|
Post Office Box 67 Fulham Gardens SA
Phone: 0412 208 011 |
||||||
Star Kingdom - Profile of a Champion |
|||||||
|
Star Kingdom's 11th crop consisted of 15 to race from 25 foals from 42 mares. Of those that raced he produced 11 winners including the champion Star Affair. Star Affair won the Merson Cooper Stakes and Ascot Vale Stakes as a 2yo and was placed in the Golden Slipper while at 3 years he won the Moonee Valley Stakes, Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate before being unplaced in the VRC Derby then winning the Linlithgow Stakes. In the autumn he won the William Reid Stakes and Futurity Stakes before being retired to stud. He sired two stakeswinners before being exported to Japan in the 1970s. One of those stakeswinners a filly named Dowling Lass is the grand dam of recent stakeswinner Rustessence. The flying filly Citius won three in a row as a 2yo before being placed in the Merson Cooper and winning the VRC Sires Produce. As an autumn 3yo she set an Australian record time in winning over 1000m at Sandown before winning the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate. She was beaten in the Newmarket but then went to Sydney to win the AJC Doncaster Handicap. At stud Citius produced the stakeswinner Consenting who sired the stakeswinning sprinter Ever Ready while one of her filly foals Trevoir is the granddam of King Landing (Port Adelaide Cup, Launceston Cup). Celebrity Star was the equal top priced yearling of her year but failed to win in 11 starts however at stud she became the grand dam of stakeswinner Goreham. In 1963 Star Kingdom produced 25 named foals for 22 to race and 15 won and while there were no superstars for the first time there were three iron horses. Dominion raced from 2 to 9 years winning 20 races in Sydney and NSW while Prince Tim won 19 races in NSW and the ACT with Star Jester winning 13 1/2 races in Victoria and Tasmania. This crop did however leave its mark for the future. Honour Bright won two races in Melbourne and at stud produced Minos Mahal who in turn foaled the stakeswinner In The Event (QTC Grand Prix, Frank Packer Plate) and was the grand dam of Prairie (Group 1 Hardy Bros Classic). Kinmorin won two of her three starts in NSW but at stud she became the dam of WA performers Hold That Smile (Karrakatta Plate and dam of SW Snapshots) and Carry That Smile (Lee Steere Stakes. Winterbottom Stakes and sired 6 stakeswinners at stud). Touch and Go had five starts as a 2yo but went to stud and was the grand dam of Doomben 10,000 winner Between Ourselves. Copper Top wo 1 race in Sydney but at stud she left her mark. Copper Top produced Castagna, who became the grand dam of Group 1 winner Captain Cook and was the great grand dam of stakeswinner Double Blue, and Copper Curls who produced the stakeswinners Adraanette and Oenjay Star who later sired 9 stakeswinners including Group 1 winners Let's Get Physical and M'Ladys Jewel.
Another small crop followed in 1964 and again there was no star racehorse with Constellation winning 10 races mainly in NSW while Domremon won the Debutant Stakes and Giulia won the Champagne Stakes as an outsider. At stud Donremon sired Queen of the Castle who was the great grand dam of Group 1 winner Sword while Chicatique who had 13 starts without success produced the stakeswinner Ease the Squeeze. Mouchi started 11 times without winning but produced the stakeswinner Martec late in her stud career while the unraced Greatness (sister to Todman Noholme and Farringdon) produced the stakeswinner Hamden. Manilla was also unraced and became the great grand dam of stakeswinner Rubicall. The crop of 1965 was possibly one of the most influential ever produced by one stallion. The standout of the crop was Biscay who was a brilliant 2yo he easily won the Debutant Stakes and then won the Maribyrnong Plate under a hold by eight lengths. In the autumn he won the Merson Cooper Stakes before running 4th in the Golden Slipper Stakes. He failed to regain his blistering form as a three year old and retired to stud. Biscay created a dynasty of his own siring 38 stakeswinners including Zephyr Bay (who sired 19 stakeswinners despite breeding problems including Broad Reach, Elounda bay, Full and By, Society Bay, Zephryin plus Zephyr Souba dam of Naturalism and Zephyr Zip sire of 16 stakeswinners including Bravery, Diamond Shower, Iron Horse, etc), Lowan Star (multiple stakeswinner at 2 and 3 including the AJC and QTC Oaks), Shaybisc (dam of three stakeswinners Asarka, Bradshaw and Sashed who later foaled Freemason), Marscay (winner of the Golden Slipper and sire of 65 stakeswinners including Bint Marscay (dam of Bollinger), Blazing Sword (sire of Arctic Scent, Blazing Reality, Cut Up Rough, Lazing About etc), Circle's of Gold (dam of Elvstroem winner of Caulfield Cup, VRC Derby, Underwood Stakes, etc), Fitting (dam of Catbird and Danbird), Jetball (sire of 9 stakeswinners), Joanne (dam of Star Joe), Maizcay (so of Seascay and Our Maizcay sire of Marbine and Great Crusader), March Hare who won 7 stakesraces, Triscay (dam of La Baraka)). Other Biscay progeny to excel are Bounding Away (Golden Slipper, AJC Oaks) and Bletchingly. Bletchingly sired 60 stakeswinners including the turf legend Kingston Town (30 wins from 41 starts including three Cox Plates amongst his 14 Group 1 wins), Best Western (sire of 10 stakeswinners), Canny Lad (Golden Slipper and sire of 29 stakeswinnners including Accomplice, Ancient Song, Planchet, Republic Lass, etc), Cossack Warrior (sire of Brave Warrior who produced Show a Heart during his short stud career), Champion Emancipation (winner of 6 Group 1 races and dam of Royal Pardon), Lord Ballina (sire of 28 stakeswinners including Count Chivas, Cent Home, etc), Mr Tiz, Opera Prince (sire of 15 stakeswinners including Here's the Prince, Miss Commanche, etc), Rigoletto (sire of Ken's Joy and Pasta Express), Spirit of Kingston (winner of three Group 1s and dam of Portland Player), St Klaire (dam of Bonanova, Fraternity and Telesto sire of Star of Florida), Star Watch (sire of 11 stakeswinners from only 2 crops), Swift Gun sire of Swiftsynd dam of Le Zagaletta), Tempestuous (dam of Rich Pagentry) and Wrap Around. Biscay was struck down with navicular disease for the latter half of his life and ultimately the pain and discomfort was too much and he was put down in November 1987aged 22 years. The 1965 crop also produced another superstar stallion in Kaoru Star. Kaoru Star won 13 races mainly in Brisbane before being sent to stud in NSW. At stud he sired 33 stakeswinners including Aurealis (star sprinter who sired At Sea winner of 12 stakes races including the Challenge/ Carrington Stakes double three times, Evandale Star, Rivage and The Bullfighter), Full On Aces (winner of the Golden Slipper, AJC Sires Produce and QTC Sires Produce and sire of 5 stakeswinners including King's High who sired 6 stakeswinners including Odysseus), Luskin Star (champion 2yo winner of Golden Slipper and Caulfield Guineas, etc before siring 31 stakeswinners including Bold Promise, Covetous (sire of St Covet), Fiesta Star, La Cassiere, Startling Lass (dam of Shovhog), etc), Marceau (sire of 8 stakeswinners including Hula Chief, Brave Chief and Chief De Beers), Mighty Avalanche and Planet Ruler. Kaoru Star died of old age a few years after he was retired from stud duty.
Star Kingdom's second last crop was foaled in 1966. Of the 29 foals produced from 34 mares 27 raced for 18 winners. By Surprise won 26 races in country NSW while Wintime races from 2 to 11 years for 8 wins in Sydney and Queensland. Fiona won the Morphettville Plate and 7 other races in Adelaide and Melbourne before heading to stud to produce Macho winner of the Missile Stakes and became the grand dam of stakeswinner Deira. Crown won the Newmarket Hcp and 14 other races in Adelaide and Melbourne. Mospey (a half brother to Bletchingly) won one race but went to stud to sire the stakeswinner Some Path. Royal Casino also only won one race but became the fourth dam of ill fated Black Opal winner Zadok. Only days before his 21st birthday Star Kingdom was found in his box appearing listless and his groom called the vet to attend. Little could be done after equine colitis was diagnosed and Star Kingdom died later that night on 21 April 1967. His final crop though only added to the dynasty when several members went to stud. The standout name is the 1967crop was Planet Kingdom and as a racehorse he won the Craven Plate and Tattersalls Cup in Brisbane before being retired to stud. He sired 21 stakeswinners including multiple Group 1 winners Ming Dynasty and Mighty Kingdom plus Cosmic Planet (sire of Lightning Bend) and Gypsy Kingdom (sire of Auckland Cup winner Yobro). In the late 70s tragedy struck Planet Kingdom when he slipped and broke a back leg. Heroic efforts were made to save him as the horse stood supported by a sling (later used successfully to save a champion sire in the US) in a floatation tank and all was going well with the injury starting to heal until the horse slipped when the tank was being refilled and he broke another part of the leg and was put down. Red God was a stakeswinner winning 8 races but at stud produced 11 stakeswinner including Demus sire of Dandy Kid. Tattenham was a brother to Biscay and won 9 races before siring 4 stakeswinners at stud. Osmunda won 9 races including a stakes race in Brisbane and went to stud to sire 10 stakeswinners including Black Opaque and Black Shoes plus Ingenue the dam of the multiple stakeswinner Pride of Ingenue. King Apollo won 6 races in Sydney and NSW and along with Tattenham was one of the last Star Kingdom stallions available at stud. The filly Final Bid won a race in Sydney and at stud she became the grand dam of stakeswinner Pre Catelan who later sired the multiple stakeswinner In New Zealand Loader.
Star Kingdom achieved all this and more with less than 400 named foals and his sireline was as dominant as Northern Dancer is today until well into the 90s. He sired the first five Golden Slipper winners a feat thought never to be equalled and he can be found in the breeding of most Slipper winners since. Canny Lad, Jetball, Marwina, Plachet are amongst the stallions whose sireline traces back to Star Kingdom and mares from the line are now being bred with success to the Northern Dancer line stallions. The closest any modern day stallion has been to being spoken of in the same vein is Danehill who died only a few years ago after dominating the Golden Slipper throughout the 1990s to recent years. What makes Star Kingdom even more remarkable is that to achieve similar results Danehill has served big books throughout his career numbers unheard of in breeding 50 years ago. And while one day there may be another stallion like Danehill its unlikely there will ever be another to dominate as Star Kingdom with such small crops. All colour racing photos in this article are available for sale. Please contact Jenny Barnes for further details. |
|||||||
Page 1 | Page 2 |
Page 3
| Page 4 |
|||||||
Barnes Photography Home Page
| About Jenny
Barnes |
|||||||
