Persian King (horse)

Last updated
Persian King
Owner Godolphin.svg
Sire Kingman
Grandsire Invincible Spirit
DamPretty Please
Damsire Dylan Thomas
SexColt
Foaled18 February 2016 [1]
CountryIreland
Colour Bay
BreederDayton Investments
OwnerBallymore Thoroughbred Ltd
Godolphin
Trainer André Fabre
Record13: 8-3-1
Earnings£1,296,624
Major wins
Autumn Stakes (2018)
Prix de Fontainebleau (2019)
Poule d'Essai des Poulains (2019)
Prix du Muguet (2020)
Prix d'Ispahan (2020)
Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (2020)

Persian King (foaled 18 February 2016) is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed very promising form as a two-year-old in 2018 when he won three of his four races including a very competitive edition of the Autumn Stakes. In the following year he won the Prix de Fontainebleau and Poule d'Essai des Poulains before finishing second in the Prix du Jockey Club. He reached his peak as a four-year-old in 2020 when he won the Prix du Muguet, Prix d'Ispahan and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp as well as running third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Contents

Background

Persian King is a bay horse with no white markings bred in Ireland by Dayton Investments, a breeding company associated with the Wildenstein family. He entered the ownership of Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd and was sent into training with André Fabre at Chantilly in France. Persian King was ridden in all of his races by Pierre-Charles Boudot.

He was from the first crop of foals sired by Kingman who was named Cartier Horse of the Year in 2014 when he won the Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois. [2]

Persian King's dam Pretty Please showed modest racing ability in a brief racing career, winning one of her two races in France. [3] Pretty Please was a half-sister to the Prix Ganay winner Planteur, and as a descendant of the broodmare Petroleuse (foaled 1978), was closely related to Pawneese and Peintre Celebre. [4]

Racing career

2018: two-year-old season

On his racecourse debut the Persian King started 1.1/1 favourite for a maiden race over 1500 metres at Deauville Racecourse on 7 August but finished second, beaten two lengths by the Freddy Head-trained Anodor. On 1 September at Chantilly Racecourse Persian King started 2/5 favourite for a similar event over 1600 metres on good to soft ground and recorded his first success as he came home six lengths clear of his five opponents. [5] Two weeks later the colt started 3/5 favourite for a more competitive race over the same course and distance and won again, taking the lead 300 metres out and accelerating away from his rivals to win "easily" by five lengths from Lone Peak. [6]

On 13 October Persian King was sent to England and was made 6/5 favourite for the Group 3 Autumn Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in which his seven opponents included four from England and three from the Irish stable of Aidan O'Brien. After tracking the leaders Persian King took the lead a furlong out and got the better of a "sustained duel" with Magna Grecia to win by a neck with three lengths back to Circus Maximus in third. [7] After the race the owner's representative Anthony Stroud said He's a very good horse who has won his last three races. The jockey said he handled the ground really well but it turned out to be a tougher race than we thought. He certainly showed courage. He's out of a Dylan Thomas mare so we know he's going to stay further and I can see him going up in trip next season". [8]

2019: three-year-old season

Before the start of the season, a majority share in Persian King was acquired by Godolphin. The colt began his campaign in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 14 April. Starting the 1/5 favourite Persian King took the lead soon after the start and was never challenged, drawing away in the closing stages to win by five lengths from Epic Hero. [9] Four weeks later, over the same course and distance on heavy ground, the colt was stepped up to the highest class and started the 1/2 favourite for the Group 1 Poule de'Essai des Poulains. His nine opponents included Shaman (Prix La Force), Anodor (Prix des Chênes), Munitions (Prix Djebel), San Donato (Doncaster Stakes), Duke of Hazzard (Prix Isonomy) and Van Beethoven (Railway Stakes). Persian King raced in fifth place as the outsider Senza Limiti set the pace before moving up on the inside to take the lead 300 metres from the finish. He kept on well in the closing stages to win by a length and a head from Shaman and San Donato. [10] After the race André Fabre said "He would prefer good ground. The Jockey Club was the long-term plan, so we'll see. The other option is to wait for Ascot, but we'll decide with Sheikh Mohammed and Diane Wildenstein. The Jockey Club seems the obvious target." [11]

As Fabre had predicted, Persian King reappeared in the Prix du Jockey Club over 2000 metres at Chantilly on 2 June and went off the 1.8/1 favourite in a fifteen-runner field. After racing in mid division he took the lead inside the last 400 metres but was soon overtaken and beaten two lengths into second place by Sottsass. [12] After the race Persian King was reported to be "sore" and Fabre announced in July that the colt would be unlikely to race again in 2019. [13]

In the 2019 World's Best Racehorse Rankings Persian King was given a rating of 117, making him the 112th best racehorse in the world. [14]

2020: four-year-old season

The flat racing season in Europe was restructured as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Persian King made his first appearance in the Listed Prix de Montretout which was run over 1600 metres behind closed doors at Chantilly on 10 June. He started the odds-on favourite but was unable to run down his front-running stablemate Magny Cours and was beaten a short neck into second place. Eighteen days later the colt started 0.6/1 favourite in a five-runner field for the Group 2 Prix du Muguet over 1600 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. He led for most of the way and after being overtaken by the five-year-old Pretreville he rallied to regain the advantage in the closing stages to win by one and a quarter lengths. [15] On 19 July Persian King returned to Group 1 class and started the odds-on favourite for the Prix d'Ispahan over 1800 metres at Chantilly. His seven opponents included Shaman, Positive (Solario Stakes), Stormy Antarctic (Premio Presidente della Repubblica) and Century Dream (Diomed Stakes). After settling in second place behind the outsider Pogo, Persian King went to the front 500 metres from the finish, broke clear of his opponents and "kept on well" to win by two lengths from Stormy Antarctic. [16] Andre Fabre commented "He's given us some heartaches and some headaches as well. He's a fantastic athlete, and it's quite common for big horses like that to need a bit of time." [17]

In the Prix Jacques le Marois over 1600 metres on heavy ground at Deauville in August Persian King started 2/1 second favourite in a seven-runner field but never looked likely to win and came home fourth behind Palace Pier, Alpine Star and Circus Maximus beaten almost nine lengths by the winner. [18] On better ground at Longchamp on 6 September Persian King started 3.6/1 second favourite behind Pinatubo for the Prix du Moulin in a six-runner field which also included Siskin, Circus Maximus, Romanised and Victor Ludorum. Persian King tracked the leader Circus Maximus in the early stages, took the lead 400 out and won by one and a half lengths from Pinatubo. [19] After the race Fabre said "It was obviously a very good race with almost the best of both generations, so what can you say? You can consider him the best European miler alongside Palace Pier. He had some issues, which meant I couldn't train him properly until now. But now he is really fit and he showed how good he really is." [20]

For his final racecourse appearance Persian King was stepped up in distance for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over 2400 metres at Longchamp on 4 October and went off the 6.3/1 third favourite in an eleven-runner field. The colt went into the lead from the start and set a steady pace, maintaining his advantage into the straight before being overtaken 200 metres from the finish and coming home third behind Sotsass and In Swoop. [21] Fabre said "I was pleased with his race and we had no excuses, I think he ran well. It was his first run over that distance and the ground was very soft. Perhaps if it wasn’t he may have held on. Who knows. I don’t think he'll run again." [22]

In the 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Persian King was rated on 125, making him the equal third best racehorse in the world and the best horse trained in France. [23]

Stud career

After his retirement from racing in October 2020 Persian King became a breeding stallion at the Haras d'Etreham in Normandy. [24]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Persian King (FR), bay colt, 2016 [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
Pretty Please (IRE)
2009
Dylan Thomas (IRE)
2003
Danehill (USA)Danzig
Razyana
Lagrion (USA) Diesis (GB)
Wrap It Up (IRE)
Plante Rare (IRE)
2002
Giant's Causeway (USA) Storm Cat
Mariah's Storm
Palmeraie (USA) Lear Fan
Petroleuse (IRE) (Family: 9) [4]

Related Research Articles

Cacique is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Europe and the United States. Bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, Cacique is the son of the great international Champion sire, Danehill. He was out of the fantastic mare, Hasili whose damsire, Kahyasi, won the 1988 Epsom and Irish Derbys. Cacique is a full-brother to Breeders' Cup winners Banks Hill and Intercontinental and to Grade One winner Champs Elysees and Grade One-placed and Leading sire in France, Dansili.

Pharly was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won five of his thirteen races, finished second five times and third once and was rated among the best colts of his generation in France at two and three years of age. As a two-year-old, he won one minor race in his first four starts but then defeated an all-aged field to win the Group One Prix de la Forêt. In the following year he added major victories in the Prix Lupin, Prix du Rond Point and Prix du Moulin and finished second in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix d'Ispahan and Prix de la Forêt. After his retirement from racing he had some success as a breeding stallion in both France and England. He died in 2002 at the age of twenty-eight.

Kalamoun was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Owned and bred by Aga Khan IV he showed promise as a juvenile, winning once and running well in the Observer Gold Cup and the Prix Thomas Bryon. In the following year he emerged as one of the best colts of his generation in France, recording Group One victories the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix Lupin and Prix Jacques Le Marois. He was retired at the end of the season and became a successful breeding stallion in a brief stud career. He died in 1979 at the age of nine.

Anabaa Blue is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was sired by the sprinter Anabaa out of Allez Les Trois, a mare with a very strong middle-distance pedigree. Between September 2000 and October 2002 he ran fourteen times and won four races. After showing moderate ability in two races as a juvenile he showed marked improvement in the following spring. After winning a minor stakes race on his debut, he won the Prix Noailles, finished a close second in the Prix Lupin and then recorded his most significant victory in the Prix du Jockey Club. He was beaten in his three remaining races as a three-year-old, but returned in the following year to win the Grand Prix de Chantilly and finish second in the Prix Foy. He was retired to stud at the end of his four-year-old season and has had some success as a sire of winners.

Reliable Man is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Initially trained in France, he won two minor races in the spring of 2011 before defeating a strong field to win the Prix du Jockey Club. After losing his unbeaten record in the Grand Prix de Paris he won the Prix Niel before running poorly in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As a four-year-old he failed to win in six races but ran well to finish a close fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In 2013 he was sent to Australia where he won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC), sustaining a career-ending injury in the process.

Dernier Empereur was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was originally sent to race in France where he had considerable success, winning the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano and La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte as well as finishing second in the Prix du Jockey Club as a three-year-old in 1993. In the following year he recorded his biggest success when he won the Champion Stakes in England. As a six-year-old he was transferred to the United States where he won the Del Mar Handicap and the Carleton F. Burke Handicap before his racing career was ended by injury. He made very little impact as a breeding stallion.

Solow (horse) British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Solow is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After showing moderate form in his first two seasons, he won five of his six races as a four-year-old in 2014 including the Prix Quincey and the Prix Daniel Wildenstein. In 2015, he emerged as one of the best racehorses in the world with a win in the Dubai Turf and followed up with victories in the Prix d'Ispahan, Queen Anne Stakes, Sussex Stakes, and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Byword is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Unraced as a two-year-old, he showed promising form, winning two of his four races including the listed Prix Pelleas. In the following year he emerged as a world-class performer, winning the listed Prix Jacques Laffitte before defeating strong fields in both the Prix du Muguet and the Prince of Wales's Stakes. In the same year he also finished second in the Prix d'Ispahan and third in the International Stakes and was rated one of the twenty best racehorses in the world. As a five-year-old he added wins in the Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord and the Prix Dollar before being retired to stud. He is currently (2015) standing a breeding stallion in South Africa.

Soviet Star was an American-bred French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was bred in Kentucky, sold as a yearling for $310,000 and sent to race in Europe where he proved to be an outstanding sprinter-miler, winning eight of his fourteen starts. After winning his only race as a two-year-old he became a top-class performer in 1987, winning the Prix de Fontainebleau on his debut and recording Group One victories in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Sussex Stakes and Prix de la Forêt. He remained in training as a four-year-old and added wins in the Forte Mile, July Cup and Prix du Moulin. He was retired to stud at the end of the year and had considerable success as a breeding stallion. He died in 2014 at the age of 30.

New Bay British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

New Bay is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old in 2015 he won the Prix du Jockey Club, Prix Guillaume d'Ornano and Prix Niel before finishing third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Valixir is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was trained for most of his career in France where he won two minor races and finished second in the Prix des Chênes as a juvenile in 2003. When campaigned over middle distances in 2004 he won the Prix Matchem, Prix Eugène Adam and Prix Niel as well as being placed in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix Lupin. He was even better when brought back to shorter distances in the following year and recorded Group One victories in the Prix d'Ispahan and the Queen Anne Stakes. He transferred to the Godolphin stable in 2006 but showed no worthwhile form in three starts. Valixir was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion in Australia.

Montmartre (horse) French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Montmartre is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career which lasted from April to July 2008 he won three times from five starts. After finishing second on his debut he won a minor race before running unplaced in the Prix du Jockey Club. He then won the Prix du Lys and went on to record his biggest success with an impressive victory in the Grand Prix de Paris but never recovered from the race and was retired from the track. As a breeding stallion he had some success as a sire of National Hunt horses.

Tamayuz is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won both of his races as a two-year-old in 2007 and took the Prix de Fontainebleau on his first run of 2008. After running poorly in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains he recorded Group 1 wins Prix Jean Prat and Prix Jacques Le Marois. On his only subsequent start he finished fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He has had some success as a breeding stallion.

Waldgeist British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Waldgeist is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He has raced in six countries, namely France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Hong Kong. He showed top-class form as a two-year-old in 2016 when he won two of his three races including the Group 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud. He failed to win in the following year but ran second in the Prix du Jockey Club and fourth in the Irish Derby. In 2018 he won four consecutive races, namely the Prix d'Hédouville, Grand Prix de Chantilly, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix Foy. In 2019 he won a third Group 1 race when he took the Prix Ganay and recorded his biggest win in October when he took the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Sottsass French Thoroughbred racehorse

Sottsass is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which ran from August 2018 to October 2020 he ran nine times and won five races, including three at the highest Group One level. He showed promise as a two-year-old in 2018 when he won the second of his two starts. In the following year he was beaten on his seasonal debut but then developed into a top-class middle distance performer with wins in the Prix de Suresnes, Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Niel. In his four-year-old season in 2020 he won the Prix Ganay before concluding his career by winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Victor Ludorum (horse) British-bred racehorse

Victor Ludorum is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the best juvenile colts in Europe in 2019, when he was undefeated in three starts including the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. He went on to win the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and run third in the Prix du Jockey-Club in 2020.

Brametot is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 2016 when he won three of his four races including the Listed Grand Critérium de Bordeaux. In the first half of his three-year-old campaign he developed into a top-class performer, winning the Prix de Fontainebleau, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Prix du Jockey Club. He was beaten in three subsequent races although he ran well to finish fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Study of Man is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning his only race as a juvenile in 2017 he developed into a top-class performer in the following spring, finishing second in the Prix La Force and winning the Prix Greffulhe before recording his biggest victory in the Prix du Jockey Club. He never won again but ran second in both the Prix Ganay and Prix d'Ispahan as a four-year-old in 2019.

Mare Australis is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Originally trained in Germany, he won his only race as a two-year-old in 2019. In the following year he was transferred to race in France where he won the Listed Prix de l'Avre and finished second in the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris. In the spring of 2021 he ran second in the Prix d'Harcourt before winning the Group 1 Prix Ganay.

Skalleti is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. He is a gelding who shows his best form on soft ground and usually races over distances from 1600 metres to 2000 metres. He has raced in France, England, Italy, Germany and Hong Kong.

References

  1. 1 2 "Persian King pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "Kingman – Race Record". Racing Post.
  3. "Pretty Please – Race Record". Racing Post.
  4. 1 2 "Vintner Mare – Family 9". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  5. "Prix des Terriers des Houx result". Racing Post. 1 September 2018.
  6. "Prix de la Reconversion d'un Cheval de Courses en Cheval de Loisir result". Racing Post. 15 September 2018.
  7. "Autumn Stakes result". Racing Post. 13 October 2018.
  8. "Persian King shows class and courage to land Autumn Stakes". racingtv.com. 14 October 2018.
  9. "Prix de Fontainebleau result". Racing Post. 14 April 2019.
  10. "Poule de'Essai des Poulains result". Racing Post. 12 May 2019.
  11. Burton, Scott (12 May 2019). "Persian King Impresses in French Two Thousand Guineas". The Blood-Horse .
  12. Burton, Scott (2 June 2019). "Sottsass Downs Persian King to Win Prix du Jockey Club". The Blood-Horse .
  13. "Persian King likely to miss remainder of season". Timeform . 24 July 2019.
  14. "The 2019 World Thoroughbred Rankings". IFHA. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  15. "Prix du Muguet result". Racing Post. 28 June 2020.
  16. "Prix d'Ispahan result". Racing Post. 19 July 2020.
  17. Burton, Scott (19 July 2020). "Persian King Lands Second Group 1 in Prix d'Ispahan". The Blood-Horse .
  18. "Prix Jacques le Marois result". Racing Post. 16 August 2020.
  19. "Prix du Moulin result". Racing Post. 6 September 2020.
  20. Burton, Scott (6 September 2020). "Persian King Lands the Prix du Moulin". The Blood-Horse.
  21. "Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe result". Racing Post. 4 October 2020.
  22. "Persian King poised for retirement after gallant Arc effort". Racing TV. 5 October 2020.
  23. "The 2020 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  24. Tirce, Kitty (7 October 2020). "Arc contender Persian King recruited to Haras d'Etreham roster for 2021". Racing Post.