Florida Pearl

Florida Pearl
Florida Pearl
Sire	Florida Son
Dam	Ice Pearl
Damsire	Flatbush
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1992
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	P. Mackean
Owner	Mrs. Violet O'Leary
Trainer	Willie Mullins
Record	33: 16-6-2
Earnings	£882,781
Major wins
	Champion Bumper (1997); Dr P. J. Moriarty Memorial Novice Chase (1998); Royal & SunAlliance Chase (1998); Hennessy Gold Cup (Ireland) ; (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004); James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase (1999); John Durkan Memorial Chase (2001); King George VI Chase (2001); Betfair Bowl (2002); Punchestown Gold Cup (2002); Normans Grove Chase (2004)
	Last updated on December 5, 2008

Last updated April 02, 2021

Florida Pearl (1992-2012) was an Irish-bred race horse who raced in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was owned by Mrs Violet O'Leary and trained by Willie Mullins. His major race successes included the Champion Bumper, Royal & SunAlliance Chase, King George VI Chase, and a record four Irish Hennessy's (Hennessy Gold Cup (Ireland)), among other races.

Florida Pearl made his debut when winning a 4YO Maiden at Lismore in March 1996. He did not reappear then until December of that year, where he followed up by winning a National Hunt Flat Race at Leopardstown. He was then stepped straight up to Grade 1 class for the 1997 Cheltenham Festival, where he won the Champion Bumper by five lengths in his final appearance of that season.

He reappeared in December 1997, where he won a Beginners Chase at Leopardstown. Following that, he was stepped up in class for the Grade 2 Dr.P.J. Moriarty Memorial Novice Chase, for which he was an odds on favourite and obliged with a 1-length victory over Boss Doyle. Following that victory, he was sent off the 11/8 favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, where he defied his relative inexperience over fences to record a 1½ length victory over Escartefigue, under Richard Dunwoody, maintaining his unbeaten record.

He made his first start of the 1998/99 season at Leopardstown in December in the Ericsson Chase, where he was sent off an odds-on favourite. Travelling strongly in the race, he made a mistake three out which resulted in him falling, leaving Doran's Pride to win. Despite this fall, he was still sent off an odds-on favourite for the Irish Hennessy in February 1999, where he recorded a 2-length victory over old rival Escarefigue. He was then sent off the 5/2 favourite for the 1999 Cheltenham Gold Cup under Richard Dunwoody, finishing a 17-length 3rd behind the winner, See More Business. Florida Pearl made his final appearance of that season in April in the Punchestown Gold Cup, where he was once again sent off the odds-on favourite and finished a 14-length 2nd to Imperial Call.

He began the 1999–00 season in the Grade 1 James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase, which he won from Doran's Pride by 2½ lengths. He then contested Ericsson Chase for the second season in a row, where he again failed to justify odds-on favouritism when finishing 2nd to Rince Ri. He came back to Leopardstown to contest his first Handicap, where he only just defied top weight when running out a short winner from Amberleigh House. He then contested the Irish Hennessy for the 2nd successive season and was a 5½ length winner over old foe Doran's Pride. Florida Pearl came back to contest the Cheltenham Gold Cup, where he was sent off the 9/2 joint 2nd favourite behind the previous year's winner and favourite, See More Business (9/4). In a race which was marred by the subsequent death of the then-race leader Gloria Victis, Florida Pearl was unsuccessful in his bid to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing a 5-length second to fellow 9/2 joint favourite Looks Like Trouble.

In the 2000/01 season, Florida Pearl made five appearances, all at Grade 1 level. He had no luck in his first three races of the season, starting in the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase, where he finished a distant fourth to reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup Champion Looks Like Trouble. He went on to be denied by a short head by Native Upmanship in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown. Florida Pearl then made his first appearance at Kempton in the King George VI Chase, where he finished a 10-length 2nd to First Gold. He regained the winning thread, when winning the Irish Hennessy for the 3rd successive season, beating stablemate Alexander Banquet by 2 lengths. He was unable to run at the Cheltenham Festival because it was abandoned due to the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis. In his final appearance of the season, Florida Pearl finished a 6-length 2nd to Moscow Express in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The 2001/02 season proved to be a lot more successful for Florida Pearl, although it began with a 2½ length 3rd behind Foxchapel King in the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase. He exacted revenge on Native Upmanship from the previous season with a short head win in the John Durkan Memorial Chase. Florida Pearl then returned to Kempton for the King George VI Chase in December, where he again exacted revenge on last year's winner, First Gold, with a 3/4 length victory over Best Mate. He went back to Leopardstown to contest the Irish Hennessy for the 4th successive season, where he was sent off the 6/4 favourite and finished a 25-length 4th behind the winner and stablemate Alexander Banquet. He went back to contest the 2002 Cheltenham Gold Cup, where he finished 11th of 18 behind the winner, Best Mate. He returned to England for his next start in the Grade 2 Martell Cup Chase, where he cruised to an 11-length victory over Cyfor Malta. He made one more successful appearance that season when winning the Punchestown Gold Cup by 3 lengths over Native Upmanship.

In 2002–03, Florida Pearl failed to get his head in front in five attempts. After being beaten a distance in the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase and the King George VI Chase, behind More Than A Stroll and Best Mate respectively, he was pulled up in the race associated with him, the 2003 Irish Hennessy. He was then dropped down to 2 miles at the Cheltenham Festival and finished 8th of 11 behind Moscow Flyer in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. In his final start of the season, he finished fifth behind old foe First Gold in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

The following season, 2003–04, proved to be Florida Pearl's final season racing, and he only made two appearances on the racecourse. He began the season in January 2004, where he made a successful return to action at Fairyhouse in the Grade 3 Norman Grove Chase, running out a 2-length winner over Rince Ri. In his final race, Florida Pearl returned to Leopardstown to contest the Irish Hennessy one last time, where he was sent off the 5/1 fourth favourite in the betting under jockey, Richard Johnson. He defied these odds to win the race for the fourth time at the age of 12, with a 3-length victory over the 15/8 favourite, Le Coudray.

Florida Pearl was euthanised on 5 May 2012 due to a rare condition linked to a malignant cancer.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Native Upmanship is a former National Hunt racehorse. He was trained in Ireland by Arthur Moore and owned by John Magnier.

Rince Ri was a National Hunt racehorse. He was trained in Ireland by Ted Walsh and owned by Frank Moriarty.

Beef or Salmon is a multiple Grade 1 winning National Hunt racehorse. He was trained in Ireland by Michael Hourigan and owned by B J Craig And Dan McLarnon. He was most famous for defeating three Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in Best Mate, Kicking King, and War of Attrition and also for his defeat of the 2005 Grand National winner, Hedgehunter.

Danoli was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He was best known for his successes in hurdle races, although he also had success in steeplechases later in his career. Danoli was described as the most popular racehorse in Ireland during the 1990s, and was regarded as "the People's Champion". His successes were achieved despite the fact that his career was frequently disrupted by injury. He was noted for a rivalry with another Irish horse, Dorans Pride.

Fortria was an Irish National Hunt horse best known as the first dual winner of the Champion Chase and winner of the inaugural Mackeson Gold Cup. Although very successful over two miles, he also excelled at longer distances, and won the 1961 Irish Grand National and finished second in the 1962 and 1963 Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Imperial Call was an Irish racehorse. He was a specialist steeplechaser who ran thirty-two times and won sixteen races under National Hunt rules. After showing promise as a hurdler and novice chaser, Imperial Call emerged as a top-class jumper with a win in the Hennessy Gold Cup in February 1996. A month later, he became the first Irish-trained horse for ten years to win Britain's most prestigious steeplechase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. His subsequent career was disrupted by injury problems but he won further major races including the Punchestown Chase in 1998 and the Punchestown Gold Cup in 1999. Unlike most modern racehorses, Imperial Call was not a Thoroughbred.

Jodami was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist steeplechaser, he ran thirty-nine time and won eighteen races in a career which lasted from March 1990 until February 1997. After winning five races over hurdles, Jodami switched to racing over fences in the autumn of 1991. In early 1993 he won four consecutive races, culminating with a win in Britain's most prestigious steeplechase, the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He also won three editions of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown Racecourse. Jodami's racing career was ended by injury in 1997. He died in 2008.

Sizing Europe is an Irish National Hunt horse, best known for winning the 2011 Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. He won the Irish Champion Hurdle in 2008 before switching to chasing, where he has won six Grade 1s over fences.

Sir Des Champs was a French-bred, Irish-trained AQPS racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. After winning only one of his five races in his native country, Sir Des Champs was transferred to Ireland and won seven races in succession including the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, Greenmount Park Novice Chase, Killiney Novice Chase, Jewson Novices' Chase and Growise Champion Novice Chase. The 2012/2013 saw the emergence of a rivalry between Sir Des Champs and another Irish-trained chaser Flemenstar. After beating his rival in the Hennessy Gold Cup, Sir Des Champs was regarded as a leading contender for the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup in which he finished second to Bobs Worth. He suffered a fatal injury when competing in Point-to-point racing in May 2018.

Cue Card is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist steeplechaser, he has won fifteen of his thirty-three races, including nine at Grade I level.

Rule Supreme is a retired, Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. During a racing career which lasted from May 2001 until December 2009 he won eleven of his forty-six races and was placed on nineteen occasions. He showed some promise in his early career but emerged as a top-class performer in 2004 when he won the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham Racecourse in England and the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil at Auteuil Hippodrome in France. In the following year he won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland. After his career in National Hunt races was ended by injury he had some success on the amateur Point-to-point circuit.

Champagne Fever is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is noted for his front-running style and has won seven of his thirteen races. After beginning his racing career on the amateur point-to-point circuit he became the dominant National Hunt Flat performer in Britain and Ireland in 2012, winning the Champion Bumper and the Champion INH Flat Race. In the following season he was campaigned in novice hurdle races and won two more Grade I races, the Deloitte Novice Hurdle in Ireland and Supreme Novices' Hurdle in England. In his first season over steeplechase fences he won one minor race and finished second in the Arkle Challenge Trophy and in the following year he added win in the Clonmel Oil Chase and Red Mills Chase.

Lord Windermere is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is a successful steeplechaser, winning the RSA Chase in 2013 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2014.

Klairon Davis was a French-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed under National Hunt rules. In a racing career which lasted from April 1993 and May 2001, he won twenty of his fifty-four races and was placed on sixteen occasions. After beginning in National Hunt Flat races he competed over hurdles winning the Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle in 1994. In the following season he raced in novice chases and recorded major wins in the Dennys Gold Medal Chase, Arkle Novice Chase and Arkle Challenge Trophy. In 1996 he had his biggest success when taking the Queen Mother Champion Chase and followed up in the BMW Handicap Chase. He was never as good again, but won a second BMW Chase in 1997 and took the Normans Grove Chase in 1998, 1999 and 2001 before retiring at the age of twelve. During his career he had sustained rivalries with the leading Irish jumpers Sound Man and Merry Gale.

Vautour was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing and won three times at the Cheltenham Festival. After beginning his racing career in France he moved to Ireland and made an immediate impact over hurdles in the spring of 2014 winning the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, Deloitte Novice Hurdle, Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Tattersalls Champion Novice Hurdle.

Bacchanal was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. He was lightly-raced, winning ten of his twenty races between January 1999 and January 2003. As a novice hurdler he won two of his four races and in the following season he won the Gerry Feilden Hurdle before recording his biggest win in the Stayers' Hurdle. He later developed into a top class steeplechaser, winning the Feltham Novices' Chase, Reynoldstown Novices' Chase and Aon Chase and twice finishing third in the King George VI Chase. He returned to hurdles to win the Long Distance Hurdle in 2002, but was killed in a fall at Cheltenham in January 2003.

Don Cossack is a retired German-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. Since his second race the gelding has been owned by the Gigginstown House Stud and trained in County Meath by Gordon Elliott. He was ridden by many leading jockeys including Nina Carberry, Davy Russell, Bryan Cooper, Barry Geraghty, A. P. McCoy and Paul Carberry.

Djakadam is a French-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt races.

Special Tiara was a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. He specialised in steeplechases over the minimum distance of two miles and was a confirmed front-runner who usually attempted to lead from the start. He scored his first major success in 2013 when he won the Maghull Novices' Chase and went on to win the Celebration Chase in 2015 and two editions of the Desert Orchid Chase. In March 2017 he recorded his biggest success when he took the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the fourth attempt. He was euthanized after sustaining an injury in the 2019 Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

Sizing John is a British-bred, Irish trained thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is trained by Jessica Harrington and owned by Ann and Alan Potts, and is best known for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017. He has been ridden in most of his races by Jonathon Burke, but has more recently been ridden Robbie Power, including all four of his Grade 1 wins over fences. He also won a Grade 1 over Hurdles, the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2014, and spent much of his early chasing career finishing second or third in races won by Douvan, widely regarded as one of the best chasers of recent times.

References

↑ "FLORIDA PEARL DIES, AGED TWENTY | Sporting Life - Horse Racing News | Live Racing Results, Racecards, Live Betting Shows". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-05-07.

External links

pedigreequery.com - Florida Pearl's pedigree
racingpost.com - Florida Pearl's race record

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "FLORIDA PEARL DIES, AGED TWENTY | Sporting Life - Horse Racing News | Live Racing Results, Racecards, Live Betting Shows". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-05-07.

[1]