The Filbert (horse)

The Filbert
Sire	Souvran (GB)
Grandsire	Sovereign Path (GB)
Dam	Fauxzann
Damsire	Zamazaan (Fr)
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1980
Country	New Zealand
Colour	Bay or Brown
Breeder	Mr & Mrs J H Goodman
Owner	V C French, Mrs B H & C R Gilbert & J H Goodman
Record	68: 11-13-11
Earnings	$669,430.00
Major wins
New Zealand Stakes (1985)

The Filbert (foaled in 1980) was a New Zealand bred race-horse that was a top performer in New Zealand and internationally at Group 1 level. ^[1]

Racing career

The Filbert was trained by Don Couchman and Paul Belsham at Hawera. ^[2]

After winning three races in his early New Zealand racing career, The Filbert had a successful trip to Australia winning at Rosehill on 17 October 1984 and Flemington on 10 November 1984.

His best wins were:

• the 1985 New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie beating Silver Elm and Shifnal Prince (ridden by Garry Phillips), and
• the 1986 Waikato Cup over 2400m at Te Rapa, beating Bounty Hawk and Run For Cover (Grant Cooksley). ^[3]

He also had a number of placings in big races such as:

1985/86 season ^[4]

• third in the Caulfield Stakes behind Tristarc and Lacka Reason (Garry Phillips).
• fourth in the Caulfield Cup behind Tristarc and Our Sophia (Garry Phillips).
• fourth in the Cox Plate behind Rising Prince and Roman Artist (Garry Phillips).
• third in the Mackinnon Stakes behind Rising Prince and So Vague (Garry Phillips).
• third in the Japan Cup behind Symboli Rudolf and Rocky Tiger (Garry Phillips).

1986/87 season ^[5]

• second in the Feehan Stakes behind Dazzling Duke (G Murphy).
• fourth in the Underwood Stakes behind Bonecrusher and At Talaq (H White).
• fourth in the Caulfield Stakes behind Bonecrusher and Black Knight (G Murphy).
• third in the Cox Plate behind Bonecrusher and Waverley Star (G Murphy). This race became known as the Race of the Century.

See also

• Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand

References

1. "The Filbert (NZ) 1980 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
2. "Horse trainer retires". NZ Herald.
3. "Everyone wants to sip from the Waikato Cup". Stuff. December 8, 2011.
4. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1986 (15th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.
5. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual 1987 (16th edition). Dillon, Mike, Editor. Moa Publications, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Filbert Horse Pedigree