Kooyonga

Last updated
Kooyonga
Sire Persian Bold
Grandsire Bold Lad (IRE)
DamAnjuli
DamsireNorthfields
Sex Mare
Foaled12 May 1988
CountryIreland
Colour Chestnut
BreederOvidstown Stud Stud
Owner Mitsuo Haga
Trainer Michael Kauntze
Record18: 9-4-1
Earnings£858,536
Major wins
Leopardstown Stakes (1990)
Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial (1991)
Irish 1,000 Guineas (1991)
Coronation Stakes (1991)
Matron Stakes (1991)
Eclipse Stakes (1992)
Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (1992)
Awards
European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1991)
Last updated on August 25, 2007

Kooyonga was an Irish champion Thoroughbred racehorse who raced from 1990 to 1992. After showing good form as a juvenile, she had a highly successful three-year-old campaign, winning the Group One Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes and being named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. She stayed in training as a four-year-old and became the second filly (after Pebbles) to win the Eclipse Stakes.

Contents

Background

Kooyonga was bred in Ireland by Sean Collins [1] at the Ovidstown Stud, near Maynooth, County Kildare. Her sire, Persian Bold was a successful racehorse who won the Richmond Stakes in 1977. He went on to be a "good" stallion, getting important winners such as Falcon Flight (Prix Hocquart), Persian Heights (St James's Palace Stakes) and Bold Russian (Celebration Mile). [2] Kooyonga's dam, Anjuli, was an unraced half sister of the 2000 Guineas winner Roland Gardens. [3]

Kooyonga was trained throughout her career by Michael Kauntze at Ashbourne, County Meath and ridden in all but three of her races by Warren O'Connor. Her name was derived from that of a Golf Club in South Australia. [4]

Racing career

1990: two-year-old season

Kooyonga first appeared on a racecourse in August when she won a maiden race at Gowran Park by three lengths. [5] Four weeks later she was moved up to Listed class and won the Silver Flash Stakes at Phoenix Park by a head from the odds-on favourite African Dance. [6] In October, she returned to Phoenix Park for the Cartier Million, a valuable sales race, in which she finished second to Rinka Das. On her final start she successfully moved to Group Three class to record a four length win in the Leopardstown Stakes. [7]

1991: three-year-old season

Kooyonga began her three-year-old season with a win in the Listed Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial and was then sent to England for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Ridden by Lester Piggott, the filly was held up in the early stages, before finishing strongly to finish second, two lengths behind the odds-on favourite Shadayid.

The Vincent O'Brien trained Rua d'Oro , who Piggott chose to ride rather than Kooyonga, was made favourite for the Irish 1,000 Guineas with Kooyonga starting at 4/1. Kooyonga proved much too good for the opposition, winning by three lengths under Warren O'Connor to record her first Group One win. [8] Following the race she was bought as prospective broodmare by the Japanese businessman Mitsuo Haga for a fee of $1,200,000. [9] The Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot featured a rematch between Kooyonga and Shadayid, who, since her Newmarket win, had finished third in the Oaks. O'Connor tracked the leaders on his filly before moving her past Gussy Marlowe to take the lead in the straight. Shadayid emerged to make a challenge, but Kooyonga ran on strongly to reverse the Newmarket form and win by three quarters of a length. [10]

In September, Kooyonga was prepared for an Autumn campaign with a run in the Matron Stakes, then a Group Three race, which she won by a length from Blue Daisy. She was then sent back to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, which attracted a strong field including Shadayid, Hector Protector, Selkirk and Second Set, who was made favourite after his win in the Sussex Stakes. Kooyonga moved into second place behind Shadayid in the straight and ran on strongly to overtake the English filly but was herself passed in the final furlong and beaten one and a half lengths by Selkirk.

On her final start of the season she was sent to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Mile, but failed to reproduce her best form, finishing thirteenth of the fourteen runners behind Opening Verse

1992: four-year-old season

Kooyonga stayed in training as a four-year-old, but did not run until June when she finished unplaced as odds-on favourite in a Listed race at Leopardstown. Kooyonga was then moved up in distance to ten furlongs and sent to Royal Ascot where she showed much improved form to finish first in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (then a Group Two race). She had hung to the right in the closing stages however, and was disqualified for causing interference to Young Buster who finished third, with the race being awarded to the Henry Cecil-trained Perpendicular. [11] Kauntze accepted that his filly had impeded Young Buster but added that "she was a bit unlucky... she was clearly the best horse on the day." [12]

Despite unsuitably soft ground, Kooyonga started 7/2 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown against a strong field which included notable winners such as Opera House (horse), Arcangues (horse), Zoman and Terimon. Kooyonga was held up at the back of the field until the straight, but then quickened past the field to take the lead a furlong out. She was ridden out by O'Connor to win "as she liked" by one and a half lengths. [13] O'Connor, who had been criticised for his riding at Ascot and had been practising his skills on a wooden horse, said that he "had them beaten two out and she still had a bit in hand at the finish." [14] As of 2020, she remains one of only three fillies to have won the Eclipse, the others being Pebbles in 1985 and Enable in 2019.

Kooyonga was sent to Germany for her next start, in which she was matched against Perpendicular again in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich in August. Kooyonga quickened into a clear lead a furlong out before being eased down in the closing stages to win "comfortably" [15] by three quarters of a length from Zaahi, with Perpendicular third. [16] Kooyonga was made favourite for the International Stakes at York but ran very poorly, struggling to go the pace from the start and being "virtually pulled up" by O'Connor in the straight. [17] It was subsequently revealed that Kooyonga had been in season at the time of the race. [18]

Hopes that Kooyonga would run in the Japan Cup [15] were abandoned after the filly failed to recover her form in her last two races. She finished a distant fourth behind Dr Devious and St Jovite in the Irish Champion Stakes, and was then well beaten when starting odds-on favourite for a minor stakes race at Leopardstown in October. [19]

Assessment

At the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards in 1991, Kooyonga was named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. [20] As a four year old she was described as one of "Ireland's two best horses for almost a decade" (the other being St Jovite). [18]

In the official International Classification, Kooyonga was rated 123 in 1991 when she was the highest rated horse of either sex trained in Ireland. She was rated 122 in 1992 in which she was the highest rated Irish-trained filly. [21]

Stud career

After being retired to stud Kooyonga produced at least four winners including Gaily The Pride (by Seeking The Gold) and Philomatheia (by Danzig). Her last known foal was born in 2000. [22]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Kooyonga (IRE), chestnut mare, 1988 [23]
Sire
Persian Bold (IRE)
1975		 Bold Lad (IRE)
1964　		 Bold Ruler Nasrullah
Miss Disco
Barn PrideDemocratic
Fair Alycia
Relkarunner
1968　		 Relko Tanerko
Relance
Running BlueBlue Peter
Run Honey
Dam
Anjuli (IRE)
1978		Northfields
1968　		 Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Little HutOccupy
Savage Beauty
Katricia
1968　		SkymasterGolden Cloud
Discipliner
Anxious CallWhistler
Julie (Family: 19) [24]

Related Research Articles

Virginia Waters is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from September 2004 to October 2005 she ran twelve times and won three races. After winning once from four starts as a two-year-old, she won the Group Three Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes on her first appearance of 2005. She then recorded her most important success when winning the Classic 1000 Guineas two of her six races including an upset win in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. Virginia Waters failed to win her remaining six races, her best results coming when she finished fourth in The Oaks and second in the Matron Stakes. At the end of her three-year-old season she was retired from racing to become a broodmare.

Imagine (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Imagine was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and The Oaks in 2001. In a racing career which lasted from August 2000 to June 2001 the filly ran ten times and won four races. As a two-year-old, Imagine ran six times, winning the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and finishing second in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket. The following spring, the filly was beaten in her first two races before winning the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. Imagine recorded her most valuable success on her final appearance, winning the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She never raced again, but proved to be a successful broodmare.

The Fugue British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

The Fugue is a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was named European Champion three-year-old filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. She won her only race as a two-year-old in 2011 before developing into one of the best fillies in Europe in the following season. She won the Musidora Stakes at York and the Nassau Stakes and was considered an unlucky loser in both the Oaks Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. In 2013, The Fugue won the Yorkshire Oaks before recording her biggest win in the Irish Champion Stakes. She then travelled to California to compete for a second time at the Breeders' Cup, finishing second in the Turf. As a five-year-old, she defeated a strong field to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot but was retired after suffering an injury in the Eclipse Stakes. She won six of her seventeen races, including four at Group One level.

Found (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Found is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Galileo out of the mare Red Evie, she represents the Coolmore Stud organisation and is trained by Aidan O'Brien. In 2014 she won a strong maiden race on her debut and then finished third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes before winning the Prix Marcel Boussac. She was rated the equal-best two-year-old filly to race in Europe in 2014.

Legatissimo British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Legatissimo is a British-bred Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After showing some promise as a juvenile, she showed marked improvement in the spring of 2015 and recorded her first major success in the 1000 Guineas. On her next appearance she was narrowly beaten when favourite for The Oaks. After another narrow defeat in the Pretty Polly Stakes she returned to top form to win the Nassau Stakes and the Matron Stakes

Lillie Langtry (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Lillie Langtry is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred at a small stud in County Cork she was sold as a yearling and raced for the Coolmore organisation. As a two-year-old, she was one of the best juvenile fillies in Ireland winning three of her seven races including the Fillies' Sprint Stakes, Debutante Stakes and Tattersalls Timeform Fillies' 800 as well as finishing third in both the Albany Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She was injured when finishing unplaced in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. In 2010 she recorded her biggest wins when achieving Group One victories in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown. She was retired at the end of the year with a record of five wins from eleven races and has become a successful broodmare, producing two Classic race-winning daughters.

Minding (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Minding is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She was among the leading two-year-old fillies of her generation in Europe in 2015 when she won three of her five races including the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland and the Fillies' Mile in England. On her first appearance of 2016 the filly posted a decisive victory in the classic 1000 Guineas but was subsequently beaten when favourite for the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She went on to win a second classic in The Oaks in June, the first filly to complete the Guineas-Oaks double since Kazzia in 2002. She went on to take her fifth and sixth Group One races with wins in the Pretty Polly Stakes and the Nassau Stakes. She then defeated male opposition to take the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. At the end of the year she was named Cartier Horse of the Year and the world's best three-year-old filly. She won on her reappearance in 2017 but subsequently suffered an injury which led to her retirement later that year without racing again.

Gossamer is a British thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from July 2001 until October 2002 she won four of her eight starts and was one of the best fillies of her generation in Europe at both two and three years of age. As a juvenile she was undefeated in three starts, following up a win in a maiden race with victories in the Group Three Prestige Stakes and the Group One Fillies' Mile. Despite fears that her diminutive stature made her unlikely to improve as a three-year-old, and a defeat when favourite the 1000 Guineas she recovered to record an emphatic success in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. The best of her three subsequent appearances came when she finished third to the colt Rock of Gibraltar in the Prix du Moulin. Since her retirement from racing she has become a successful broodmare.

Pleascach Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Pleascach is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse whose wins included the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Yorkshire Oaks. Bred and trained by Jim Bolger she showed promise in two starts as a two-year-old in 2015, finishing fourth in a Group Three race on her debut and then winning a maiden race. In the spring of 2016 she finished second on her first appearance, won the Blue Wind Stakes and then defeated Found in the Irish 1000 Guineas. In summer she was beaten by Curvy in the Ribblesdale Stakes and disappointed in the Pretty Polly Stakes before returning from a lengthy absence to win the Yorkshire Oaks. On her final appearance of the year she finished fourth in a top-class international field for the Irish Champion Stakes.

Matiya was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After winning on her racecourse debut she was beaten in her three remaining races as a two-year-old but showed very promising form when finishing third in the Fillies' Mile. In the following spring she finished second in the 1000 Guineas before recording her biggest success in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She went on to finish third in the Prix de Diane but finished last in her two subsequent races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. She had limited success as a broodmare.

Yesterday was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 2002, winning a maiden race and being placed in the Debutante Stakes and the Rockfel Stakes before taking the Eyrefield Stakes. In the following spring she won the Irish 1000 Guineas and appeared an unlucky loser when narrowly beaten in The Oaks. She failed to win again but finished placed in the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opéra and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Winter (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Winter is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She won one minor race from three starts as a two-year-old in 2016, but made considerable improvement in the following spring and won the 1000 Guineas on her fifth racecourse appearance. She went on to record further Group 1 victories in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes and Nassau Stakes.

Bracelet is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won the second of her two starts as a two-year-old in 2013 and developed into a top-class filly in the following year, taking the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial and Ribblesdale Stakes. She recorded her biggest victory on her sixth and final appearance when she won the Irish Oaks. She was retired from racing at the end of the season and became a broodmare for the Coolmore Stud.

Dance Design is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She competed in five different countries and won seven times from nineteen starts in a track career which lasted from August 1995 to November 1998.

Eva Luna (IRE) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. At the age of two in 1994 she was one of the best horses of her generation in Ireland when she won her first five races including the Silver Flash Stakes, Railway Stakes and Phoenix Stakes. Her winning run came to an end when she finished third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, and in 1993 she failed to recapture her juvenile form. After her retirement from racing she became a broodmare and produced a few minor winners. The last of her recorded offspring was foaled in 2010.

Happily (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Happily is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2017 she was one of best of her generation in Europe, winning four of her seven races including two at Group 1 level. After finishing unplaced on her debut she won a maiden race and the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes before running second to her stablemate Magical in the Debutante Stakes. She reversed the form to beat Magical in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and then defeated male opposition to take the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. At the end of the season she was voted Cartier Champion Two-year-old Filly. In the following year she was placed in the 1000 Guineas, Irish 1,000 Guineas and Sun Chariot Stakes.

Hydrangea (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Hydrangea is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She spent much of her early career being overshadowed by her more illustrious stablemates Rhododendron and Winter. In August 2017 she defeated an exceptionally strong field to win the Matron Stakes and went on to take the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.

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.

Hermosa (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Hermosa is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed very good form as a juvenile in 2018 when she won two of her seven races including the Weld Park Stakes as well as finishing second in both the Fillies' Mile and the Critérium International and third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She improved in the following spring to record Group 1 victories in the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Love (horse) Irish Thoroughbred racehorse

Love is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed top-class form as a juvenile in 2019 when she won three of her seven races including the Silver Flash Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes as well as running third in the Fillies' Mile. On her first appearance as a three-year-old she won the 1000 Guineas, following up with a facile victory in the Oaks Stakes and a similar win in the Yorkshire Oaks.

References

  1. ↑ Brian Fleming (2011-03-08). "Major breeding figure Sean Collins dies". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  2. ↑ "Persian Bold Stud Record". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  3. ↑ "Kooyonga pedigree". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  4. ↑ "Kooyonga Golf Club". Kooyongagolf.com.au. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  5. ↑ "Gowran Maiden result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  6. ↑ "Silver Flash Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  7. ↑ "Leopardstown Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  8. ↑ "Irish 1000 Guineas result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  9. ↑ "Kooyonga queen for a day" . Retrieved 2011-10-29– via The Free Library.
  10. ↑ "Coronation Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  11. ↑ "Prince of Wales's Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  12. ↑ "Kooyonga to follow the path of Pebbles". The Independent. 1992-07-04. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  13. ↑ "Eclipse Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  14. ↑ "Racing: Compensation for Kooyonga in Eclipse – Sport". The Independent. 1992-07-05. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  15. 1 2 "Ruby on a fling at age of five". The Independent. 1992-08-03. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  16. ↑ "Bayerisches Zuchtrennen result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  17. ↑ "International Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  18. 1 2 "Kooyonga to take on elite". The Independent. 1992-09-04. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  19. ↑ "Conduitions Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  20. ↑ "Racenews Newslink Archive". Racenewsonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  21. ↑ http://www.turfclub.ie/site/Irish_Classification_2009.pdf%5B%5D
  22. ↑ "Kooyonga Offspring". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  23. ↑ "Kooonga pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  24. ↑ "Davill's Old Woodcock Mare – Family 19". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
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.