Although not quite in the same league as the most professional loser in the history of British racing, Quixall Crossett, Amrullah was described as a “crafty character” – and that was the polite version, I dare say – by his trainer John Bridger. Amrullah was crafty enough, in fact, to compete in 74 races on the level, over hurdles and over fences between 1982 and 1992 without ever winning one.
While Quixall Crossett was slow, at best, Amrullah was arguably even more frustrating because he was not without potential, at least not to start with, or ability. He was by High Top, winner of the 2,000 Guineas in 1972, out of a mare by Charlottown, winner of the Derby in 1966, and cost 80,000 guineas as a yearling. He began his racing career at Newmarket in October, 1982, in a maiden race won by subsequent Arlington Million winner Tolomeo and demonstrated, more than once, that he had the ability to win a race is he could ever be persuaded to exert himself.
However, he was quickly dismissed as “thoroughly irresolute” by Timeform, who awarded him the dreaded double squiggle “§§”, which is reserved for horses that are so markedly reluctant that they can be described as “an arrant rogue or thorough jade” or, alternatively, “so unsatisfactory as to be not worth a rating”. Nevertheless, despite his form being littered with disparaging comments such as “not run on”, “no response”, etc, Amrullah did manage to accumulate over £26,000 in prize money during his 10-year career.
His final racecourse appearance came in a novices’ chases – for which he was, of course, still eligible as a 12-year-old – at Fontwell in March, 1992, where he led after halfway, but weakened to finish last of the seven finishers, beaten 25 lengths. Nevertheless, such was his popularity by that stage that his retirement was an item on national news.