Attraction (horse)
Encyclopedia
Attraction is a retired British racehorse who was bred in Scotland
and trained in England
. She won several important races and was the first horse to win both the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas
. She was also well-known for her unusual and distinctive action
.
at his stud at Floors Castle
, near Kelso, Scotland. She is one of many good horses sired by Efisio and is half-sister to several minor winners.
Attraction's status as a thoroughbred
is slightly contentious, as, unlike the overwhelming majority of racehorses, her family cannot be traced back to one of the accepted foundation
mares. The family is therefore considered "half-bred", although it was admitted to the General Stud Book
in 1969.
Attraction was born with crooked forelegs, a flaw that became even more apparent when she galloped. Because of this, her breeder believed that it would be impossible to sell her, and decided to race her under his own colours. Her action
was variously described as resembling "a helicopter" and "a demented haymaker wielding a scythe", while one of her prospective trainers said that "it looked as though God had taken a day off when he created her",. She was eventually sent into training with Mark Johnston at Middleham
, North Yorkshire
.
. She followed up with wins in a small event at Thirsk
and the Listed
Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley
, before being sent south for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Attraction was sent off the 13-8 favourite and she led from the start and to win by three lengths from Catstar, with the rest of the field a further five lengths back.
Three weeks later she was hampered at the start on the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket
, but the interference made no difference to the result as she took the lead a furlong out and pulled away to win by five lengths. She was to have been aimed at the Cheveley Park Stakes, but leg problems and a broken pedal bone put her out for the rest of the season.
by a length, leading J A McGrath
to describe her as "a truly great filly". Attraction then returned to Royal Ascot and extended her unbeaten run to eight with a win in the Coronation Stakes. Mick Channon
, trainer of the runner-up Majestic Desert, said of Attraction "You probably won't see another horse like her in your lifetime".
Her unbeaten run, however, came to an end in her next race, and there were no excuses as she was beaten by the European Champion Older Horse Soviet Song
in the Falmouth Stakes
at Newmarket. She then ran the first bad race of her career, failing to cope with the soft ground and being virtually pulled up in the Prix Jacques le Marois
. The Matron Stakes at Leopardstown
, saw a rematch with Soviet Song, and Attraction once again had to give best to the older filly, although the margin was significantly closer than it had been at Newmarket. Attraction was to have ended her season with a run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
but was withdrawn by Mark Johnston, who was unhappy with the state of the ground. Instead, Attraction was re-routed to the Sun Chariot Stakes, and was able to end her year with a win, scoring by a neck from the Celebration Mile
winner Chic
.
in the Champions Mile
at Sha Tin
in May, and could finish only fourth in the Hungerford Stakes
at Newbury
three months later. On her final start, however, she came back to her best to beat Chic in the Matron Stakes with the 2005 1,000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters back in third. Johnston was delighted: "It is great to silence the critics, she was so gutsy and she really deserved it".
and was awarded the Cartier Racing Award
for European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
She was also named British Champion Two-Year-Old Filly by the British Horseracing Board
.
At three she was given a rating of 118 by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
, making her the third best filly in the world, and the best three-year-old filly in the world over one mile. She was beaten to the title of European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly by Ouija Board.
. Her first two foals were both winners.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and trained 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...
. She won several important races and was the first horse to win both the 1000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas
Irish 1000 Guineas
The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
. She was also well-known for her unusual and distinctive action
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
.
Background
Attraction was bred by her owner the Duke of RoxburgheGuy Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghe
thumb|right|Portrait by [[Allan Warren]]Guy David Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghe , is a British aristocrat. He was the elder son of the 9th Duke by his second wife Elisabeth McConnel...
at his stud at Floors Castle
Floors Castle
Floors Castle, on the western outskirts of Kelso, south-east Scotland, is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe. Despite its name it is a country house, rather than a fortress. It was built in the 1720s by the architect William Adam for the 1st Duke, possibly incorporating an earlier tower house...
, near Kelso, Scotland. She is one of many good horses sired by Efisio and is half-sister to several minor winners.
Attraction's status as a thoroughbred
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...
is slightly contentious, as, unlike the overwhelming majority of racehorses, her family cannot be traced back to one of the accepted foundation
Foundation bloodstock
Foundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...
mares. The family is therefore considered "half-bred", although it was admitted to the General Stud Book
General Stud Book
The General Stud Book was the original breed registry of the United Kingdom for horses. It specifically was used to document the breeding of Thoroughbreds and related foundation bloodstock such as the Arabian horse....
in 1969.
Attraction was born with crooked forelegs, a flaw that became even more apparent when she galloped. Because of this, her breeder believed that it would be impossible to sell her, and decided to race her under his own colours. Her action
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
was variously described as resembling "a helicopter" and "a demented haymaker wielding a scythe", while one of her prospective trainers said that "it looked as though God had taken a day off when he created her",. She was eventually sent into training with Mark Johnston at Middleham
Middleham
Middleham is a small market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales, on the north-facing side of the valley just above the junction of the River Ure and River Cover. There has been a settlement there since Roman...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
.
2003: two-year-old season
Attraction made her debut in April 2003 with a five-length win in a minor stakes race at NottinghamNottingham Racecourse
Nottingham Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It is situated at Colwick Park, close to the River Trent and about 3 km east of the city centre....
. She followed up with wins in a small event at Thirsk
Thirsk Racecourse
Thirsk Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. The course is a left handed oval of about 1m2f with a 3f finishing straight and a 6f chute...
and the Listed
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley
Beverley Racecourse
Beverley Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.The racecourse is a right-handed flat course, that is just over 1 mile 3 furlongs....
, before being sent south for the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. Attraction was sent off the 13-8 favourite and she led from the start and to win by three lengths from Catstar, with the rest of the field a further five lengths back.
Three weeks later she was hampered at the start on the Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
, but the interference made no difference to the result as she took the lead a furlong out and pulled away to win by five lengths. She was to have been aimed at the Cheveley Park Stakes, but leg problems and a broken pedal bone put her out for the rest of the season.
2004: three-year-old season
Attraction began her three-year-old career by going straight for the Classic 1,000 Guineas, for which she was made 11-2 second favourite. She took the lead early and after being seriously pressured for the first time in her career, stayed on to beat Sundrop by half a length. Three weeks later she became the first winner of the 1,000 Guineas to win the Irish equivalent, leading from the start as usual and keeping on strongly to beat Alexander GoldrunAlexander Goldrun
Alexander Goldrun is a retired Thoroughbred filly racehorse. Bred by Dermot Cantillon, she was raced by Mrs. Noel O'Callaghan for whom she compiled a race record of 10 wins, seven seconds, and six thirds in thirty-one starts...
by a length, leading J A McGrath
Jim McGrath (Australian commentator)
Jim Aloysius McGrath is the BBC's senior horse racing commentator. He was previously deputy race commentator, and sometimes a paddock commentator.-Career:...
to describe her as "a truly great filly". Attraction then returned to Royal Ascot and extended her unbeaten run to eight with a win in the Coronation Stakes. Mick Channon
Mick Channon
Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...
, trainer of the runner-up Majestic Desert, said of Attraction "You probably won't see another horse like her in your lifetime".
Her unbeaten run, however, came to an end in her next race, and there were no excuses as she was beaten by the European Champion Older Horse Soviet Song
Soviet Song
Soviet Song is a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on February 18, 2000, sired by Marju out of Kalinka...
in the Falmouth Stakes
Falmouth Stakes
The Falmouth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in honour of...
at Newmarket. She then ran the first bad race of her career, failing to cope with the soft ground and being virtually pulled up in the Prix Jacques le Marois
Prix Jacques le Marois
The Prix Jacques Le Marois is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
. The Matron Stakes at Leopardstown
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
, saw a rematch with Soviet Song, and Attraction once again had to give best to the older filly, although the margin was significantly closer than it had been at Newmarket. Attraction was to have ended her season with a run in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is now scheduled to take place each year in October. As of 2011, it is run on Champions Day as the final race...
but was withdrawn by Mark Johnston, who was unhappy with the state of the ground. Instead, Attraction was re-routed to the Sun Chariot Stakes, and was able to end her year with a win, scoring by a neck from the Celebration Mile
Celebration Mile
The Celebration Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late August....
winner Chic
Chic (horse)
Chic is a chestnut Thoroughbred racehorse. A filly, she is owned and bred by Cheveley Park Stud and was trained by Sir Michael Stoute. Out of the mare Exclusive, winner of the 1998 Group One Coronation Stakes, Chic was sired by Machiavellian, a French champion at age two who was a son of the very...
.
2005: four-year-old season
Attraction was kept in training at four, but injury problems restricted her to just three starts. She made no show behind Bullish LuckBullish Luck
Bullish Luck is a Hong Kong based Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Kentucky, he is the son of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Royal Academy and out of the Alysheba mare Wild Vintage...
in the Champions Mile
Champions Mile
The Champions Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1,600 metres on the turf at Sha Tin Racecourse....
at Sha Tin
Sha Tin Racecourse
Sha Tin Racecourse is one of the two racecourses for horse racing in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin in the New Territories. It is managed by Hong Kong Jockey Club.Penfold Park is encircled by the track.-History:...
in May, and could finish only fourth in the Hungerford Stakes
Hungerford Stakes
The Hungerford Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
at Newbury
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
three months later. On her final start, however, she came back to her best to beat Chic in the Matron Stakes with the 2005 1,000 Guineas winner Virginia Waters back in third. Johnston was delighted: "It is great to silence the critics, she was so gutsy and she really deserved it".
Assessment
At two Attraction was the highest ranked filly in Europe with an official rating of 119, two pounds below the champion colt BagoBago
Bago may refer to:*Denmark** Bago, Denmark, the island of Bågø*Myanmar**Bago, Burma a city**Bago Region an administrative region*Philippines**Bago City, Negros Oriental**Bago **Bago...
and was awarded the Cartier Racing Award
Cartier Racing Award
The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier jewelers. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers.Eight...
for European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.
She was also named British Champion Two-Year-Old Filly by the British Horseracing Board
British Horseracing Board
From 10 June 1993 until 30 July 2007, the British Horseracing Board was the governing authority for horseracing in Great Britain. It was created in 1993, and took on responsibilities previously held by the Jockey Club...
.
At three she was given a rating of 118 by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
, making her the third best filly in the world, and the best three-year-old filly in the world over one mile. She was beaten to the title of European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly by Ouija Board.
Stud career
Attraction was retired to her owner's stud at Floors CastleFloors Castle
Floors Castle, on the western outskirts of Kelso, south-east Scotland, is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe. Despite its name it is a country house, rather than a fortress. It was built in the 1720s by the architect William Adam for the 1st Duke, possibly incorporating an earlier tower house...
. Her first two foals were both winners.