Sopressa (horse)

Last updated
Sopressa
Sire So You Think
Grandsire High Chaparral
DamHidden Strings
DamsireWeasel Clause
SexMare
Foaled31 October 2014
CountryAustralia
ColourBay
OwnerDJ Molloy
TrainerDarren Weir (Sep 17-Mar 19)
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace(Mar 19-)
Record28-4-6-2
Earnings A$686,970
Major wins
Auraria Stakes (G3)(2018)
Schweppes Oaks (G1) (2018)
Last updated on 19 April 2020

Sopressa (foaled 31 October 2014) is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained and bred in Australia. She won the Schweppes Oaks, a Group One race, and has won over six hundred thousand dollars.

Career

Sopressa had her first race at Geelong on 3 September 2017, coming third and winning $3200. She competed in three further races in this campaign, finishing 5th, 2nd and 3rd. [1]

After a 106-day spell, she returned, contesting two further races before breaking her maiden on 7 March 2018 at Kyneton. [1]

After a short spell, Sopressa took part in her first listed race at Morphetville on 7 April. Starting as $4.20 favourite, she "didn't have much luck", finishing 7th. [2] A fortnight later, she won the Auraria Stakes by 4 lengths. Trainer Darren Weir said, "She got a terrific ride from Harry [Coffey] and she showed her strengths really late in the race when she was getting to the final furlong over 1800m, she was very strong." [3]

Sopressa won her first Group 1 in the Schweppes Oaks two weeks later. Quick out of the gates, she settled 5th on the rail and made her move on the home bend to win by less than half a length. [4] Jockey Harry Coffey, also winning his first group 1, said, "When you win a race like the Oaks, it becomes clear how special it is. I don’t know how many messages I have had on social media." Weir said of his ride, "If he had done one thing wrong, he would've got beaten, it was that close." [5]

Between August and October 2018, Sopressa contested 4 events, never finishing in the first half of the field. [6]

In February 2019, trainer Darren Weir was banned for four years for the use of taser-like devices on his horses to improve performance. Sopressa was transferred to trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. [7]

A five-month spell saw Sopressa return in the Group 3 Matron Stakes in March, finishing 11th of 12. A fortnight later saw a drop in class to a bm90, with Sopressa finishing 5th. In the next four months she contested seven further events without a win, though she did come second in the Grafton Cup and Queen's Cup. [1]

On 27 July, Sopressa won $100,000 in the Vobis Gold Stayers. Trainer Maher announced she was going to the breeding barn after this final run. "She takes a bit of maintenance but the muscle guys and manipulators have done a really good job with her. She’s a big, raw mare that gets a few little niggles and that was a great way to finish off." [8] However, she then raced at Flemington a fortnight later. [1]

Related Research Articles

Jerry Hollendorfer is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer whose notable horses include Eclipse Award winners Blind Luck, Shared Belief and Songbird. He has the most wins in the history of Northern California race horse trainers. In 2011, he was inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imagine (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Imagine was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and The Oaks in 2001. In a racing career which lasted from August 2000 to June 2001 the filly ran ten times and won four races. As a two-year-old, Imagine ran six times, winning the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and finishing second in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket. The following spring, the filly was beaten in her first two races before winning the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. Imagine recorded her most valuable success on her final appearance, winning the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She never raced again, but proved to be a successful broodmare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahtoush</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Shahtoush was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1998. In a racing career which lasted from August 1997 to September 1998 the filly ran eleven times and won three races. Shahtoush won only one minor race as a two-year-old, but showed top-class form when she finished third in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. In 1998 she finished second in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and then returned to England to win the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She was beaten in her two remaining races, finishing unplaced in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Irish Champion Stakes.

Musical Bliss (1986–2006) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic 1000 Guineas in 1989. In a racing career lasting from July 1988 until August 1989, the filly ran five times and won three races. In 1988, Musical Bliss won both her races including the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. On her first appearance as a three-year-old, she won the 1000 Guineas but ran poorly in her two other races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. Her record as a broodmare was mixed.

Chapeau d'Espagne was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse in 1837. Chapeau d'Espagne was one of the best two-year-old fillies of 1836, when she won the Criterion Stakes and was placed in both the Molecomb Stakes and the Clearwell Stakes. In the following year she won the 1000 Guineas and finished second in the Oaks Stakes. After failing to win again in 1837 she returned as a four-year-old to win four more races. In all she ran twenty-two times between July 1836 and October 1838, winning eight races. After her retirement from racing she had some success as a broodmare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talent (horse)</span> British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Talent is a British Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islington (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Islington is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from August 2001 until November 2003 she won six of her fifteen races including four at Group One level. As a three-year-old she won the Musidora Stakes, and after disappointing in The Oaks, she returned to win the Nassau Stakes and the Yorkshire Oaks. At four she raced creditably against male opposition before returning to all-female competition to win a second Yorkshire Oaks and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Despite racing only once in North America in 2003 she was voted American Champion Female Turf Horse at the Eclipse Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diminuendo (horse)</span> American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse

Diminuendo was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning two classic races, the Epsom Oaks and the Irish Oaks in 1988. She was one of the best two-year-old fillies of 1987, when she won all four of her races including the Cherry Hinton Stakes and Fillies' Mile. In 1988 she was beaten in her first two races, but won her next four, taking the Musidora Stakes, Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. She finished second when favourite for the St. Leger Stakes and ended her racing career by finishing unplaced in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but was rated the best three-year-old filly of the season in Europe. She was then retired to stud, where she had some success as a broodmare.

Quick As Lightning was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1980. She was one of the leading British-trained juvenile fillies of 1979, when she won two of her three races including the Hoover Fillies' Mile. In the following year, she finished third on her debut before defeating twenty-two opponents in the 1000 Guineas. She never won again, although she finished fourth when favourite for The Oaks and was narrowly beaten in the Coronation Stakes. She was later transferred to the United States, where she failed to win in three races before dying in 1981 at the age of four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair Salinia</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Fair Salinia was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 1978. In a racing career which lasted from September 1977 until September 1978 she won four of her eight races. As a two-year-old in 1977 she won on her debut before finishing second in the Cheveley Park Stakes. As a three-year-old she finished second in the 1000 Guineas before being moved up in distance and winning the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. She was retired to stud at the end of the season and had some influence as a broodmare. She died in 2004 at the age of twenty-nine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qualify (horse)</span> Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Qualify is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. On 5 June 2015 she was a 50/1 winner of The Oaks. She ran seven times as a juvenile in 2014, winning a maiden race and the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes but was well-beaten when tried against the best fillies of her generation in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. In the spring of 2015 she was initially disappointing as she finished unplaced in both the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1,000 Guineas before being stepped up in distance and winning the Oaks.

Palentino is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire trained and bred in Australia. He won the Australian Guineas and Makybe Diva Stakes, both Group One races. He won over 1.3 million dollars.

Yesterday was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 2002, winning a maiden race and being placed in the Debutante Stakes and the Rockfel Stakes before taking the Eyrefield Stakes. In the following spring she won the Irish 1000 Guineas and appeared an unlucky loser when narrowly beaten in The Oaks. She failed to win again but finished placed in the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opéra and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Melodist was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a juvenile in 1987 she showed considerable promise, winning one race and finishing third in the Futurity Stakes. In the following year, she developed into a high-class middle distance performer, winning the Oaks d'Italia and dead-heating for Irish Oaks as well as finishing second in a strongly contested edition of the weight-for-age Geoffrey Freer Stakes. As a broodmare she had some success as a dam of National Hunt horses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyre (horse)</span> Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Lyre is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained and bred in Australia. She has won a Group One race, and over a million dollars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nature Strip (horse)</span> Australian Thoroughbred racehorse

Nature Strip is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 2020 and 2022 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, a nine-time Group 1 winner, and the winner of The Everest in 2021, the richest turf race in the world.

Yes Yes Yes is a retired Australian thoroughbred racehorse. He won The Everest, and over seven million dollars.

Nakeeta Jane is a retired Group 1 winning Australian bred thoroughbred racehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colette (horse)</span> Australian thoroughbred racehorse

Colette is a retired multiple Group 1 winning Australian bred thoroughbred racehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verry Elleegant</span> New Zealand-bred thoroughbred racehorse

Verry Elleegant is a New Zealand-bred Australian-trained Thoroughbred racehorse that has won 11 Group One races. She was crowned the 2020/2021 Australian Racehorse of the Year, and was the winner of the 2021 Melbourne Cup and 2020 Caulfield Cup.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sopressa". racing.com.
  2. "Concealer helps Tony McEvoy's luck turn with Manihi Classic win at Morphettville". news.com.au.
  3. Grace Ramage. "Sopressa the silver lining for Weir". racing.com.
  4. Mark Mazzaglia. "Coffey Scores 1st G1 Win On Sopressa In Australasian Oaks". horseracing.com.au.
  5. Chris Roots. "Courageous Coffey blown away by response to group-1 win". Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. "Darren Weir will not contest 'jigger' charges and faces four-year ban from horse racing". The Guardian .
  7. John Ellicott. "Updated: Australia's top horse trainer Darren Weir banned for four years". The Land.
  8. "Sopressa Now Set To Star In Breeding Barn". Aushorse.