Category Archives: Horses

Introduction

 

An impressive racehorse in its own right, The Fugue became a mild national treasure for some when it won various awards and races across a short career. While injury at the Eclipse Stakes brought to the end a strong and promising career, The Fugue successfully managed to win a whopping six of its seventeen races, with four of them coming at Group One level.

 

With her rich brown with a white star and stripe design, this was a horse that stood out a mile away. The fact it was associated with Andrew Lloyd Webber’ Watership Down Stud also helped to draw attention to the horse before it had even taken to the course.

 

Career Summary

 

With her only race as a two year old being won with ease, The Fugue had a fleeting run at the top of the table, winning the Musidora Stakes and then the Nassau Stakes in quick succession. In 2013, she won the Irish Champion Stakes alongside the Yorkshire Oaks, also getting success in the Breeders’ Cup at the second time of asking, coming second this time.

 

At five, she was a victor at the Prince of Wales’ Stakes, before seeing her career cut short after the aforementioned injury when preparing for the Eclipse Stakes. The injury to its left foreleg left it unable to race, and it retired within a week of the injury.

 

Coming home as a stud, there’s not a huge deal of information about how this has gone so far. It’s good, though, to see that it managed to stay the pace and find a successful second career after racing.

 

Achievements & Highlights

 

 

Wins – Musidora Stakes (2012), Nassau Stakes (2012), Yorkshire Oaks (2013), Irish Champion Stakes (2013), Prince of Wales’s Stakes (2014)

 

Associations – Watership Down Stud, Andrew Lloyd Webber.

 

Earnings – £1.9m+

 

 

 

Introduction

 

For certain racing fans, the name of Shergar is one of the most recognizable of the 1970s and 1980s. although it won just five trophies, it only ran in 8 races in the end up. A stunning broad white blaze, bred by Aga Khan, it was sent to train with Michael Stoute and fulfil its destiny – to become one of the most well-remembered horses of its, or any, generation.

 

Career Summary

 

With its first run being a victory, Shergar set the tone for the career to come. Losing its second race, Shergar set itself for the three-year-old season in some style, debuting at the Guardian Classic Trial. This was to be its first major win, beginning to take some of the most impressive honours of the era in a clean sweep.

 

Becoming a national icon back in Ireland as it was unable to find any real competitive challenge, the owner, Aga Khan, sold off shares in the horse, creating a valuation of a whopping £10m. the likes of John Magnier invested into the horse at this point.

 

With its racing career coming to an abrupt end at the Irish Derby, Shergar moved into the world of stud and was the creator of more than 35 foals in his single and only stud season. The best was Authaal, who went on to win the 1986 Irish St. Ledger.

 

Terrifyingly, Shergar was stolen on 8^th February, 1983. Forced to load his prized possession into a horse box by a team of six, Fitzgerald watched his beloved horse be taken away. To this day, the perpetrators have never been caught. It’s remains have never been found, either, nor identified.

 

Achievements & Highlights

 

 

Wins – Guardian Classic Trial (1981), Chester Vase (1981), Epsom Derby (1981), Irish Derby (1981), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1981)

 

Associations – HH Agha Khan IV, Michael Stoute.

 

Earnings – ?

 

 

Introduction

 

The name alone makes people stand up and take notice – Secretariat was a thoroughbred who became the first winner of the Triple Crown in 25 years for American Thoroughbred horses. A record breaker through a stellar career, the immense success rate of Secretariat means that to this day it still stands out as one of the most impressive horses of its generation.

 

Winning the likes of Horse of the Year, the horse was the participant in one of the best races of all-time when it left a whole 31 lengths behind itself as it charged to victory at the Belmont Stakes in 1973.

 

A talented horse that managed to win seven of its eight starts, with five major stake victories n that time, the name of Secretariat has gone down in racing history –and for good reason.

 

Career Summary

 

Known for breaking records and taking in some major wins such as the Churchill Downs and the Marlboro Cup. The Cup itself it set a world record, winning at a whole 1 1/8 miles, showing that it was a horse that could handle itself on various landscapes. By winning hearts and minds with its versatility, it was no surprise that – as its stellar career came to an end – Secretariat made its way into the world of syndication.

 

Syndicated for over $6m, the horse was a successful sire, with its daughters going on to create some truly special horses themselves. The horse sadly died in 1989 when it suffered from laminitis and died, leaving a proud racing legacy.

 

Achievements & Highlights

 

 

Wins – Sanford Stakes (1972), Hopeful Stakes (1972), Futurity Stakes (1972), Laurel Futurity (1972), Garden State Futurity (1972), Bay Shore Stakes (1973), Gotham Stakes (1973), Arlington Invitational (1973), Marlboro Cup (1973), Man o’ War Stakes (1973), Canadian International (1973)

 

Associations – Meadow Stud.

 

Earnings – $1.3m+

 

 

 

Introduction

 

Stylishly named and supremely successful, Dawn Run is a horse with an incredible reputation for a blitzing run of victories and form in the 1980s. a powerful Irish mare, Dawn Run was bred by John Riordan and owned by Charmian Hill. Trained by Paddy Mullins, too, it went on to take an incredible 21 wins across 35 races. The most successful mare in the history of National Hunt racing, Dawn Run is a true legend of the sport.

 

As winner of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1984, it also claimed the Gold Cup in 1986. It was also the only horse to win both the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle as a double. Indeed, she was only the second mare in history to win the Champion Hurdle, and won of just four to have lifted the Gold Cup, too.

 

A stellar career was completed by the fact that she took part in English, Irish and French Champion Hurdle treble, too. Such incredible achievements show just why, for many, Dawn Run is one of the favoured horses in recent history.

 

Career Summary

 

Dawn Run was a horse with an incredible career history in flat, hurdle and steeplechase racing. Sadly, the steeplechasing racing began to have major problems for Dawn Run; injured after its first race (which it won), Dawn Run began to suffer from more regular mistakes and injury. Sadly, the horse died at the French Chammpion Hurdle. Michel Chirol was the jockey for the day, and it fell at one of the back straight hurdles, and never managed to get up – it had broken its neck.

 

Its death was front page news on the Irish Times, with a statue placed alongside the parade ring at Cheltenham to mark an exemplary life.

 

Achievements & Highlights

 

Wins – Ascot Hurdle (1983), Christmas Hurdle (1983), Irish Champion Hurdle (1984), Champion Hurdle (1984), Aintree Hurdle (1984), French Champion Hurdle (1984), Durkan Brothers Chase (1985), Cheltenham Gold Cup (1986).

 

Associations – John Riordan, Paddy Mullins, Charmian Hill.

 

Earnings – ?