Phoenix Tower | |
---|---|
Sire | Chester House |
Grandsire | Mr Prospector |
Dam | Bionic |
Damsire | Zafonic |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 8 April 2004 [1] |
Country | United States |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Juddmonte Farms |
Owner | Khalid Abdullah |
Trainer | Henry Cecil |
Record | 8: 4-4-0 |
Earnings | £334,812 |
Major wins | |
Earl of Sefton Stakes (2008) |
Phoenix Tower (foaled 8 April 2004) is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who despite never winning above Group 3 level, was rated one of the twenty best racehorses in the world at his peak. In an early career disrupted by training problem he won his only race as a two-year-old in 2005 and both of his starts in the following year. He won the Earl of Sefton Stakes on his debut as a four-year-old and then ran second in four consecutive Group 1 races, namely the Lockinge Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and International Stakes. He was retired from racing at the end of the year and exported to become a breeding stallion in India.
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered "hot-blooded" horses that are known for their agility, speed, and spirit.
Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as, in Europe, The Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in Australia, the Melbourne Cup and in the United States, the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup races. Victory in these races marks a horse as being particularly talented, if not exceptional, and they are extremely important in determining stud values. They are also sometimes referred to as Black type races, since any horse that has won one of these races is printed in bold type in sales catalogues.
The Earl of Sefton Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong (1,811 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in mid-April.
Phoenix Tower was a dark bay horse bred in Kentucky by his owner, Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms. The colt was sent to Europe where he entered training with Henry Cecil at the Warren Place stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Khalid bin Abdullah Al Saud is a member of the House of Saud. He has extensive business interests, run through Mawarid Holding, but is probably better-known as the owner of Juddmonte Farms. As such, he is one of the leading figures in the world of thoroughbred horseracing and the list of outstanding horses to have competed in Prince Khalid's racing-colours includes the greats: Dancing Brave, Enable, Frankel and Arrogate.
Juddmonte Farms is a horse breeding farm, owned by Prince Khalid bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family the successful businessman presides over the massive conglomerate Mawarid Holding. While he is in semi-retirement, his four sons are involved in managing business interests that include insurance, catering, cement, cleaning, foodstuffs and electronics.
Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil was a British flat racing horse trainer. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest trainers in history. Cecil was Champion Trainer 10 times and trained 25 domestic Classic winners, comprising four winners of The Derby, eight winners of The Oaks, six winners of the 1,000 Guineas, three of the 2,000 Guineas and four winners of the St. Leger Stakes. His success in The Oaks and the 1,000 Guineas made him particularly renowned for his success with fillies. He was the master trainer at Royal Ascot, where he successfully trained 75 winners.
He was the best European-raced horse produced by his sire Chester House, who won the Arlington Million but died in 2003 after only three seasons at stud. [2] Phoenix Tower's dam Bionic won her only race, a maiden race at Goodwood Racecourse in 1998. [3] Her dam Bonash, who won the Prix de Malleret, also produced the John Porter Stakes winner Day Flight and was closely related to the Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado. [4]
The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced annually in August over a distance of 1 1⁄4 miles on the turf at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the sex or age of the horse. Races may be handicaps, set weights, or weight for age. In many countries, maiden races are the lowest level of class and represent an entry point into a racing career. In countries such as the United States, maiden special weight races rank above claiming races, while maiden claiming races allow the horse to be claimed (bought) by another owner.
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in late July and early August, which is one of the highlights of the British flat racing calendar, and is home to three of the UK's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the Sussex Stakes, the Goodwood Cup and the Nassau Stakes. Although the race meeting has become known as 'Glorious Goodwood', it is sponsored by Qatar and officially called the 'Qatar Goodwood Festival'.
On his racecourse debut Phoenix Tower was ridden by Richard Hughes when he started at odds of 5/1 for a maiden race over seven furlongs on the polytrack surface at Wolverhampton Racecourse on 30 October 2006. He took the lead approaching the final furlong and won by one and a half lengths from the favourite Calabash Cove despite veering to the left in the closing stages. [5]
Richard Hughes is a retired Irish jockey and current racehorse trainer who is based at Lambourn in Berkshire, England. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. Hughes became British flat racing Champion Jockey in 2012 and retained that title in 2013, when he rode more than 200 winners in the season, and again in 2014.
Wolverhampton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. The track was the first to be floodlit in Britain and often holds meetings in the evening.
A horse length, or simply length, is a unit of measurement for the length of a horse from nose to tail, approximately 8 feet (2.4 m).
Phoenix Tower began his second campaign in a handicap race over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse on 20 April in which he was assigned 123 pounds and started at odds of 9/2 in a fourteen-runner field. Ridden by Hughes he tracked the leaders before taking the lead a furlong out and drew away to win "easily" by four lengths. [6] Hughes was again in the saddle when the colt started 8/13 favourite for a minor event over one at Windsor Racecourse on 7 May and recorded another easy win, coming home two and a half lengths clear of his three opponents. [7] Phoenix Tower subsequently had injury problems and missed the rest of the season. [8]
A handicap race in horse racing is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper. A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give it a disadvantage when racing against slower horses.
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the Lockinge Stakes.
Windsor Racecourse, also known as Royal Windsor Racecourse, is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Windsor, Berkshire, England. It is one of only two figure-of-eight courses in the United Kingdom, the other being at Fontwell Park.
After an absence of eleven months Phoenix Tower returned to the track and was moved up in class and distance to contest the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 17 April 2008. Ridden by Tom Queally he started the 8/1 third choice in the betting behind Pipedreamer (Cambridgeshire Handicap) and the Cecil's other entrant Multidimensional (Prix Guillaume d'Ornano). He tracked the front-running Kandidate and after briefly looking unlikely to get a clear run he produced a strong finish to gain the advantage in the final strides and win by a head and a neck from Traffic Guard and Pipedreamer. [9] After the race Henry Cecil said "he has always been a good horse but he has had his problems. He stays further and I think a mile and a quarter will suit him". [10]
Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in the town of Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses, the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing and is home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations, including Tattersalls, the National Horseracing Museum and the National Stud. Newmarket hosts two of the country's five Classic Races - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, and numerous other Group races. In total, it hosts 9 of British racing's 36 annual Group 1 races.
Thomas P. Queally is a Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He is best known as the regular jockey of Frankel. He was first jockey to leading trainer Sir Henry Cecil. Queally is best known for his association with the Cecil-trained pair Midday and Frankel.
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September.
In his four remaining races Phoenix Tower was ridden by Ted Durcan. In the Lockinge Stakes over mile at Newbury on 17 May he finished second, three quarters of a length behind the winner Creachadoir and ahead of several major winners including Haradasun and Majestic Roi. In the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June he stayed on in the straight to finish runner-up to Duke of Marmalade with Pipedreamer, Ask and Sixties Icon finishing behind. In the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park on 5 July Phoenix Tower was made the 5/2 favourite against seven opponents headed by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mount Nelson. After racing in fifth place he moved up to take the lead in the straight but although he stayed on "gamely" he was caught on the line by Mount Nelson and beaten a short head. [11] Following the colt's narrow defeat Cecil commented "I thought we had it won, but Mount Nelson's head went down at the crucial moment - that's racing. I have no excuses, and our fellow has run a blinder". [12]
The 2018 edition of the International Stakes was transferred from York Racecourse, where the ground was deemed unraceable to Newmarket on 23 August. Starting at odds of 12/1 he stayed on strongly to finish three quarters of a length second to Duke of Marmalade with the Epsom Derby winner New Approach two and a half lengths back in third. Phoenix Tower was being prepared for a run in the Champion Stakes when he sustained a tendon injury which ended his racing career. [13]
In the 2008 World Thoroughbred Rankings Phoenix Tower was given a rating of 123, making him the nineteenth-best racehorse in the world. [14]
At the end of his racing career, Phoenix Tower was exported to India to become a breeding stallion at the Manjri Stud Farm near pune his son Rochester won the Indian derby in 2018 Pune. [15]
Sire Chester House (USA) 1995 | Mr Prospector 1970 | Raise A Native | Native Dancer |
---|---|---|---|
Raise You | |||
Gold Digger | Nashua | ||
Sequence | |||
Toussaud 1989 | El Gran Senor | Northern Dancer (CAN) | |
Sex Appeal | |||
Image of Reality | In Reality | ||
Edee's Image | |||
Dam Bionic (GB) 1996 | Zafonic (USA) 1990 | Gone West | Mr Prospector |
Secrettame | |||
Zaizafon | The Minstrel (CAN) | ||
Mofida (GB) | |||
Bonash 1991 | Rainbow Quest (USA) | Blushing Groom (FR) | |
I Will Follow | |||
Sky Love (USA) | Nijinsky (CAN) | ||
Gangster of Love (Family: 23-b) [4] |
Mutafaweq is a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced successfully in England, Germany, and Canada.
Frankel is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. Frankel was unbeaten in his fourteen-race career and was the highest-rated racehorse in the world from May 2011. In 2010 he defeated a field including subsequent Group 1 winners Nathaniel and Colour Vision on his debut before winning the Royal Lodge Stakes by ten lengths and the Dewhurst Stakes in which he defeated the Middle Park Stakes winner Dream Ahead. As a three-year-old, he won the Classic 2000 Guineas by six lengths, the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, defeated the outstanding older miler Canford Cliffs in the much-anticipated Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. Frankel extended his unbeaten record in 2012 by winning the Lockinge Stakes, the Queen Anne Stakes and then the Sussex Stakes for a second time. In August he was moved up to a mile and a quarter for the first time and won the International Stakes at York. In October he won the Champion Stakes at Ascot, again over a mile and a quarter, following which his retirement from racing was announced.
Farhh is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. His early career was disrupted by injury and he made only one appearance in each of his first two seasons. As a four-year-old he established himself as a top-class performer without winning an important race as he was placed in some of the most prestigious weight-for-age races in Europe, twice finishing second to Frankel. As a five-year-old he won his first major race when recording an easy victory in the Lockinge Stakes and went on to record his most important success in the Champion Stakes.
Pivotal is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career restricted to six races between October 1995 and August 1996 he established himself as one of the leading sprinters in Europe. His most important wins came in the King's Stand Stakes and the Nunthorpe Stakes as a three-year-old in the summer of 1996. He was then retired to stud where he became an exceptionally successful breeding stallion.
First Island was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed unexceptional form in his early racing career but emerged as a top-class racehorse as a four-year-old in 1996, winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Sussex Stakes before becoming the first European-trained horse to win the Hong Kong Cup. He returned in 1997 to win the Lockinge Stakes, but died a month later at the age of five. In all, he won eight times and was placed on a further seven occasions in a career of twenty races.
Cormorant Wood was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed useful form in the early part of her career but developed into a top-class runner in the second half of her three-year-old season, winning the Sun Chariot Stakes and Champion Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in October 1983. Her four-year-old season was curtailed by injury, but she became the first filly to win the Lockinge Stakes and produced her best performance in her final race when she won the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York Racecourse. At the end of the year she was the highest-rated female racehorse trained in Europe. Cormorant Wood was retired to stud where she had some success as a producer of winners.
Carroll House was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from September 1987 until July 1990 he raced twenty times in six different countries and won seven races. His most important win came in October 1989 when he won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris. His other wins included the Phoenix Champion Stakes, Grosser Preis von Baden, Princess of Wales's Stakes, Furstenberg Rennen and Welsh Derby. At the end of his racing career he was retired to become a breeding stallion in Japan and Ireland but had little success as a sire of winners.
Polar Falcon was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Unraced as a two-year-old he showed promising form at three while appearing to be slightly below top class. He reached his peak as a four-year-old when he won the Prix Edmond Blanc in France before taking two major prizes in England. In May he defeated the leading filly In The Groove in the Lockinge Stakes over a mile and in September he beat a strong field to win the Ladbroke Sprint Cup over six furlongs. As a breeding stallion he is best known as the sire of Pivotal. He died in 2001 at the age of fourteen.
Gunner B was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from May 1975 until October 1978 he contested thirty-three races, winning fourteen times, finishing second five times and third seven times. Originally trained in Yorkshire, he won twice as a two-year-old in 1975 before becoming a highly successful handicapper in the following season, when he won the Cecil Frail Handicap, Andy Capp Handicap and the Doonside Cup. He won three races in 1977 including the Group Three Diomed Stakes but appeared to have been well-exposed as a tough, consistent horse who was some way below the best. After joining the stable of Henry Cecil in 1978, however, he emerged as a genuinely top-class horse winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes, Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Eclipse Stakes and Valdoe Stakes as well as finishing second in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup and third in the Champion Stakes. After his retirement from racing, he became a very successful sire of National Hunt horses. He died in 2003 at the age of thirty.
Ali-Royal was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After winning one race as a two-year-old in 1995 he showed consistently good form as a three-year-old, winning the King Charles II Stakes and the Ben Marshall Stakes, but appeared to be just below top class. He reached his peak as a four-year-old in 1997, winning the Earl of Sefton Stakes on his seasonal debut and recording his biggest win in the Sussex Stakes on his final racecourse appearance. He retired with a record of seven wins and six places from sixteen starts. He stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Australia before dying in 2001 at the age of eight.
Noalcoholic was a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed useful form when trained in France and was set to be exported to stand as a breeding stallion in Australia. During what was intended to be a brief stopover in England in the spring of 1982 he began to show impressive form on the training gallops and was returned to the track in the training of Gavin Pritchard-Gordon. He showed much improved form as a five-year-old, winning the Van Geest Stakes, Prix Messidor and Challenge Stakes as well as finishing second in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He was even better at six, winning the Lockinge Stakes and the Sussex Stakes and being rated the best older horse in Europe over one mile. He was eventually sent to Australia in 1984, where he became a successful breeding stallion.
Formidable was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed his best form as a two-year-old when he won five consecutive races in little over a month, including the Mill Reef Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. At the end of the year he was regarded as the best juvenile in Britain over a distance of six furlongs. In the following year he was campaigned over one mile and failed to win, although he was placed in the St James's Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Waterford Crystal Mile. As a four-year-old he won three minor races and finished third in the Lockinge Stakes before being retired from racing. He later became a successful breeding stallion.
Shady Heights was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In four seasons on the racecourse he competed in Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, winning seven of his twenty-nine contests.
Creachadoir is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a specialist miler who won four of his fifteen races between May 2006 and March 2009. Originally trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger he showed promise without winning in two races as a juvenile in 2006. In the first half of 2007 he won the Leopardstown 2000 Guineas Trial and the Tetrarch Stakes and went on to finish second in both the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the Irish 2000 Guineas. He was then bought by Godolphin and won the Joel Stakes before being narrowly beaten in the Hong Kong Mile. In May 2008 he recorded his biggest success when he won the Group One Lockinge Stakes over one mile at Newbury Racecourse. He then suffered a serious leg injury and made only one subsequent appearance before being retired from racing in 2009. He has had limited success as a breeding stallion.
Fard was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for his upset win in the 1994 Middle Park Stakes. As a two-year-old in 1994 the colt showed promise by winning three of his first six races, but also showed a marked tendency to veer left or right under pressure. In the Middle Park Stakes the application of blinkers appeared to solve his problems and he recorded a decisive victory at odds of 33/1. In the following year he was campaigned over sprint distances and failed to win in four starts. He then became a breeding stallion in South Africa where he had some success as a sire of winners.
Wassl was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old he showed great promise when winning on his debut but missed the rest of the season through injury. In the following spring he won the Greenham Stakes and then rebounded from a poor run in the 2000 Guineas to win the Irish 2000 Guineas. He failed to win again in 1983 but was placed in the Sussex Stakes, Prix du Moulin and Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes. He dead-heated for first place in the Lockinge Stakes on his first run of 1984 but was well beaten in his four other races as a four-year-old. After his retirement from racing he stood as a breeding stallion in Ireland and Japan and had limited success as a sire of winners.
Superpower was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was a fast and precocious two-year-old who won his first six races including the National Stakes and the Norfolk Stakes and went on to record his biggest win in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes. He failed to win in four starts as a three-year-old and was then retired to stud. He had moderate results as a breeding stallion.
Salse was an American-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a consistent top-class performer who recorded his best results over a distance of seven furlongs. As a two-year-old in 1987 he won his first three races including the Somerville Tattersall Stakes before running third in the William Hill Futurity. In the following year he won the Beeswing Stakes, Hungerford Stakes, Park Stakes, Challenge Stakes and Prix de la Foret. He finished second in his other three races, namely the Jersey Stakes, Bet With The Tote Trophy and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He retired at the end of the year with a record of eight wins, four seconds and one third place: the only horses to beat him were Warning, Indian Ridge, Emmson and Sheriff's Star. After his retiremet from racing he became a successful breeding stallion. He died in June 2001.
Cityscape is a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, who raced in England, Ireland, Hong Kong, France, Dubai, Canada and Italy and was twice rated among the top 40 racehorses in the world.
Indian Lodge was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He failed to win as a two-year-old in 1998 but made steady progress in the following year, taking two minor races in spring and ending the season with victories in the Joel Stakes and Darley Stakes. He reached his peak as a four-year-old in 2000 when he won the Earl of Sefton Stakes, Sandown Mile, Prix du Moulin and Prix de la Foret. He had little success as a breeding stallion.