Reliable Man

Last updated
Reliable Man
Sire Dalakhani
Grandsire Darshaan
DamOn Fair Stage
Damsire Sadler's Wells
Sex Stallion
Foaled27 March 2008 [1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Colour Grey
BreederN P Bloodstock Ltd
OwnerPride Racing Club
Salinity Racing Stables
Fair Salinia Ltd, R A & J E Ferguson Partnership et al
Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupré
Chris Waller
Record14: 5-1-2
Earnings£1,216,758
Major wins
Prix du Jockey Club (2011)
Prix Niel (2011)
Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2013)

Reliable Man (foaled 27 March 2008) 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.

Contents

Background

Reliable Man is a grey horse bred in the United Kingdom by Sven Hanson's N P Bloodstock. His sire, Dalakhani, from whom he inherited his grey colour, was an outstanding racehorse who won eight of his nine races including the Critérium International, Prix Lupin, Prix du Jockey Club and the 2003 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe [2] At stud, Dalakhani's other offspring have included Conduit Duncan (Irish St Leger) Moonstone (Irish Oaks) Chinese White (Pretty Polly Stakes) and Integral. [3]

Reliable Man's dam On Fair Stage was a daughter of Hanson's Epsom Oaks winner Fair Salinia. As a descendant of the broodmare Judy O'Grady, Fair Salinia came from the same branch of Thoroughbred family 16-c which also produced Green Dancer, Solemia, Authorized, Dream Well and Makfi. [4] On Fair Stage also produced the successful National Hunt performer French Opera whose wins included the Game Spirit Chase and the Celebration Chase. [5]

Hanson owned the horse in a variety of partnerships throughout his racing career. Reliable man was initially sent into training in France with Alain de Royer-Dupré.

Racing career

2011: three-year-old season

Reliable Man did not race as a two-year-old, beginning his racing career in a maiden race over 2000 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on 12 April 2011 in which he was ridden, as in all his races that season, by Gerald Mosse. Starting at odds of 7.3/1, he raced just behind the leaders before taking the lead 400 metres from the finish. He accelerated clear of his fourteen opponents and won by three lengths despite being eased down by Mosse in the final strides. [6] Four weeks later, the colt started 7/10 favourite in a field of five for the Prix du Mont Pagnotte over the same distance at Chantilly Racecourse. Mosse restrained the colt at the back of the field before moving forward in the straight, taking the lead in the last 100 metres and winning by three quarters of a length from Veter. [7]

On 5 June, Reliable Man was moved up sharply in class for 174th running of the Prix du Jockey Club over 2100 metres at Chantilly and started a 16/1 outsider. His fifteen opponents were headed by the Aga Khan's Baraan, winner of the Prix La Force and the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Roderic O'Connor who started the 9/2 joint favourites. The other contenders included Tin Horse (winner of Poule d'Essai des Poulains), Crackerjack King (Derby Italiano), Casamento (Racing Post Trophy), Prairie Star (Prix Hocquart), Grand Vent (Prix Noailles) and Bubble Chic (runner-up to The Derby winner Pour Moi in the Prix Greffulhe). Reliable Man raced towards the rear of the field before making progress in the straight and switching to the outside to make his challenge 300 metres out. He overtook the leader Bubble Chic 100 metres out and won by three-quarters of length, with a gap of two lengths back to Baraan who took third place just ahead of Colombian and Tin Horse. [8] After the race Alain de Royer-Dupré said "He's a horse of great quality. We decided on coming here after he won his first race at Saint-Cloud. He's got a lot of class, but it's all still very new to him". [9]

In the Grand Prix de Paris over 2400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 14 July Reliable Man started 2/1 favourite. He was again opposed by Bubble Chic, but his main danger appeared to come from the Aidan O'Brien-trained Treasure Beach who had been narrowly beaten by Pour Moi in the Epsom Derby before winning the Irish Derby from his stablemate Seville (also in the Longchamp field). After racing in fourth place, the favourite made steady progress in the straight but never looked likely to win and finished third behind the André Fabre-trained Meandre. After a two-month break, Reliable Man faced a rematch with Meandre in the Prix Niel at Longchamp in September. In a slowly-run race (the time was 5.8 seconds slower than that for the Grand Prix) Reliable Man settled in third behind the leaders King of Armor and Colombian before moving up on the outside to take the lead 300 metres from the finish. He went clear of the field before being eased down by Mosse to win by two lengths from Meandre, who finished strongly but never looked likely to threaten the winner. [10] Explaining the colt's improvement from his previous run, Royer-Dupre said "The ground was too firm for him in the Grand Prix de Paris and he didn't come down the hill well. He came with a good run here and has the action of a top horse". [11] In October, Reliable Man started the 12/1 sixth choice in the betting for France's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe but ran very poorly, finishing fifteenth of the sixteen runners behind Danedream.

2012: four-year-old season

As a four-year-old, Reliable Man failed to win in six races. In the spring he finished third behind Cirrus des Aigles in the Prix Ganay and fourth behind Golden Lilac in the Prix d'Ispahan. He was then sent overseas for the first time to contest the Prince of Wales's Stakes over ten furlongs at Royal Ascot and finished fourth behind So You Think, Carlton House and Farhh. Maxime Guyon took over the ride from Mosse when the colt returned to Ascot for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes a month later. He started a 20/1 outsider but produced his best performance of the season to finish fourth behind Danedream, Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey, beaten less than two lengths by the winner and finishing ahead of Dunaden, Sea Moon and Masked Marvel. [12] In September, Reliable Man was dropped in class and started odds-on favourite for the Group Three Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte but was beaten one and a half lengths by the Jonathan Pease-trained Maxios. On his final appearance of the season, the colt was sent to Canada to contest the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in which he finished eighth of the ten runners behind Joshua Tree.

2013: five-year-old season

For the following season, Reliable Man was sent to race in Australia where he was trained by Chris Waller. The horse made his Australian debut on 6 April in the George Ryder Stakes over 1500 metres (500 metres less than any race he had contested in Europe) at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in which he was ridden by Corey Brown. Starting a 50/1 outsider, he finished sixth of the twelve runners, beaten less than two lengths by the winner Pierro. Three weeks later, Reliable Man was ridden by Hugh Bowman when he contested the Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2000 metres at Randwick Racecourse. He started at odds of 11/1 behind the odds-on favourite Dundeel (to whom he was conceding eight pounds) with the other contenders including the New Zealand Derby-winning mare Silent Achiever. After tracking the leaders, Reliable Man moved to the outside, accelerated 300 metres from the finish, took the lead went clear to win by two and a half lengths from Dundeel, with the Emirates Stakes winner Happy Trails taking third ahead of Silent Achiever. Reliable Man had faltered in his stride 50 metres from the finish and as he slowed to a trot after the finishing line it became clear that he was badly lame. He had taken from the course in horse ambulance and subsequent veterinary examinations revealed that he had sustained a serious tendon injury to his right foreleg. Bowman, who raised his whip to salute the crowd in the final strides, commented "I didn't realise what had happened until after the line, otherwise I wouldn't have been carrying on like a pork chop". [13] Chris Waller, who had been cleared of a doping charge on the previous day, said "Welcome to A grade – this horse is a serious horse... Thankfully we've delivered because he's already done it in Europe and now he's done it in Australia". [14]

Despite that hopes that he would return later in 2013, [15] Reliable Man did not recover from his injury and was retired from racing.

Stud record

After his retirement from racing became a breeding stallion at the Westbury Stud in New Zealand and being shuttled to stand at the Gestut Röttgen in Germany for the Northern Hemisphere breeding season. [16] [17]

His stud fee in 2021 was $17,500 (GST exclusive).

Notable stock

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

FoaledNameSexMajor Wins
2015Inspirational Girlf Railway Stakes
2015Sentimental Missf New Zealand Oaks
2016Miami Boundf VRC Oaks

Pedigree

Pedigree of Reliable Man, grey stallion, 2008 [1]
Sire
Dalakhani (IRE)
2000		 Darshaan (GB)
1981		 Shirley Heights Mill Reef
Hardiemma
DelsyAbdos
Kelty
Daltawa (IRE)
1989		 Miswaki Mr. Prospector
Hopespringseternal
Damana Crystal Palace
Denia
Dam
On Fair Stage (GB)
1993		 Sadler's Wells (USA)
1981		 Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Fairy Bridge Bold Reason
Special
Fair Salinia (IRE)
1975		 Petingo Petition
Alcazar
Fair Arabella Chateaugay
Locust Time (Family 16-c) [4]

Related Research Articles

Kris Kin American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Kris Kin was a thoroughbred race horse and active sire. He was bred in the United States but was trained in England during his racing career. In a career that lasted just over a year, from October 2002 to October 2003, he ran seven times and won three races, most notably The Derby in 2003. Kris Kin stood as a stallion in Italy, before being exported to stand in Libya, where he died in 2012.

Doyen (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Doyen is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, who was bred in Ireland but trained in France, Dubai and the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from 2002 to 2005. He is best known for winning the 2004 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Ruler of the World Casey BatemanThoroughbred racehorse

Ruler of the World is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won The Derby in 2013. He was unraced as a two-year-old. In 2013, he won a maiden race at the Curragh and the Group Three Chester Vase before winning the Derby on his third appearance. Later that year, he finished second in the Prix Niel and third in the Champion Stakes. He remained in training as a four-year-old and won the Prix Foy before being retired to stud.

Al Kazeem British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Al Kazeem is a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise as a two-year-old in 2010 and became a consistently successful performer in the following year. In 2012 he won the Jockey Club Stakes on his seasonal debut but was then sidelined by injury for almost a year. In 2013 he won the Gordon Richards Stakes on his comeback and then took three consecutive Group One races: the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Prince of Wales's Stakes and Eclipse Stakes. After an unsuccessful spell at stud he returned to racing in 2014 to win the Winter Hill Stakes and finish a close second in the Champion Stakes. He began his 2015 season by winning the Prix d'Harcourt and went on to win a second Tattersalls Gold Cup before being retired for the second time in August.

Kizuna (horse) Japanese-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Kizuna is a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse.

Ectot French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ectot is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. After finishing second on his debut, he won his remaining four starts as a two-year-old in 2013 including the Prix des Chênes and the Critérium International. In the following year he won the Prix de Fontainebleau and returned after injury to win the Prix Niel. He failed to win at four but returned to form when transferred to the United States in 2016, winning the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes.

Winged Love Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Winged Love is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for his win in the 1995 Irish Derby. After winning one of his two races as a juvenile in 1994, the colt showed steady improvement in the early part of his three-year-old season, finishing second in his first two races before winning the Listed Prix de Suresnes. He finished a close third behind Celtic Swing in the Prix du Jockey Club before reversing the form to win the Irish Derby. He went on to finish fourth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and third in the Prix Niel and was retired from racing at the end of the year. He has subsequently become a successful sire of National Hunt horses.

Malacate was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed some promise as a two-year-old in 1975, before emerging as one of the leading colts of his generation in Europe in the following year. His performances in 1976 included wins in the Prix La Force, Irish Derby and the first running of the Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes, in addition to running well in races such as the Prix du Jockey Club, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Champion Stakes. After failing in his first season at stud he returned to racing in 1977 and won the Prix Foy. He was then retired for a second time and had some success as a sire or winners in Japan.

Hernando was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He established himself as one of the best European colts of his generation in 1993 by winning the Prix Lupin, Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Niel and finishing second in the Irish Derby. As a four-year-old he won the Prix Gontaut-Biron and finished a close second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In 1995 he won a second Prix Gontaut-Biron and was placed in both the Turf Classic Invitational and the Japan Cup. After he retired from racing, he became a very successful breeding stallion in England. He died in February 2013.

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.

Shareta is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was a top-class middle-distance runner who showed her best form on good or firm ground. After finishing second on her only start as a juvenile she won three races including the Prix de Thiberville and Prix Minerve in 2011 and came second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She went on to greater success in 2012 when she recorded Group One victories in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille. She was retired from racing after finishing unplaced on her only start in 2013.

Almanzor (horse) French Thoroughbred racehorse

Almanzor is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old he won his first three races on provincial French tracks but was well-beaten when moved up in class for the Critérium International. In the following year he finished third on his debut but later emerged as the best horse of his generation in Europe with five consecutive victories, taking the Prix de Guiche, Prix du Jockey Club, Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, Irish Champion Stakes and Champion Stakes. He stayed in training as a four-year-old but was affected by a virus and subsequent physical setback and was retired after making an unsuccessful return to racing in August 2017.

Moonstone is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for her win in the Irish Oaks. Unraced as a two-year-old, her six-race track career lasted from April to October 2008. After finishing second in a maiden race on her debut she ran fourth in the Musidora Stakes and second in The Oaks before recording her first and only victory in the Irish Oaks. She finished unplaced in two subsequent races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. As a broodmare she has produced several good winners including US Army Ranger.

Behkabad is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a two-year-old in 2009 he was undefeated in three races including the Group 3 Prix des Chênes. In the following spring he lost his unbeaten record in the Prix Omnium II but then took the Prix de Guiche. He rebounded from a disappointing effort in the Prix du Jockey Club to win the Grand Prix de Paris and then returned in autumn to win the Prix Niel. Later that year he finished fourth when favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and ran third in the Breeders' Cup Turf. After finishing second on his only race as a four-year-old he was retired from racing and exported to become a breeding stallion in Japan.

Ashkalani was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won both of his races as a two-year-old including the Prix Thomas Bryon. In the following spring he won the Prix de Fontainebleau and Poule d'Essai des Poulains before sustaining his first defeat in the St James's Palace Stakes. He went on to win the Prix du Moulin before ending his track career by finishing fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He had moderate results as a breeding stallion.

Zalaiyka was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After finishing fifth on her first appearance she won her two other races as a two-year-old including the Prix des Réservoirs. In the following year she took her winning run to four with victories in the Prix de la Grotte and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches but was beaten in her two remaining starts and was retired at the end of the season. As a broodmare she had little success as a dam of winners.

Shakeel is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After running third on his only start as a juvenile in 2016 he made steady progress to become a top-class performer in the following year. He won a maiden race at Chantilly Racecourse in April and was placed in both the Prix du Lys and the Prix Hocquart before recording his biggest win in the Grand Prix de Paris. He failed to recover from injuries sustained in the race and was retired from racing at the end of the year.

Ghaiyyath Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ghaiyyath is an Irish-bred British-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2020 European Horse of the Year after winning the Juddmonte International Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Coronation Cup, and Dubai Millennium Stakes.

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.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Reliable Man pedigree". equineline.com. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  2. ↑ "Dalakhani – Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
  3. ↑ "Dalakhani – Stud Record". Racing Post.
  4. 1 2 "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Little Agnes – Family 16-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  5. ↑ "French Opera – Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
  6. ↑ "Prix Topyo result". Racing Post. 12 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Prix du Mont Pagnotte result". Racing Post. 9 May 2011.
  8. ↑ "Prix du Jockey Club result". Racing Post. 5 June 2011.
  9. ↑ Mary Schweitzer (5 June 2011). "Reliable Man Decisive Winner of French Derby". BloodHorse.com.
  10. ↑ "Prix Niel result". Racing Post. 11 September 2011.
  11. ↑ James Hill (11 September 2011). "FRANCE Reliable Man bounces back to his best in Niel". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes result". Racing Post. 21 July 2012.
  13. ↑ Mike Hedge (27 April 2013). "AUSTRALIA Trauma follows triumph for Reliable Man". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Daniel Franklin (29 April 2013). "Reliable Man scores bittersweet win for Waller". Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
  15. ↑ Caryl Williamson (12 May 2013). "AUSTRALIA Scan to determine Reliable Man's future". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Reliable Man Stallion". reliablemanstallion.com.
  17. ↑ "Reliable Man – Details". Racing Post.
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.