Ardross (horse)
Encyclopedia
Ardross was a Thoroughbred
racehorse who was a co-holder of the record for consecutive wins in Europe
an racing. Ardross was bred by trainer Paddy Prendergast for his American owner Elisabeth Ireland Poe who was also the breeder of Meadow Court
. His sire was Run the Gantlet
, a son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Tom Rolfe
. His dam, Le Melody, was a daughter of Levmoss
.
Racing at age two, Ardross got his first significant win in the Gallinule Stakes
at the Curragh
. Ardross's head defeat by Akiyda in the 1982 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
, the final race of his career, showed that in spite of being a top class stayer he was more than capable of holding his own at top level over middle distances. Ardross first raced for Ireland's Paddy Prendergast and, after his death, was bought by Charles A. B. St. George and trained by Henry Cecil
in England
, winning fourteen of his twenty-four starts, thirteen of them coming at Pattern level. He twice won the Ascot Gold Cup
and the Yorkshire Cup
, and his other major successes came in the Prix Royal-Oak
and the Doncaster Cup
and Goodwood Cup
. Before moving to Newmarket he had been runner-up to the Henry Cecil-trained Le Moss in the Ascot Gold Cup. When he went to stud Ardross was syndicated for £2 million, but none of his progeny came anywhere near his level of ability. His best flat horses were Karinga Bay and the filly
, Filia Ardross. Overall he did better as a sire of jumpers with the Champion Hurdle winner Alderbrook
, Anzum, Young Kenny and Ackzo to his credit.
Ardross died of a heart attack at age 18 on February 19, 1994 at Southcourt Stud in Leighton Buzzard
, Bedfordshire
, England
.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse who was a co-holder of the record for consecutive wins in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an racing. Ardross was bred by trainer Paddy Prendergast for his American owner Elisabeth Ireland Poe who was also the breeder of Meadow Court
Meadow Court
Meadow Court was a British Thoroughbred racehorse.-Background:He was bred by the American heiress Elisabeth Ireland Poe who owned Shawnee Farm in Harrodsburg, Kentucky as well as a racing and breeding operation in Ireland. Meadow Court was sired by Court Harwell, and out of the mare Meadow Music...
. His sire was Run the Gantlet
Run the Gantlet
Run the Gantlet was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and noted sire. He was out of the mare First Feather, whom owner Paul Mellon had purchased as a yearling at a then record price of $90,000 for a filly. He was sired by the 1965 Preakness Stakes winner, Tom Rolfe, a son of the...
, a son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee, Tom Rolfe
Tom Rolfe
The racehorse Tom Rolfe was one of the best American sons of the great racehorse and sire Ribot. His dam was Pocahontas, from whom he takes his name...
. His dam, Le Melody, was a daughter of Levmoss
Levmoss
Levmoss was an Irish-bred and Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse whose career lasted from 1967 to 1969.His defeat of Park Top in the 1969 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was a bodyblow to those who claim that horses who win long-distance races are too slow to do anything else...
.
Racing at age two, Ardross got his first significant win in the Gallinule Stakes
Gallinule Stakes
The Gallinule Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
at the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
. Ardross's head defeat by Akiyda in the 1982 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
, the final race of his career, showed that in spite of being a top class stayer he was more than capable of holding his own at top level over middle distances. Ardross first raced for Ireland's Paddy Prendergast and, after his death, was bought by Charles A. B. St. George and trained by Henry Cecil
Henry Cecil
Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, winning fourteen of his twenty-four starts, thirteen of them coming at Pattern level. He twice won the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and the Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup (horse race)
The Yorkshire Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
, and his other major successes came in the Prix Royal-Oak
Prix Royal-Oak
The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...
and the Doncaster Cup
Doncaster Cup
The Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
and Goodwood Cup
Goodwood Cup
The Goodwood Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...
. Before moving to Newmarket he had been runner-up to the Henry Cecil-trained Le Moss in the Ascot Gold Cup. When he went to stud Ardross was syndicated for £2 million, but none of his progeny came anywhere near his level of ability. His best flat horses were Karinga Bay and the filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
, Filia Ardross. Overall he did better as a sire of jumpers with the Champion Hurdle winner Alderbrook
Alderbrook
Alderbrook was an entire horse who won the Champion Hurdle in 1995 and was runner up in 1996. He was the top rated Hurdler by Timeform in both 1995 and 1996 in their publication, Chasers & Hurdlers....
, Anzum, Young Kenny and Ackzo to his credit.
Ardross died of a heart attack at age 18 on February 19, 1994 at Southcourt Stud in Leighton Buzzard
Leighton Buzzard
-Lower schools:*Beaudesert Lower School - Apennine Way*Clipstone Brook Lower School - Brooklands Drive*Greenleas Lower School - Derwent Road*Dovery Down Lower School - Heath Road*Heathwood Lower School - Heath Road*Leedon Lower School - Highfield Road...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.