Silver Blaze

A horse has disappeared. Not just any horse, one of the top thoroughbreds in the nation. How do you hide a horse and why would someone horsenap one that would be easily recognized by anyone in the business. The story involves a series of clues that lead to the arrest of a man who is the only convenient suspect. Holmes, who some experts thinks is a compulsive gambler (just speculation, of course), never takes anything for granted. The thing gets really far fetched at the end. That is to say that there seems to be little oversight in the racing business. Still, it is a new locale and a subject important to the people of England and the British Isles.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson head out to horse training stables in the country, hired by wealthy horse owner Colonel Ross. His trainer has been murdered and his prize racehorse Silver Blaze has disappeared just days before the prestigious Wessex Cup.

An intriguing episode of Sherlock Holmes with a fairly original setting of country stables. A reasonably clever and watertight plot, complete with very good twists in terms of both crimes involved. A good ending too that closes off the story well.

As always, Jeremy Brett is in great form as Sherlock Holmes and Edward Hardwicke lends solid support as Dr Watson.

The short story is a very clever one. I can say the same for this episode and adaptation. While it is not my favourite episode of the series, it is just as clever and absorbing as the story. The solution whether you've read the story or not is enough to delight and surprise any Sherlock Holmes fan. The production values as is always the case with this series is of top quality with the costumes and sets authentic and the camera shots excellent. The music is still as beautiful and as haunting as before, and the writing as thoughtful and sophisticated. The cast are fine, Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke are superb and Peter Barkworth stands out of the supporting cast. In conclusion, a solid adaptation and well done episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I'm starting to note that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was certainly fascinated by the moors and cliffs of England. They seem to figure prominently in his stories, most prominently of course in The Hound Of The Baskervilles. Silver Blaze based on his story The Adventures Of Silver Blaze also has a setting on the moors.

It's on the moors on one of those English murder mystery nights that the prominent race horse Silver Blaze disappears from the stable of his owner Peter Barkworth. Later on those desolate English moors the trainer Barry Lowe is found dead with a bad head wound.

In this one Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes has to not just deduce clues from humans, but reason why a pair of animals, the selfsame race horse Silver Blaze and a dog behave as they do. As it turns out the current whereabouts of the horse and what happened to its trainer have only the slightest of connections.

This particular Holmes story is a well put together one, the conclusion will perk the interest. And we even learn that Edward Hardwicke as Dr. Watson has a fancy for the sport of kings.

What happened to the famous race horse Silver Blaze on the eve of a significant race? Sherlock Holmes must find out who took the horse, where the horse is, now, and who brutally murdered its trainer.

This is one of the great Brett episodes.

To be honest, knowing nothing about racing or horses, the story left me cold in the book.

This story does contain one of the most famous Holmesisms, but I won't spoil it.

The Brett version keeps everything clear. And as the stable owner, Colonel Ross, guest star Peter Barkworth is perfectly cast and even brings a touch of humor to an unpleasant role.

We Brett fans despaired when Burke left the role of Doctor Watson. In this episode Edward Hardwicke proves why he was such a readily-accepted replacement. It was not the actor but the perception of Watson that mattered. And Hardwicke was the more common perception of what Watson looked like in the mind's eye.