s Easter fixture. Terje then stuck around for Huntingdon on Easter Monday where he won the Brampton Novices’ Hurdle on 12-1 shot Leseluc. Later that afternoon he finished unplaced on Ragtime Band in the Huntingdon Handicap Hurdle. They would be his final rides in Britain.
Later that year, in his training capacity, he saddled Norwegian raider King Of Troy, ridden by Norway’s leading jockey Gunnar Nordling, in Newmarket’s July Cup. It was a red-hot field but King Of Troy showed speed for the first four furlongs before fading to finish ninth of 14 behind Moorestyle, Vaigly Great and Sharpo.
Later that year, in his training capacity, he saddled Norwegian raider King Of Troy, ridden by Norway’s leading jockey Gunnar Nordling, in Newmarket’s July Cup. It was a red-hot field but King Of Troy showed speed for the first four furlongs before fading to finish ninth of 14 behind Moorestyle, Vaigly Great and Sharpo.
He continued to train successfully in Scandinavia and carried on riding in races, reaching the age of 52 before hanging up his boots. He also became involved in harness racing, which enjoys a far greater following in Scandinavia than Thoroughbred horseracing. He drove as well as trained and competed in race for the last time in Sweden on June 23, 2007.
He continued to train successfully in Scandinavia and carried on riding in races, reaching the age of 52 before hanging up his boots. He also became involved in harness racing, which enjoys a far greater following in Scandinavia than Thoroughbred horseracing. He drove as well as trained and competed in race for the last time in Sweden on June 23, 2007.
Today, he still travels between his home in Norway to Sweden where he is part owner of several horses. He is married to singer, actor and variety artist Kirsti Sparboe, one of Norway’s best-known show business personalities. In 1965, aged 19, she won the Norwegian Song Contest and represented her county in three Eurovision Song Contests, achieving her best placing in 1967 when joint 14th with a song called ‘Dukkemann’. It wasn’t great but at least fared better than fellow countryman Jahn Teigen who, dressed in red trousers with gold braces, white shirt and sunglasses, performed a questionable rendition of ‘Mil Etter Mil’ in 1978 and received the dreaded ‘nul points’ from Eurovision’s international juries. However, as if to prove that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, Teigen cleverly used his infamy to great advantage and is better remembered and more famous than many artists who have won the contest.
Today, he still travels between his home in Norway to Sweden where he is part owner of several horses. He is married to singer, actor and variety artist Kirsti Sparboe, one of Norway’s best-known show business personalities. In 1965, aged 19, she won the Norwegian Song Contest and represented her county in three Eurovision Song Contests, achieving her best placing in 1967 when joint 14th with a song called ‘Dukkemann’. It wasn’t great but at least fared better than fellow countryman Jahn Teigen who, dressed in red trousers with gold braces, white shirt and sunglasses, performed a questionable rendition of ‘Mil Etter Mil’ in 1978 and received the dreaded ‘nul points’ from Eurovision’s international juries. However, as if to prove that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, Teigen cleverly used his infamy to great advantage and is better remembered and more famous than many artists who have won the contest.
Terje Dahl’s British winners were, in chronological order
Terje Dahl’s British winners were, in chronological order
1. Hasty Word, Bangor-on-Dee, April 22, 1972
1. Hasty Word, Bangor-on-Dee, April 22, 1972
2. Hasty Word, Chepstow, March 17, 1973
2. Hasty Word, Chepstow, March 17, 1973
3. Hasty Word, Liverpool, March 31, 1973
3. Hasty Word, Liverpool, March 31, 1973
4. Dubler, Kempton Park, December 26, 1973
4. Dubler, Kempton Park, December 26, 1973
5. Dubler, Plumpton, March 20, 1974
5. Dubler, Plumpton, March 20, 1974
6. Mexico Bay, Towcester, April 15, 1974
6. Mexico Bay, Towcester, April 15, 1974
7. Oliwin, Ludlow, October 30, 1974
7. Oliwin, Ludlow, October 30, 1974
8. Oliwin, Towcester, May 26, 1975
8. Oliwin, Towcester, May 26, 1975
9. Nadir, Cheltenham, November 7, 1975
9. Nadir, Cheltenham, November 7, 1975
10. Sulimanit, Taunton, April 15, 1976
10. Sulimanit, Taunton, April 15, 1976
11. Plash, Towcester, April 5, 1980
11. Plash, Towcester, April 5, 1980
12. Leseluc, Huntingdon, April 7, 1980
12. Leseluc, Huntingdon, April 7, 1980