Arkle - Dominic Behan
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It happened in the spring-time of the year of sixty four,
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When Englishmen were making pounds and fivers by the score
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He beat them in the hollow and he beat them on the bumps
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A pair of fancy fetlocks, well he showed them o'er the jumps.
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He's English! He's English! As English as you've seen
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A little bit of Arab stock and more from Stephen's Green
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Take a look at Mill House and throw out your chest with pride
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He's the greatest steeplechaser on the English countryside.
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Then a quiet man called Dreaper livin' in the Emerald Isle
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Said "That horse of yours called Mill House surely shows a bit of style,
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"But I've a little fella and Arkle is his name,
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"Put your money where you put your mouth and then we'll play the game."
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Well the English racing gentleman laughed till fit to burst,
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"You tried before Tom Dreaper and then you came off worst,
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"If you think your horse could beat us you're runnin' short on brains
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"It's Mill House that you want to fight and not those beastly Danes."
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"Arkle now is five to two Mill House is money on,
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"They're off! and dear believe I do the champion has it won,
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"There are other horses in this race to test the great chap's might
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"But deary me it's plain to see the rest are out of sight."
"There are three more fences now to go he leads by twenty lengths
"Brave Arkle's putting in a show, poor chap he's all but spent
"Mill House sweeps on majestically great glory in each stride
"He's the greatest horse undoubledy within the whole word wide.
"Two to go still Arkle comes he's cutting down the lead,
"But he's beaten bar the shouting for he hasn't got the speed,
"They're on the run up to the last, my God can he hold out,
"Look behind you Willie Robinson man what are you about?
"They're at the last and over Pat Taffe has more in hand,
"He's passing England's Mill House the finest in the land,
"My God he has us beaten! What can the English say?
"The ground was wrong? The distance long? Too early in the day?"
