Fleeting Spirit

Last updated
Fleeting Spirit
Sire Invincible Spirit
Grandsire Green Desert
DamMillennium Tale
Damsire Distant Relative
Sex Mare
Foaled8 March 2005
CountryIreland
Colour Bay
BreederBernadette Hayden
OwnerThe Searchers syndicate
Trainer Jeremy Noseda
Record16: 5-5-1
Earnings£ 695,549
Major wins
Molecomb Stakes (2007)
Flying Childers Stakes (2007)
Temple Stakes (2008)
July Cup (2009)
Awards
European Champion Sprinter (2009)

Fleeting Spirit is a retired, Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was trained in the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from 2007 to 2010. She was a specialist sprinter, running all of her races over five and six furlongs. Fleeting Spirit was the highest-rated British-trained two-year-old filly of 2007 and went on to win the Group Two Temple Stakes at Haydock in 2008 and the Group One July Cup in 2009. In the last named year she was awarded the title of European Champion Sprinter at the Cartier Racing Awards.

Contents

Background

Fleeting Spirit, a "delightful little" [1] bay mare with a small white star, was bred at Kilcullen, County Kildare, Ireland by Bernadette Hayden. The success of Fleeting Spirit led to Mrs Hayden being named as outstanding small breeder of 2007 by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association. [2] Fleeting Spirit's sire Invincible Spirit was a sprinter who won the Haydock Sprint Cup in 2002. He has gone on to be a "leading" sire, getting the winners of more than five hundred races including Moonlight Cloud, Lawman (Prix du Jockey Club), Hooray (Cheveley Park Stakes) and Vale of York (Breeders' Cup Juvenile). [3]

Fleeting Spirit was sent as a yearling to the Goffs sales in September 2006 where she was bought for €35,000 by Con Marnane, a bloodstock agent who specialised in "pinhooking" buying horses at auction and then selling them on at a profit. [4] Seven months later, Marnane's investment paid off at the Tattersalls "breeze-up" sale where the filly was sold for 90,000gns to Anthony Stroud [5] acting on behalf of "The Searchers", a five-member syndicate which included Andy Stewart and Paul Roy. [6] She was trained throughout her career at Newmarket, Suffolk by Jeremy Noseda.

Racing career

2007: two-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit made her racecourse debut in a maiden race at Nottingham in June. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, she led from the start and was never headed, winning by two lengths. [7] Fleeting Spirit was prevented from running at Royal Ascot after contracting an infection [8] and Jeremy Noseda decided to wait for Glorious Goodwood where she was moved up to Group Three class to run against colts in the Molecomb Stakes. Fleeting Spirit tracked the leaders before moving up to dispute the lead with Kingsgate Native .The two horses raced together in the final furlong before Fleeting Spirit gained the advantage and prevailed by a neck. [9]

The filly was moved up to six furlongs for her next start in the Lowther Stakes at York, but after leading at the two furlong mark she was caught in the closing stages and finished third behind Nahoodh and the subsequently disqualified Visit. Just over an hour after her defeat, the form of her Goodwood win was boosted when Kingsgate Native defeated a field of older sprinters to win the Nunthorpe Stakes. [10]

In September, Fleeting Spirit returned to five furlongs and started 5/4 favourite for the Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster. Dettori sent the filly into the lead a furlong out and she beat Spirit of Sharjah by one and three quarter lengths. [11] The result confirmed her status as "one of the fastest juveniles in training" [12] Among the unplaced horses was the colt Dark Angel, who won the Group One Middle Park Stakes on his next start. On her final start of the year Fleeting Spirit again attempted six furlongs in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes. She failed by a neck to catch the front-running, French-trained Natagora, with the two fillies finishing four lengths clear of the rest of the field. Noseda was positive in defeat saying that it was "disappointing to get beat but she's run a huge race. [13]

2008: three-year-old season

Instead of being aimed at the one mile 1000 Guineas, Fleeting Spirit was aimed at the top sprint races as a three-year-old. Noseda explained that "she is so fast and to try to get a mile is to destroy her natural asset". [14] On her first start in May, she raced against colts and older horses in the Temple Stakes over five furlongs at Haydock Park. Ridden by Ryan Moore she broke from the stalls in a "sluggish" fashion and was behind in the early stages. Moore moved the filly up to challenge a furlong out and she quickened clear, winning by two lengths from Borderlescott who went on to win the next two runnings of the Nunthorpe Stakes. [15] The winning time of 57.15 broke the track record by more than a second. [16] Fleeting Spirit was then made 15/8 favourite for the Group One King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. She again started slowly before producing a sustained late run to finish third, beaten half a length and a neck by Equiano and Takeover Target. Noseda later explained that Fleeting Spirit was a "sick" horse after the race, and that she never fully recovered in 2008. [17]

Fleeting Spirit was off the course for almost four months before running in a bizarre renewal of the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp. At the start of the race, Fleeting Spirit's stall failed to open, leaving the filly banging her head against the gate [18] as the other runners set off. A false start was called, but several runners, headed by the Hungarian Champion Overdose ignored the recall and completed the race. The "result" was set aside and the race was re-run later in the afternoon although the connections of three of the runners who had completed the course declined to take part. [19] Racing on soft ground for the first time, Fleeting Spirit looked outpaced at one stage, but finished strongly to be fifth of the seventeen runners, beaten just over three lengths by Marchand d'Or. On her final start of the year she finished fourth, beaten just over two lengths in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park.

2009: four-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit made a belated start to her championship season, first appearing in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Not for the first time she made a slow start and was towards the back of the field for the first half of the race. She finished strongly however, to finish second of fifteen starters, beaten three quarters of a length by the Australian-trained Scenic Blast. The July Cup at Newmarket attracted a strong international field, including Takeover Target and Scenic Blast from Australia, J J the Jet Plane from South Africa and African Rose (Haydock Sprint Cup) from France. Apart from Fleeting Spirit, the British runners included Equiano, Paco Boy, King's Apostle (Prix Maurice de Gheest) and Art Connoisseur (Golden Jubilee Stakes). Ridden by Tom Queally, Fleeting Spirit tracked the leaders before moving up to take the lead a furlong out. Although she veered first left and then right in the closing stages she ran on strongly to win by a length and a quarter from Main Aim in a time of 1:09.58. [20] There was a stewards' inquiry into possible interference caused by Fleeting Spirit but the result was allowed to stand. [21] Noseda paid tribute to the filly saying that,"she is back to her very best and that's the best she has ever run in her life. She is a very tough and talented filly." [22]

Racing on soft ground in the Haydock Sprint Cup in September, Fleeting Spirit started the 100/30 favourite and took the lead a furlong out but was caught in the closing stages and beaten half a length by Regal Parade. A month later in the Prix de l'Abbaye she made her customary slow start and before finishing strongly, failing by a neck to catch Total Gallery. On her final start of the year she was sent back to Santa Anita, this time to contest the Breeders' Cup Sprint on the artificial Pro-Ride surface. She was unable to reach the lead but, in finishing seventh, she was beaten less than two and a half lengths by Dancing in Silks. Noseda felt that she had failed to settle in her unfamiliar surroundings and announced that she would stay in training for 2010. [23]

2010: five-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit did stay in training at five, but ran only twice and failed to recapture her best form as she struggled to overcome ankle injuries. She finished fourth to the Australian-bred Starspangledbanner in the Golden Jubilee Stakes in June and fifth behind the same horse in the July Cup.

Her retirement was announced in September by Jeremy Noseda who said that "the wear and tear from so many big runs has taken its toll and she owes us absolutely nothing, so it seems the right thing to do to retire her." [24]

Assessment

In the 2007 International Classification for two-year-olds Fleeting Spirit was rated the best British-trained filly and the third best filly in Europe behind Zarkava and Natagora. [25] In the 2009 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings Fleeting Spirit's rating of 118 was the highest for any European-trained sprinter. [26] She had been rated 115 in the previous year.

in the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards she was named European Champion Sprinter. [27]

Breeding record

In her first season at stud, Fleeting Spirit was sent to be covered by the Derby winner Galileo. In April 2011 it was announced that a scan had confirmed she had conceived successfully and was "in foal". [28] In February 2011, Fleeting Spirit produced her first foal, a filly by Galileo. [29]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Fleeting Spirit (IRE), bay mare, 2005 [30]
Sire
Invincible Spirit (IRE)
1997
Green Desert
1983 
Danzig Northern Dancer
Pas de Nom
Foreign Courier Sir Ivor
Courtly Dee
Rafha
1987 
Kris Sharpen Up
Doubly Sure
Eljazzi Artaius
Border Bounty
Dam
Millennium Tale (FR)
1996
Distant Relative
1986 
Habitat Sir Gaylord
Little Hut
Royal SisterClaude
Ribasha
The Bean Sidhe
1983 
Corvaro Vaguely Noble
Delmora
Whiskey MountainBold Hour
Touch the Clouds (Family: 2-e)

Related Research Articles

Superstar Leo is an Irish-bred, British-trained retired champion Thoroughbred racehorse and successful broodmare. She was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards and was the highest-rated two-year-old filly in the International Classification for 2000. In her championship season she won five races and finished second in the other three. She failed to win in five starts as a three-year-old and was then retired to stud.

Blue Duster was an American-bred, British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse. She was named European Champion Two-year-old Filly in the Cartier Racing Awards for 1995 and was the highest rated juvenile filly in the International Classification. In her championship season Blue Duster was unbeaten in four races including the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes, the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes and the Group Three Queen Mary Stakes.

Shadayid was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from June 1990 to November 1991 she ran eleven times winning five races and being placed five times. Shadayid was one of the leading two-year-old fillies in Europe in 1990, winning all three of her races including the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at the Longchamp. After winning the Fred Darling Stakes on her three-year-old debut, Shadayid took her unbeaten run to five by winning the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Although she never won again, she finished second in the Coronation Stakes and the Sussex Stakes and third in the Haydock Sprint Cup and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Shadayid was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the end of her three-year-old season after finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Moonlight Cloud Racehorse

Moonlight Cloud is a British–bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who has won the Prix Maurice de Gheest three times and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. In a famous race for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in 2012, she was beaten a head by the Australian champion Black Caviar in a photo-finish. She is owned by George Strawbridge and trained by Freddy Head.

Marwell was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. A specialist sprinter, she won ten of her thirteen races, including several against colts and older horses, and was the highest-rated filly of her generation in Europe at both two and three years of age. She won all five of her races as a two-year-old in 1980, including the Molecomb Stakes, Flying Childers Stakes, and Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year, she was beaten over a mile in the classic 1000 Guineas but returned to sprinting to win the King's Stand Stakes July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye. She was retired from racing at the end of 1981 and became a successful broodmare. Marwell died in 2003.

Judy the Beauty is a Canadian-bred, American-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Adena Springs in Ontario, she has been owned and trained throughout her racing career by Wesley Ward who bought her for $20,000 as a yearling. As a juvenile, she won her first three races before finishing second in the Spinaway Stakes. In a brief three-year-old season she finished second in all three of her races. In 2013 she established herself as one of the best female sprinters in North America, winning the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes and finishing second to Groupie Doll in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She was even better at five, winning the Las Flores Handicap, Madison Stakes and Rancho Bernardo Handicap before ending her season with a win in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. After her retirement, Judy the Beauty was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2018.

Muhaarar British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Muhaarar is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he showed very good form, winning the Gimcrack Stakes and finishing third in both the July Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. He began his three-year-old career with a win in the Greenham Stakes before emerging as a leading sprinter with victories in the Commonwealth Cup, July Cup, Prix Maurice de Gheest and British Champions Sprint Stakes.

Borderlescott is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist sprinter noted for his consistency and durability he raced 85 times on 25 different tracks in twelve seasons between 2004 and 2015. He won fourteen races and was placed second or third on thirty occasions. In his early career the gelding showed promising form, winning one minor race as a juvenile in 2004 and four handicap races in the following year. In 2006 he recorded his first major success when he won the Stewards' Cup. He failed to win in 2007 but emerged as a top-class sprinter in the following year when his wins included the Nunthorpe Stakes. He won the Nunthorpe Stakes again in 2009 and added a win in the King George Stakes in 2010. He won the Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes in 2012 before being retired at the end of the year. He came out of retirement in 2013 and raced nineteen times without success before being retired again in 2015.

Kingsgate Native is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a precocious juvenile sprinter, winning the Nunthorpe Stakes against older horses as well as finishing second in the Prix de l'Abbaye, Windsor Castle Stakes and Molecomb Stakes. He was equally successful in 2008, winning the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot before being retired to become a breeding stallion.

Devon Ditty was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from April 1978 until August 1980, she won eleven of her twenty-four races, finished second three times and third on four occasions. As a two-year-old she won two minor races from her first four starts but then emerged as arguably the best British filly with five consecutive wins in the Cherry Hinton Stakes, Princess Margaret Stakes, Lowther Stakes, Flying Childers Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes. At three she was mainly campaigned over sprint races: she won the Gus Demmy Stakes at Haydock Park and was placed in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, King George Stakes, Goldene Peitsche and Haydock Sprint Cup. In the following year she raced in California where she won three times from seven races. She later had some success as a broodmare, producing several minor winners.

Dead Certain (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Dead Certain was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from May 1989 until September 1990 she won five of her twelve races. She was one of the best two-year-old fillies in Britain in 1989 when she won four of her six races including the Queen Mary Stakes, Lowther Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes. In the following year she competed mainly in sprint races and recorded another major success when she won the Prix Maurice de Gheest. After her retirement from racing she had some success as a broodmare. Her last foal was born in 2008.

Wannabe Grand was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from May 1998 until November 1999, she won four races and was placed five times from sixteen starts. She was one of the best juvenile fillies in Britain in 1998 when she won the Empress Stakes, Cherry Hinton Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes as well as finishing second in the Lowther Stakes. In the following year she finished second in the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal debut and went on to win the Flying Fillies' Stakes, as well as being placed in the Coronation Stakes, Oak Tree Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes. She was retired from racing to become a broodmare and produced at least seven winners.

Hooray (horse) British Thoroughbred racehorse

Hooray is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred and owned by the Cheveley Park Stud she won five of her thirteen races in a racing career which lasted from June 2010 until October 2011. In 2010 she was rated the best filly of her age in Europe when she won the Lowther Stakes, the Sirenia Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes. She was not so successful as a three-year-old, recording her only success in the Surrey Stakes. At the end of the year she returned to Cheveley Park to become a broodmare and produced her first foal in 2013.

Quiet Reflection British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Quiet Reflection is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist sprinter with a preference for soft ground, she showed very good form as a two-year-old in 2015 when she won three of her four races including the Harry Rosebery Stakes and the Cornwallis Stakes. In the following year she established herself as one of the best sprinters in Europe with wins in the Prix Sigy, Sandy Lane Stakes, Commonwealth Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup. All of her victories have come against male opposition. In November 2016 became the first three-year-old filly to be named Cartier Champion Sprinter. She was retired after the 2017 British Champions Sprint.

Soldier's Tale was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a talented but injury-prone sprinter who raced only eight times before he retired at the age of six. Unraced as a two-year-old he won one minor race from two starts in early 2004 before being off the course for over a year. As a four-year-old in 2005 he won his first two races including the Chipchase Stakes before finishing fourth in the July Cup. He missed the whole of the 2006 season before returning as a six-year-old in 2007. He finished third in the Duke of York Stakes and the John of Gaunt Stakes before recording his biggest victory on his final appearance when he defeated a top-class international field to win the Golden Jubilee Stakes. After his retirement from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in Australia.

Equiano is a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist sprinter, he began his racing career in Spain where he won two races as a two-year-old in 2007. He began his second season in France, winning the Listed Prix des Sorbiers before being sent to England where he recorded an upset victory in the Group One King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was then relocated to England but failed to win in 2009 before returning to his best form as a five-year-old in 2010. In that year he won the Abernant Stakes and the Palace House Stakes before winning the King's Stand Stakes for a second time. After his retirement from racing he became a breeding stallion and had had some success as a sire of winners.

Magical (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Magical is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who excelled over middle distances and was rated in the top twenty racehorses in the world in 2018 and 2019. She showed considerable ability as a juvenile in 2017, winning the Debutante Stakes and finishing second in the Moyglare Stud Stakes as well as running fourth in both the Prix Marcel Boussac and the Fillies' Mile. In the following year she won the Kilboy Estate Stakes but did not produce her best form until autumn when she took the British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes and was narrowly beaten in the Breeders' Cup Turf. In 2019 she won the Alleged Stakes, Mooresbridge Stakes, Tattersalls Gold Cup, Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes as well as finishing second in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks. As a five-year-old she was as good as ever, winning the Pretty Polly Stakes and recording repeat victories in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Stakes as well as being placed in the International Stakes, Champion Stakes, Breeders' Cup Turf and Hong Kong Cup.

Eqtidaar Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Eqtidaar, is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise as two-year-old when he won a maiden race on his debut and then finished fourth in the Sirenia Stakes. In the following year he was beaten in the Pavilion Stakes and the Carnarvon Stakes before recording his biggest win in the Commonwealth Cup. In two subsequent races that year he ran poorly in the July Cup and the Haydock Sprint Cup.

Glass Slippers (horse) British Thoroughbred racehorse

Glass Slippers is a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for her performances over sprint distances. As a two-year-old in 2018 she showed promising form as she won two minor races from five starts. In the following year she was beaten in four races in Britain but the showed top class form over sprint distances when she was campaigned in France later in the year. She won the Prix Moonlight Cloud and the Prix du Petit Couvert before recording her first Group 1 victory in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp. She continued to race at the highest level in 2020, adding another Group 1 win in the Flying Five Stakes and going on to take her biggest victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Regal Parade, is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a track career which lasted from January 2007 until October 2016 he contested 104 races, winning 13 times and being placed on 27 occasions. He won three minor races as a three-year-old in 2007 and improved in the following year to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes and the Ayr Gold Cup. In the next two years he showed top class form over sprint distances, taking the City Plate and Haydock Sprint Cup in 2009 and the Hackwood Stakes and Prix Maurice de Gheest in 2010. He remained in training until the age of twelve but never returned to the highest class and won only three minor races before being retired from racing,

References

  1. "Royal Ascot preview". The Independent. London. 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  2. "Bernadette Hayden". Breederscup.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  3. "Invincible Spirit Stud Record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  4. "THE IRISH FIELD". The Irish Field. 2011-10-18. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  5. "Millennium Tale sales statistics" . Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.[ dead link ]
  6. White And Gold (2008-10-22). "Fleeting Spirit in the Breeders' Cup frame". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  7. "EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  8. "FLEETING GLORY IN MOLECOMB". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  9. "Molecomb Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  10. "Juvenile Kingsgate Native upsets elders". Thoroughbred Times. 2007-08-23. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  11. "Flying Childers Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  12. "Fleeting Spirit flies home in Group Two". The Racehorsem. 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  13. "http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=racing/07/10/05/RACING_Cheveley_Snap.html
  14. "Fleeting Spirit denies elders with late burst" . Retrieved 2011-10-28 via The Free Library.
  15. "Temple Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  16. "Fleeting Spirit smashes Haydock track record in style". The Racehorse. 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  17. Schweitzer, Mary. "Fleeting Spirit Soars to Victory in July Cup". BloodHorse. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  18. "False start chaos at Longchamp". RTE. 2008-10-05. Archived from the original on 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  19. Wilson, Chris (2008-10-06). "Longchamp's curtain raiser is a French farce". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  20. "July Cup result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  21. "Fleet-of-foot Spirit outdoes Blast". The Independent. London. 2009-07-11. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  22. "Fleeting Spirit flies to July Cup win". Thoroughbred Times. 2009-07-10. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  23. James Burn (2009-11-10). "Noseda confirms 2010 campaign for Fleeting Spirit". Racing Post . Retrieved 2011-10-28.[ dead link ]
  24. "Fleeting Spirit retires". BBC News. 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  25. "WTRR07_ALL_2008_Book.qxp" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  26. "wtrr_2009_ final.qxp" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  27. Armytage, Marcus (2009-11-18). "Cartier Awards". Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  28. "Makin's star sprinting mares scanned in foal". Racing Post . 2011-04-26. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  29. "Fleeting Spirit's first foal is a Galileo filly". Racing Post . 2012-02-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-07-01.
  30. "Fleeting Spirit pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-07-01.