1989: three-year-old season Unraced at two, Drum Taps did not appear on the racecourse until August 1989, when he finished second in a minor race at
Windsor. Twelve days later he crossed the line first in a maiden race at
Sandown but was disqualified for causing interference. Drum Taps then recorded a quick
hat-trick of wins. He won a maiden race at
Ripon by five lengths followed by
handicaps at
Ascot and
Newcastle. After his win at Newcastle, Farish sent Drum Taps to be trained in the United States by
Neil Howard. On his American debut he won an allowance race at
Calder Race Course in December.
1990: four-year-old season Drum Taps was trained in the United States throughout 1990. He ran seven times and recorded two Graded stakes wins, taking the
W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder in January and the
Laurance Armour Handicap at
Arlington Park in July. He also won an allowance race at
Keeneland in October.
1991: five-year-old season Drum Taps ran four times in the United States in early 1991. He finished second in the Noble Dancer Handicap at
Gulfstream Park and on his final American start, won an allowance race at Keeneland in April. He was then bought by
Lord Carnarvon and sent back to England where he joined the stable of
Lord Huntingdon. He was an immediate success. In the
Group Two Geoffrey Freer Stakes at
Newbury in August, he took the lead a
furlong out and won by two and a half
lengths. In this race he was ridden for the first time by
Frankie Dettori, who was to partner him in ten of his remaining fourteen races. A month later he took the Group Three
Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot, recovering to beat Rock Hopper and Young Buster after being headed in the final furlong. In October he was moved up to Group One class for the first time and finished a half length second to Passing Sale in the
Gran Premio del Jockey Club in
Milan. On his final start of the season he ran unplaced behind
Golden Pheasant in the
Japan Cup. At the end of the year Drum Taps was bought by Yoshio Asakawa.
1992: six-year-old season In 1992 Drum Taps, by then a six-year-old was campaigned for the first time over extended distances. On his debut in April he was sent to Milan for a second time and won the 3100m
Coppa d'Oro di Milano (then a
Group Three race) by three and a half lengths. A month later he took the Group Three
Henry II Stakes at Sandown, beating Arcadian Heights by a length and a half. His form was good enough to see Drum Taps start 7/4 favourite for the
Gold Cup over two and a half miles at
Royal Ascot. The field was not a strong one: apart from Drum Taps the only Group winners in the field were the French challengers
Turgeon and Mardonius. Dettori tracked the leaders on Drum Taps before moving him into the lead in the straight. Drum Taps ran on strongly to win by two lengths with Arcadian Heights again taking second place. An unusual feature of the finish was that Arcadian Heights lunged at Drum Taps and attempted to bite him as he went past. The horse was forced to wear a muzzle in future races Drum Taps had won his first three races on firm ground: he proved less effective on the soft ground which prevailed for the second half of the season. After a two-month break he was made favourite for the
Prix Kergorlay at
Deauville but was well beaten by the filly
Sought Out. In the
Irish St. Leger at
The Curragh a month later he stayed on strongly in the straight but could finish only third to
Mashaallah and
Snurge. On his final start of the year in the
Prix du Cadran at
Longchamp he again finished second to Sought Out.
1993: seven-year-old season Drum Taps began his final season by recording a repeat win in the Coppa d'Oro di Milano. The ground was heavy, but Drum Taps did not need to be at his best to win by seven lengths from three moderate opponents. The Gold Cup attracted a much stronger field in 1993 than it had done a year earlier. Turgeon and Arcadian Heights returned, and were joined by the top class stayers
Vintage Crop, Sought Out,
Further Flight and
Assessor. Drum Taps started at 13/2 and produced his best performance. Dettori sent him into the lead four furlongs out, but he was challenged and headed by Assessor in the straight. Running on strongly under pressure, Drum Taps regained the lead a furlong out and pulled away to win by three lengths. After the race, Dettori claimed that he had never been concerned, even when losing the lead as Drum Taps was "the toughest battler I've ever ridden". Lord Huntingdon called him "an amazing horse" and outlined plans to run the horse in the
Melbourne Cup. Drum Taps was brought back in distance for his next start in the one and a half mile
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July and performed creditably, finishing fifth of the ten runners behind
Opera House. Once again, Drum Taps failed to find his best form in Autumn. In September he finished fifth in the Irish St. Leger behind Vintage Crop and Assessor, horses he had decisively beaten in the Gold Cup. On his final start he was sent to Australia for the
Melbourne Cup. His challenge attracted considerable attention at a time when foreign runners were a rarity in Australia but could finish only ninth in the race behind Vintage Crop. ==Assessment==