Roger Varian | |
---|---|
Occupation | Trainer |
Born | [1] | 14 March 1979
Major racing wins | |
British Classic Race wins: St Leger Stakes (2014,2022) | |
Significant horses | |
Kingston Hill, Belardo |
Roger Varian is a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, based at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Varian moved to the United States as a teenager and found employment as a work rider at Hollywood Park. On his return to the United Kingdom rode as a National Hunt jockey, mainly for the Josh Gifford stable, riding seven winners. He went back to the United States in 2001 for the Maryland-based Jack Fisher commenting that his riding career "needed a push forward". [2] Less than two months after relocating to the United States, Varian sustained a serious wrist injury in a fall, ending his career as a jockey.
Varian returned to the United Kingdom and became assistant trainer to Michael Jarvis at the Kremlin House stable in Newmarket. He remained at the stable for ten years, handling horses such as Rakti and Eswarah before taking over the yard when Jarvis retired due to poor health in February 2011. [3] Commenting on his succession, Varian described himself as "very grateful... very privileged and... very lucky". [4]
In his first season as a trainer Varian sent out the filly Nahrain to win the Prix de l'Opéra. Nahrain won the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes in 2012, and other major winners from Varian's stable that year included Beyond Desire (Prix de Saint-Georges), Sri Putra (York Stakes) and Shimmering Surf (Pinnacle Stakes). In 2013, Varian's winners included Farraaj (Winter Derby), Ambivalent (Pretty Polly Stakes, Aljamaaher (Summer Mile Stakes), Princess Noor (Princess Margaret Stakes) and Kingston Hill), a grey two-year-old colt who won the Autumn Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. [5]
In 2014 Kingston Hill finished second in the Epsom Derby before giving Varian his first British Classic Race win in the St Leger. Other winners for Varian stable in 2014 included the filly Cursory Glance (Albany Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes), Ambivalent (Middleton Stakes), Vert de Grece (Critérium International) and Belardo, who was rated the best two-year-old colt trained in Europe after his win in the Dewhurst Stakes. [5]
Varian moved from Kremlin House to Carlburg Stables in January 2017 after purchasing it from previous owner Clive Brittain. [6]
Roger Varian is the son of Nigel and Sue Varian. His older brother Christopher was murdered in 2010 at Thame by a migrant worker with a history of mental illness. [7] Varian is married to Hanako Sonobe and has three children: Momoka, Eiji and Reika. [8]
Clive Brittain is a retired British race-horse trainer. He started in racing as an apprentice in 1949, and became a licensed trainer from 1972 after working for Noel Murless. He trained at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk and sent out his final runner prior to retirement in October 2015. His best-known horse is Pebbles, winner of the 1,000 Guineas in 1984 and the Breeders' Cup Turf in 1985.
Lemon Souffle was a European champion Thoroughbred racehorse, bred and trained in the United Kingdom. In the International Classification for 1993 she was the highest-rated two-year-old filly in Europe and was named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. In her championship year she won four of her five races including Cherry Hinton Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She was also successful at three, winning the Falmouth Stakes. Lemon Souffle was kept in training at four but did not appear on the racecourse and was retired to stud. She was later sold to be a broodmare in Japan.
Sun Princess (1980–2001), was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and Broodmare. In a career which lasted from September 1982 until October 1984, she ran ten times and won three races. She recorded all her successes at Group One level when a three-year-old in 1983 winning the Classic Epsom Oaks by a record margin of twelve lengths and the Yorkshire Oaks against other females before defeating colts in the St. Leger Stakes. In the same season she was placed in Europe's two most prestigious all-aged races, finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She raced without winning in 1984 before she was retired to stud, where she became the dam of several winners including the Dewhurst Stakes winner Prince of Dance.
Joseph Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer and former flat racing jockey. He is the son of trainer Aidan O'Brien. In 2012 he rode Camelot to win the 2,000 Guineas, the 2012 Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby.
Misty for Me is an Irish champion Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won three of her five starts as a two-year-old including the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Prix Marcel Boussac, the most important races for two-year-old fillies in Ireland and France respectively. She was named European Champion Two-year old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. As a three-year-old she finished unplaced in both the 1000 Guineas and The Oaks but won the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Pretty Polly Stakes. In the latter race she defeated the leading British mare Midday by six lengths.
Never Too Late was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career lasting from August 1959 until October 1960, the filly ran nine times and won four races. As a two-year-old she proved herself capable of competing against the leading French colts by winning the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp and being narrowly beaten in the Grand Critérium. In the following year she was sent to Britain where she won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and Oaks at Epsom. She was then retired to stud at the end of her three-year-old season, and had some success as a broodmare.
Sayyedati was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from June 1992 to October 1995 she ran twenty-two times winning six races and being placed eight times. Sayyedati was one of the leading two-year-old fillies in Europe in 1992, recording Group One successes in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. After being beaten on her three-year-old debut, Sayyedati won the Classic 1000 Guineas. She went on to become a successful international performer over a mile, winning the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville in 1993 and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood as a five-year-old. She was also placed in several major races including the Breeders' Cup Mile. Sayyedati was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the end of her five-year-old season.
Galatea was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, best known for winning two Classics in 1939. The filly won three times from six races in a racing career which lasted from 1938 until June 1939. After failing to win as a two-year-old she won her first three races of 1939 including the 1000 Guineas over one mile at Newmarket and The Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse a month later. She was beaten in her only subsequent race and was retired to stud, where she had some success as a broodmare.
Kingston Hill is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2013, he won all three of his races, including the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy. In 2014 he finished eighth in the 2000 Guineas and was then runner-up to Australia in the Derby before going on to win the Classic St. Leger Stakes. He was owned by Paul Smith and trained during his racing career by Roger Varian.
Tiggy Wiggy is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2014, she won six out of eight races including the Weatherbys Super Sprint, Lowther Stakes and Cheveley Park Stakes and was voted Cartier Champion Two-year-old Filly. In the spring of 2015 she was tried over longer distances and finished third in the 1000 Guineas.
Belardo is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. A son of Lope de Vega, he is owned in partnership by Prince A. A. Faisal and Godolphin Racing and trained in Nemarket by Roger Varian. In 2014 he won two of his first four races, including the Washington Singer Stakes, before recording an upset victory in the Dewhurst Stakes. He was rated the best two-year-old to race in Europe that year. He failed to win as a three-year-old in 2015 but returned to winning form on his first start of 2016 with victory in the Listed Doncaster Mile Stakes and went on to take the Lockinge Stakes.
Found is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Galileo out of the mare Red Evie, she represents the Coolmore Stud organisation and is trained by Aidan O'Brien. In 2014 she won a strong maiden race on her debut and then finished third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes before winning the Prix Marcel Boussac. She was rated the equal-best two-year-old filly to race in Europe in 2014.
Tapestry foaled 18 January 2011 is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She ran three times as a two-year-old, winning on her first two starts including the Debutante Stakes. Her greatest success came in 2014 when she won the 2014 Yorkshire Oaks ending the Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Taghrooda's unbeaten record. She will stay in training as a 4 year old in 2015.
Andrea Atzeni is a professional Italian jockey who was based in England for sixteen years before moving to Hong Kong. He was born on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, where his father is a sheep farmer, and moved aged fifteen to Milan to work for Italian trainer Alduino Botti. Two years later he emigrated to England and joined the Prestige Place stables of Alduino's son Marco in Newmarket.
Ivanka was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 1992 she won two of her five races, taking a minor stakes race on her debut and winning the Group One Fillies' Mile in September. She also finished second in the Racing Post Trophy and third in the May Hill Stakes. She sustained a fatal training injury in late 1992.
Cursory Glance is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred and owned by the Merry Fox Stud, her brief track career consisted of only four races between May and September 2014. After taking a maiden race on her debut she won the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and then ran second to Tiggy Wiggy in the Lowther Stakes. On her final racecourse appearance she was sent to Ireland and defeated a very strong field to take the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. Injury problems prevented her from racing as a three-year-old and she was retired at the end of 2015.
Nahrain is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Unraced as a two-year-old she won her first four races in 2011 including the Coral Distaff and the Prix de l'Opéra before finishind second in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. She struggled to find her form in the early part of the 2012 season but returned to her best to take the Flower Bowl Stakes. She made an immediate impact as a broodmare, with her first foal being Benbatl.
Pretty Gorgeous is a French-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She was one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2020 when she won three of her five races including the Debutante Stakes and the Fillies' Mile
David Egan is an Irish jockey who is based in Britain and competes in flat racing. He was British champion apprentice in 2017. From 2019 to 2022 he was retained by owner Prince Faisal, for whom he won the 2021 Saudi Cup on Mishriff. Since July 2022 he has ridden freelance, and achieved two Classic victories on the Roger Varian trained Eldar Eldarov.
Teona is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed promise as a two-year-old in 2020 when she won the second of her two races by nine lengths. In the following spring she ran disappointingly in the Musidora Stakes and the Epsom Oaks but developed into a top-class middle distance performer, winning the August Stakes and the Prix Vermeille.