Palace Pier (horse)

Last updated
Palace Pier
Owner Paul and Jenny Green.svg
Racing silks of Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Sire Kingman
Grandsire Invincible Spirit
DamBeach Frolic
Damsire Nayef
SexColt
Foaled20 March 2017 [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Colour Bay
BreederHighclere Stud & Floors Farming
Owner Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Trainer John Gosden
John & Thady Gosden
Record11: 9-1-1
Earnings£1,540,410
Major wins
St James's Palace Stakes (2020)
Prix Jacques Le Marois (2020, 2021)
Sandown Mile (2021)
Lockinge Stakes (2021)
Queen Anne Stakes (2021)
Awards
Cartier Champion Three-year-old Colt (2020)
Cartier Champion Older Horse (2021)

Palace Pier (foaled 20 March 2017) is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He won two minor events as a juvenile and a handicap race on his three-year-old debut before emerging as a top-class performer with victories in the St James's Palace Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois. In 2021 he won the Sandown Mile, Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and a second Prix Jacques Le Marois.

Contents

Background

Palace Pier is a bay colt with a white star bred in England by the Highclere Stud & Floors Farming. As a yearling in October 2018 he was put up for auction at Tattersalls and bought for 600,000 guineas by the trainer John Gosden. [1] He entered the ownership of Godolphin but was before his racing career began he was transferred to the ownership of Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

He was from the second crop of foals sired by Kingman who was named Cartier Horse of the Year in 2014 when he won the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois. [2] Palace Pier's dam Beach Frolic was an unraced half-sister to Bonfire (Dante Stakes) and Joviality (Windsor Forest Stakes). She was a great-granddaughter of the French broodmare Miss Satin (foaled 1975) whose other descendants have included Blue Bunting and Miss Satamixa (Prix Jacques Le Marois). [3]

Racing career

2019: two-year-old season

Frankie Dettori rode Palace Pier on both of his races in 2019. The colt began his track career in a maiden race over seven furlongs at Sandown Park on 30 August when he started the 11/8 favourite and won by three and three quarter lengths after taking the lead a furlong from the finish and drawing away from his opponents in the closing stages. [4] On 18 September, over the same course and distance, the colt started at odds of 1/8 for a novice race (for horses with no more than two previous wins) in which he led from the start and won by four and a half lengths from Mars Landing despite being eased down in the final furlong. [5]

2020: three-year-old season

The flat racing season in England was disrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and Palace Pier did not make his reappearance until 6 June when he carried top weight of 131 pounds in a handicap race over one mile on the synthetic Tapeta at Newcastle Racecourse. Ridden by Robert Havlin he started the 11/10 favourite and won in "impressive" style by three lengths after coming from well off the pace to take the lead inside the final furlong. [6] Two weeks after his win at Newcastle the colt was stepped up sharply in class to contest the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in which he was partnered by Dettori and started at odds of 4/1. Pinatubo started favourite while the other five runners included Wichita (second in the 2000 Guineas), Positive (Solario Stakes), Threat (Gimcrack Stakes), Arizona (Coventry Stakes) and Royal Dornoch (Royal Lodge Stakes). After starting slowly and racing towards the rear of the field Palace Pier began to make progress on the final turn, moved into contention a furlong out, and overtook Pinatubo in the closing stages to win "readily" by a length. [7] After the race John Gosden said "The race panned out well. Frankie said he wanted to ride him a little cold and settle him... It was no fluke, he is a very talented horse... It's a stiff old mile at Ascot and he showed his stamina" before indicating that the colt would be aimed at the Prix Jacques Le Marois. [8] Dettori, who was winning his 73rd race at Royal Ascot commented "It was hard to really get him fit, but John thought let's start him in a handicap which should wake him up, and it did... We always thought a lot of Palace Pier but his work in the spring wasn't what we thought it could've been, but since Newcastle he's turned a page. I expect him to improve". [9]

On 16 August Palace Pier was matched against older horses for the first time when he was sent to France to contest the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois over 1600 metres on heavy ground at Deauville Racecourse. With Dettori in the saddle he went off the 1.3/1 favourite ahead of six opponents including Persian King, Alpine Star, Circus Maximus and Romanised. After being restrained towards the rear of the field he made rapid progress to take the lead 200 metres from the finish and held off the sustained challenge of Alpine Star to win by three quarters of a length with a gap of five lengths back to Circus Maximus in third. [10] Gosden, who watched the race on television in England owing to quarantine rules said "He's never even worked on soft ground. It was a bit of a shock to him. He's impressed me with his courage. I know he's got a bundle of ability, but fully at the 600 meters where they join the main track, I saw Frankie's hands having to nurse him, and I thought, 'Uh-oh … he's hating this ground,' and I don't think he liked it one bit. But he just showed a lot of class and guts to get the job done. We've got to be thrilled with him". [11]

On his final run of the season Palace Pier started the odds-on favourite for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over one mile at Ascot on 17 October. He recovered from a poor start to move up into a challenging position two furlongs out but after losing a shoe he was unable to maintain his run and finished third behind The Revenant and Roseman. [12]

On 19 November Palace Pier was named Champion Three-year-old Colt at the Cartier Racing Awards. [13] In the 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Palace Pier was rated on 125, making him the equal third best racehorse in the world and the best three-year-old in Europe. [14]

2021: four-year-old season

Spring

Palace Pier was ridden by Dettori in his first four starts of 2021. The colt's third campaign began in the Group 2 Sandown Mile on 23 April when he started odds-on favourite against three opponents. He took the lead approaching the final furlong and drew away in the closing stages to win "comfortably" by eight lengths from Bless Him. [15] John Gosden commented "I was very clear that Palace Pier was at 80 per cent, but, luckily, no-one put it up to him today. He enjoys this track and won as a two-year-old here. It was a good performance and Frankie was very happy with him. He's having a good blow, but this will save me going up the all-weather gallops 100 times with him." [16]

At Newbury Racecourse on 15 May Palace Pier started the 1/2 favourite for the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes with the best fancied of his ten opponents being the Aidan O'Brien-trained Lope Y Fernandez. The colt settled towards the rear of the field before moving up to take the lead two furlongs from the finish and won by one and a half lengths from the five-year-old mare Lady Bowthorpe with a gap of five and a half lengths back to the third place finisher Top Rank. [17] After the race Dettori said "He found a nice rhythm and I knew he hits a flat spot between the two and three so I went to lay up, and he went whoosh and just took off... He could be the best miler I've ridden". [18]

Summer

At Royal Ascot on 15 July Palace Pier started 2/7 favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes in an eleven-runner field which also included Order of Australia, Accidental Agent, Lord Glitters, Top Rank and Bless Him. Palace Pier settled in fourth place as Prince Eiji and Pogo disputed the lead before moving up to take the lead approaching the final furlong. He quickly opened up a clear advantage and stayed on well to win by one and a half lengths from Lope Y Fernandez. [19] John Gosden commented "When you're odds-on like that it would be a bit odd if you weren't nervous, because the only thing around the corner is the banana skin, so it can happen, but I think Frankie was aware there would be no pace and he just asserted early. He's done it very smoothly. He's come through, won his race, but he's exactly like his father Kingman, as soon as he gets there he's done enough, and if I worked him at home with a very ordinary horse he would just stay with him, that's his game." [20] Palace Pier was expected to reappear in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in July but bypassed the race after he was found to be suffering from a "blood disorder". [21]

On 15 August Palace Pier attempted to repeat his 2020 victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville and started the odds-on favorite in an eight-runner field which included Poetic Flare, Order of Australia, Alpine Star and Victor Ludorum. He settled towards the rear before beginning to make progress 500 metres from the finish and overtook Poetic Flare inside the last 100 metres to win by a neck. [22] Commenting on the colt's interrupted preparation John Gosden said "I’ve made no secret of the fact that I lost a lot of time with him... we’ve come here on the complete minimum of work. Frankie reported that he came there smoothly and his class got him through... We always wanted to come back here but I’ve run a horse who is only on 80 per cent... He was just tiring towards those last few strides, but that’s because he was ill and he missed quite a lot of time that you can’t afford to lose coming into a Group 1". [23]

Autumn

Palace Pier ended his racing career on 16 October at Ascot when he made his second attempt to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and started the 6/4 favourite. He moved into contention in the last quarter mile but was unable to get on terms with the three-year-old Baaeed and was beaten a neck into second place. [24] John Gosden was "frustrated" by the way the race developed, commenting "Frankie said the pace was slow – it was too slow. He regrets not committing earlier. There was too much looking around – and he knows that." [25] Four days later it was announced that Palace Pier had been retired from racing. Gosden said "He's raced brilliantly this year, starting at Sandown, but his performance in the Lockinge was quite brilliant and he's always been a lovely horse to be around. He had a great attitude, physique and action... It's been a pleasure to train him. He had a great mind and was very genuine." [26]

On 10 November Palace Pier was named Champion Older Horse at the Cartier Racing Awards. [27]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Palace Pier (GB), bay colt, 2017 [1]
Sire
Kingman (GB)
2011
Invincible Spirit (IRE)
1997
Green Desert (USA) Danzig
Foreign Courier
Rafha (GB) Kris
Eljazzi (IRE)
Zenda (GB)
1999
Zamindar (USA) Gone West
Zaizafon
Hope (IRE) Dancing Brave (USA)
Bahamian
Dam
Beach Frolic (GB)
2011
Nayef (USA)
1998
Gulch Mr. Prospector
Jameela
Height of Fashion (FR) Bustino (GB)
Highclere (GB)
Night Frolic (GB)
2001
Night Shift (USA) Northern Dancer (CAN)
Ciboulette (CAN)
Miss d'Ouilly (FR) Bikala (IRE)
Miss Satin (Family: 4-n) [3]

Won the 2021 ascot Racw

Related Research Articles

John Gosden British horse trainer

John Harry Martin Gosden is a British racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the Arc, the King George, the Eclipse, and over 600 winners in the United States.

Aljabr was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who was trained in England and Dubai during a racing career which lasted from 1998 to 2000. He was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt for 1998, a year in which he was unbeaten in three starts including the Group One Prix de la Salamandre and the Group Three Vintage Stakes. Training problems restricted Aljabr to only six races in the next two seasons, but he won the Sussex Stakes as a three-year-old and the Lockinge Stakes at four.

Olympic Glory Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Olympic Glory is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the leading two-year-olds in Europe in 2012 when he won the Superlative Stakes, Vintage Stakes and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. His only defeat came when he finished second to the European Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Dawn Approach. He won the Greenham Stakes on his debut but ran poorly in his next race and was off the course for three months. He returned to finish second against older horses in both the Prix Jacques Le Marois and the Prix du Moulin before recording his most important success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. In the following year he won the Lockinge Stakes and the Prix de la Forêt

Kingman (British horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Kingman is a champion British Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2014 European Horse of the Year after winning the Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, and Prix Jacques le Marois

Night of Thunder (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Night of Thunder is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In May 2014, he won the 2000 Guineas. He failed to win again as a three-year-old but finished second in both the St James's Palace Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and third in the Prix du Moulin. On his four-year-old debut, he won the Lockinge Stakes.

Golden Horn (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Golden Horn is a champion British Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2015 European Horse of the Year after winning the Epsom Derby, Arc de Triomphe, Irish Champion Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, and coming second in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Jack Hobbs (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Jack Hobbs is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile, he established himself as a potentially top-class colt with a twelve length win in a race at Sandown on his three-year-old debut. He finished second to his stable companion Golden Horn in both the Dante Stakes and The Derby before winning the Irish Derby by five lengths. He ran twice more in 2015, winning the September Stakes before being beaten when favourite for the Champion Stakes. His 2016 season was badly disrupted by injury and he ran only twice, failing to complete his first start and being beaten on his eventual reappearance. However, he rebounded in 2017 by winning the Sheema Classic at Meydan Racecourse on Dubai World Cup Night.

Dubai Destination is a retired American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. As a two-year-old he showed great promise, winning two of his three races including the Champagne Stakes, but was beaten on his only run in 2002. He returned after a year-long absence in 2003 and recorded his biggest win when taking the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was retired to stud at the end of the year and has had some notable successes as a breeding stallion.

Starborough was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He usually led from the start of his races and was best at distances of around one mile. Bred and owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained in England by David Loder he showed promising form as a two-year-old in 1996, winning on his debut and finishing third and fourth against better opposition in his other two races. In the following year he finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas before recording Group One victories in the Prix Jean Prat and the St James's Palace Stakes, beating a particularly strong field in the latter race. Later that summer he finished second in the Sussex Stakes and fourth in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. He moved to the Godolphin stable in 1998 but his form deteriorated and he failed to win in three races. After he retired from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in France and had some success as a sire of winners.

Shalaa Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Shalaa is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2015 he was beaten on his debut but won his next five races including the July Stakes, Richmond Stakes, Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes. His second season was badly disrupted by injury, although he did win the Bengough Stakes.

Galileo Gold British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Galileo Gold is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he won the Vintage Stakes and finished third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. On his three-year-old debut he won the classic 2000 Guineas and went on to finish second in the Irish 2,000 Guineas before winning the St James's Palace Stakes.

Ribchester (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ribchester is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2015 he finished second in the Gimcrack Stakes on his second racecourse appearance and then won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes. In 2016 he was rated the best British-trained colt of his generation and was one of the top milers in Europe, winning the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Jacques Le Marois in France as well as being placed in the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. In 2017 he added further major victories in the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and Prix du Moulin

Enable (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Enable is a champion British Thoroughbred racehorse who won 15 of her 19 races including 11 Group One's. Her biggest wins include the Breeders' Cup Turf, Arc de Triomphe, Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, and Yorkshire Oaks. She was also the 2017 and 2019 European Horse of the Year.

Cracksman (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Cracksman is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise when winning his only race as a two-year-old in 2016 before developing into a top class middle distance performer in the following year. As a three-year-old he won the Investec Derby Trial before running third when favourite for the 2017 Epsom Derby and then finishing runner up in the Irish Derby. He went on to win the Great Voltigeur Stakes and Prix Niel before recording an emphatic success in the Champion Stakes. He ended the year as the top-rated three-year-old in the world. In 2018 he won the Prix Ganay and the Coronation Cup before taking a second Champion Stakes.

Persuasive (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Persuasive is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning her only race as a juvenile she ran up four consecutive wins in the following season including the Sandringham Handicap and the Atalanta Stakes before her winning streak was ended by Alice Springs in the Matron Stakes. In 2017 she was placed in both the Matron Stakes and the Sun Chariot Stakes before recording her most significant victory when she became the first horse of her age and sex in more than 40 years to take the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Stradivarius (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Stradivarius is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning one minor race as a two-year-old, he emerged as a top-class stayer in the following year, winning the Queen's Vase and Goodwood Cup as well as finishing a close third in the St Leger. As a four-year-old he won the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, a second Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup, securing a £1 million bonus for winning all four races, and ended the year by winning the British Champions Long Distance Cup. In 2019 he repeated his victories in the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Lonsdale Cup, and won a third Goodwood Cup, giving him a second £1 million bonus. With jockey Frankie Dettori on board, on 18 June 2020, Stradivarius won his third Ascot Gold Cup and on 28 July 2020, he won his record fourth Goodwood Cup.

Too Darn Hot (horse) Thoroughbred racehorse

Too Darn Hot is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a short racing career lasting less than a year he ran nine times and won six of his races, including three at the highest Group 1 level. As a two-year-old in 2018 he was rated the best of his generation in Europe, winning the Solario Stakes, Champagne Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. He was beaten when favourite or joint-favourite in his first three races in 2019 but returned to form when winning the Prix Jean Prat and Sussex Stakes in the summer. His career was ended by an injury sustained during his final race.

Without Parole British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Without Parole, is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. After showing promise when winning his only start as a two-year-old he progressed in the following spring, following a win in a minor race by taking the Heron Stakes and then recording his biggest win in the St James's Palace Stakes. He finished unplaced in his three subsequent starts that year. He was later sent to race in the United States where he failed to win but was placed in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Shoemaker Mile Stakes and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes.

Romanised is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise as a juvenile in 2017 when he won one of his four races and finished second in the Solario Stakes. In the following year he recorded an upset victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas but finished unplaced in his other starts. As a four-year-old he won the Minstrel Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois and was narrowly beaten in a controversial race for the Prix du Moulin. He won a second Minstrel Stakes in 2020.

Lord North (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Lord North is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile in 2018 he won again on his three-year-old debut but ran poorly on his next start and was subsequently gelded. He returned to the track in the autumn of 2019 and recorded victories in the Cambridgeshire Handicap and the James Seymour Stakes. The gelding made further progress in 2020 when he won the Brigadier Gerard Stakes and the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Palace Pier pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "Kingman – Race Record". Racing Post.
  3. 1 2 "St Marguerite – Family 4-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  4. "Betway British EBF Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 30 August 2019.
  5. "Max Patel Wealth Manager Of Choice Novice Stakes result". Racing Post. 18 September 2019.
  6. "Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap result". Racing Post. 6 June 2020.
  7. "St James's Palace Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 June 2020.
  8. "Pier an aptly-named winner of St James's Palace Stakes". 20 June 2020 via RTÉ.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Stevens, James (20 June 2020). "Palace Pier Edges Pinatubo in St. James's Palace Stakes". The Blood-Horse .
  10. "Prix Jacques le Marois result". Racing Post. 16 August 2020.
  11. Burton, Scott (16 August 2020). "Palace Pier Powers Clear in Marois to Stay Undefeated". The Blood-Horse .
  12. "Queen Elizabeth II Stakes result". Racing Post. 17 October 2020.
  13. Rennie, Matt (19 November 2020). "Ghaiyyath gets Cartier coronation after being crowned Horse of the Year". Racing Post .
  14. "The 2020 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  15. "Sandown Mile result". Racing Post. 23 April 2021.
  16. Burn, James (23 April 2021). "Classy Palace Pier saunters home with Lockinge Stakes bid now looming large". Racing Post.
  17. "Lockinge Stakes result". Racing Post. 15 May 2021.
  18. Burn, James (15 May 2021). "Palace Pier Powers to Lockinge Victory". The Blood-Horse .
  19. "Queen Anne Stakes result". Racing Post. 15 June 2021.
  20. Scargill, Peter (15 June 2021). "Top-Rated Palace Pier Best Under Dettori in Queen Anne". The Blood-Horse.
  21. Milnes, David (20 July 2021). "Palace Pier Ruled Out of Sussex Stakes". The Blood-Horse.
  22. "Prix Jacques le Marois result". Racing Post. 15 August 2021.
  23. Burton, Scott (15 August 2021). "'He's the best miler I've ridden' - Palace Pier denies Poetic Flare in thriller". Racing Post.
  24. "Queen Elizabeth II Stakes result". Racing Post. 16 October 2021.
  25. Scargill, Peter (16 October 2021). "'He's just a beast' - Baaeed holds off Palace Pier in epic QEII battle". Racing Post.
  26. Trice, Kitty (20 October 2021). "'He was a pleasure to train' - Palace Pier retired to Dalham Hall Stud". Racing Post.
  27. Milnes, David (10 November 2021). "St Mark's Basilica voted horse of the year at annual ceremony in London". Racing Post.