Mad Moose was good enough to race in the highest company over jumps yet frustrated his connections with his antics at the start and during races
14:28, 24 Sep 2025
An ‘infamous’ racehorse who earned cult status for refusing to start has died at the age of 21. Mad Moose spent his entire career with trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, running 42 times and winning seven times to earn over £100,000.
Yet he became so unpredictable that no one knew whether he would start his races or not or when he did, whether he would take any interest. He was retired after digging his toes in one time too many and taking no part in the 2014 International Hurdle, won by stablemate The New One.
In his most productive campaign Mad Moose won three jumps races in a row in 2011 and finished second to Silviniaco Conti in a novices’ chase at Wincanton the same year.
His unpredictability began to surface in April 2012 when he came from 15 lengths off the pace with two fences to jump to land a handicap at Cheltenham. On his very next start when returning to the same track, he refused to race.
He was on his best behaviour in four subsequent runs, even finishing second to the great Sprinter Sacre in the 2013 Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.
Yet at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival he was up to his old tricks again, refusing to start for the Byrne Plate and did the same at the Grand National meeting.
Deciding to try something different, Twiston-Davies ran him on the Flat three weeks later when Mad Moose went and won a maiden at Doncaster, then finished third in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes at Chester.
Yet those were the heights of his Flat career as he refused to race at York next time out.
He showed little interest as he completed his next two races back over jumps, including one after which Twiston-Davies was fined for waving a belt to encourage him to start. He pulled himself up on his penultimate appearance and after his final refusal six days later he was banned from the track by the BHA.
A statement said: “The matter was referred to the Authority by the Sandown stewards because the gelding had refused to race, been reluctant to race or tailed itself off, in both flat and jump races, on 6 further occasions in the previous 14 months,” said the BHA.
“Having considered the evidence, including that from Twiston-Davies, the Panel declare that with immediate effect no further entries would be accepted for Mad Moose.”
Mad Moose spent his retirement with Faye Howlett and had his own social media account with more than 5,000 followers.
A post on the account from Sophie Burkin on Wednesday said: “Devastated to share the news that Moose has taken his final gallop over the hill. Doing what he loved right to the very end and leaving us on his own terms just as he would have wanted. Run free Moose, my horse of a lifetime. I will love you forever!”