Celeric
Encyclopedia
Celeric is a retired, British Thoroughbred
racehorse. He improved from running in minor handicaps to Group One
level, and recorded his most important win in the 1997 Ascot Gold Cup
. In the same year he was named European Champion Stayer at the Cartier Racing Awards. He won thirteen of his forty-two races in a career which lasted from 1994 until his retirement at the age of eight in 2000. Together with Double Trigger
, Kayf Tara
and Persian Punch
he was one of a group of horses credited with revitalising the staying division in the mid 1990s.
was bred by the Chievely Manor Stud, a tiny operation based in the "back garden" of his owner Christopher Spence. His sire Mtoto
was an outstanding middle-distance horse winning the Eclipse Stakes
twice and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.At stud he sired the winners of more then five hundred races including the Epsom Derby
winner Shaamit
and the leading National Hunt sire Presenting. He was notable as an influence for stamina, with the average winning distance of his progeny being 11.5 furlong
s.
Celeric’s dam Hot Spice was unraced, but was a successful broodmare: in addition to Celeric she produced the St. Simon Stakes
winner Sesame and the successful handicapper Turmeric. Hot Spice's foals were all given herb or spice related names with others including Camomile and Zucchini. Celeric’s name was reported to be a mis-spelling of Celeriac
.
Celeric was trained by David Morley until the trainer's death in January 1998. He was then moved to the Arundel
stable of John Dunlop
. His most regular jockey was Pat Eddery
who rode him in eighteen races. Celeric was known as a "tricky customer" who tended to stop when in front, and therefore needed to be ridden with skill and timing.
in August. In three other races as a two year old he finished no better than fourth.
In 1995, Celeric was immediately sent over extended distances and on his debut he won his first race, a handicap over thirteen furlongs at Warwick
. .
Celeric improved steadily throughout the year, and won minor handicap races at Nottingham
, Newbury
and York
. At the last venue he gave thirteen pounds to the future Champion Hurdle
r Istabraq
and won by a head. Celeric's handicap mark improved from 75 to 90, suggesting that although useful, he was around 15 pounds below Group
class.
and improved into a top class stayer. He won once from his first three starts and then recorded his first important when carrying 130lbs
to victory in the Northumberland Plate
at Newcastle
in June. Two weeks later he moved up to Listed
class for the first time and won Foster's Silver Cup at York. He was held up in the early stages before accelerating in the straight and winning by one and a half lengths
The same tactics were employed in the Lonsdale Stakes
at York, and Celeric won by two lengths, with the Goodwood Cup
winner Grey Shot in fourth. Another step up in class followed, as Celeric next ran in the Group Three
Doncaster Cup
for which he was made second favourite. Celeric stayed on well in the race but could never get on terms with Double Trigger
and finished second, beaten two lengths.
Celeric's final start of the season came in the Group Three Jockey Club Cup
at Newmarket
for which he started at 11/4 against a field which included Further Flight
, who was attempting to win the race for a fifth time and the future dual Champion Stayer Persian Punch. Ridden by Richard Hills, Celeric tracked the leaders before moving easily up to challenge in the last quarter mile. He took the lead inside the final furlong and was driven out to hold the renewed challenge of the Ebor Handicap
winner Sanmartino by a head and record his first Group win.
over a mile and a half in May. Less than two weeks later he returned to extended distances in the Yorkshire Cup
for which he was made second favourite behind the St Leger
and Ascot Gold Cup
winner Classic Cliche. Held up as usual, Celeric showed "courage" to match his "turn of foot" as he "squeezed" through a gap to take the lead inside the final furlong and ran on under pressure to beat Mons by a short head, with Classic Cliche finishing last of the nine runners. On his final trial for the Gold Cup, Celeric finished second to Persian Punch in the Henry II Stakes
at Sandown, beaten three quarters of a length when attempting to give seven pounds to the younger gelding.
The field for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June was unusually strong. Apart from Classic Cliche, Double Trigger and Persian Punch, Celeric's rivals also included the Cartier Award winning stayers Moonax
and Nononito
. Celeric's task was made more difficult when the ground at Ascot was softened by heavy rain. Celeric ws held up in last place by Pat Eddery in the early stages as Grey Shot and Double Trigger made the running. Classic Cliche took over the lead in the straight as Eddery moved Celeric up to challenge. Celeric caught Classic Cliche well inside the last furlong and ran on under pressure to win by three quarters of a length. Eddery was singled out for praise in timing Celeric's challenge to perfection: the gelding disliked being in front and had to be produced as late as possible.
Celeric was dropped down to a mile and a half to finish fifth in the Princess of Wales's Stakes
at Newmarket, but then disappointed when favourite for the Lonsdale Stakes, finishing fourth to Double Eclipse. On his final start of the season he was sent to France and was made odds-on favourite for the Prix du Cadran
. He challenged strongly in the straight but was beaten a neck by Chief Contender.
.
Celeric failed to win in six races in 1998. In the first half of the year he was well below his best when finishing unplaced in three races including the Ascot Gold Cup.
His form improved later in the season as he finished third to Double Trigger in the Goodwood Cup, second to Persian Punch in the Lonsdale Stakes and second to Arctic Owl in the Jockey Club Cup. His effort in the Lonsdale Stakes was his best performance as he was beaten a short head when attempting to give six pounds to the winner. It was described as "a contest to make any pulse quicken."
Celeric began 1999 by recording his first win for twenty-two months. In the Sagaro Stakes
at Ascot he was held up patiently by Richard Quinn (Pat Eddery was suspended) before "pouncing" inside the final furlong and being pushed out to beat Shaya by one and a half lengths. He finished fifth in his next start, when made favourite for the Henry II Stakes.
Celeric produced a "noble" effort to finish fourth of seventeen runners in the Gold Cup, but then finished sixth of seven behind Kayf Tara
when joint favourite for the Goodwwod Cup. Celeric was becoming unpredictable, and Dunlop considered running him in blinkers
. In the Lonsdale Stakes in August, Celeric started at 10/1 and scored his last victory. Pat Eddery held the gelding up before moving steadily forward to take the lead inside the final furlong. Celeric ran on strongly under pressure to beat Arctic Owl by a length and take the race for a second time. The Racing Post
described Celeric as "back to his thrilling best."
In Autumn Celeric finished third in the Doncaster Cup but on his last start of the year he was very disappointing, finishing a remote last of the three runners in the Jockey Club Cup.
Celeric failed to find his best form in 2000. He finished third in the Sagaro Stakes on his debut, but after unplaced runs in the Yorkshire Cup and the Ascot Gold Cup he was retired from racing. Announcing the decision in late June, Christopher Spence said, "He's given us more fun than you could ever imagine, and we've been very lucky to have had him."
In the Classification for 1998, he was again rated the second best European stayer on 119, one pound below Kayf Tara.
, where he was reported to be enjoying an active retirement.
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. He improved from running in minor handicaps to Group One
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...
level, and recorded his most important win in the 1997 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....
. In the same year he was named European Champion Stayer at the Cartier Racing Awards. He won thirteen of his forty-two races in a career which lasted from 1994 until his retirement at the age of eight in 2000. Together with Double Trigger
Double Trigger
Double Trigger is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He was bred in Ireland, but trained in the United Kingdom throughout his racing career, which lsted from 1993 to 1998...
, Kayf Tara
Kayf Tara
Kayf Tara is a United Kingdom Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Godolphin Stables who won the Cartier European Top Stayer three years in a row from 1998, through 2000....
and Persian Punch
Persian Punch
Persian Punch was a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in the United Kingdom. He was frequently heralded by the Racing Post and his fans as the most popular horse in training during the final years of his career. He had his own fan club and website....
he was one of a group of horses credited with revitalising the staying division in the mid 1990s.
Background
Celeric, a bay gelding with a white stripeHorse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
was bred by the Chievely Manor Stud, a tiny operation based in the "back garden" of his owner Christopher Spence. His sire Mtoto
Mtoto
Mtoto was a racehorse foaled in 1983. He recovered so well from the foot problems which dogged his early career that when he went to stud, he did so as the winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and double winner of both the Eclipse Stakes and Prince of Wales's Stakes. He very...
was an outstanding middle-distance horse winning the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
twice and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.At stud he sired the winners of more then five hundred races including the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
winner Shaamit
Shaamit
Shaamit was an Irish-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1996.Shaamit was foaled on 11 February 1993 and was sired by Mtoto, winner of the Eclipse Stakes in 1987 and 1988 and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1988...
and the leading National Hunt sire Presenting. He was notable as an influence for stamina, with the average winning distance of his progeny being 11.5 furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s.
Celeric’s dam Hot Spice was unraced, but was a successful broodmare: in addition to Celeric she produced the St. Simon Stakes
St. Simon Stakes
The St. Simon Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 5 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event is named after St. Simon, an...
winner Sesame and the successful handicapper Turmeric. Hot Spice's foals were all given herb or spice related names with others including Camomile and Zucchini. Celeric’s name was reported to be a mis-spelling of Celeriac
Celeriac
Celeriac is also known as celery root, turnip-rooted celery or knob celery. It is a kind of celery, grown as a root vegetable primarily for its large and bulbous hypocotyl rather than for its stem and leaves. The swollen hypocotyl is typically used when it is about 10–12 cm in...
.
Celeric was trained by David Morley until the trainer's death in January 1998. He was then moved to the Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
stable of John Dunlop
John L. Dunlop
John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....
. His most regular jockey was Pat Eddery
Pat Eddery
Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...
who rode him in eighteen races. Celeric was known as a "tricky customer" who tended to stop when in front, and therefore needed to be ridden with skill and timing.
1994-1995: early career
Celeric’s racing career began when he finished last of the seven runners in a maiden race at KemptonKempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
in August. In three other races as a two year old he finished no better than fourth.
In 1995, Celeric was immediately sent over extended distances and on his debut he won his first race, a handicap over thirteen furlongs at Warwick
Warwick Racecourse
Warwick Racecourse is a horse racing course in Warwick, England. It is a leading flat racing and steeple chasing course, and has a programme of 25 meetings throughout the year, many of which are televised. The first stand was built in 1808, it has recently undergone a major refurbishment of its...
. .
Celeric improved steadily throughout the year, and won minor handicap races at Nottingham
Nottingham 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....
, 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...
and York
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing track in the southwest of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England with a spectator capacity of 60,000. The most famous race to be held at York on an annual basis is the Ebor Handicap, which is run during the Ebor Festival meeting in August...
. At the last venue he gave thirteen pounds to the future Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
r Istabraq
Istabraq
Istabraq is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who was most famous for his hurdling. He had an exceptional pedigree, being the produce of Sadler's Wells, a son of Northern Dancer, and a Secretariat mare making him a three-quarter brother to Epsom Derby winner Secreto. He won the Champion...
and won by a head. Celeric's handicap mark improved from 75 to 90, suggesting that although useful, he was around 15 pounds below Group
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...
class.
1996: four-year-old season
In 1996 Celeric was ridden in seven of his eight races by the veteran Willie CarsonWillie Carson
William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...
and improved into a top class stayer. He won once from his first three starts and then recorded his first important when carrying 130lbs
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
to victory in the Northumberland Plate
Northumberland Plate
The Northumberland Plate is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newcastle over a distance of 2 miles and 19 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.-History:The event was established in...
at Newcastle
Newcastle Racecourse
Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park near Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It stages both flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland Plate held annually in June.-History:...
in June. Two weeks later he moved up to 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...
class for the first time and won Foster's Silver Cup at York. He was held up in the early stages before accelerating in the straight and winning by one and a half lengths
The same tactics were employed in the Lonsdale Stakes
Lonsdale Cup
The Lonsdale 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 York over a distance of 2 miles and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
at York, and Celeric won by two lengths, with the 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:...
winner Grey Shot in fourth. Another step up in class followed, as Celeric next ran in the Group Three
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...
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....
for which he was made second favourite. Celeric stayed on well in the race but could never get on terms with Double Trigger
Double Trigger
Double Trigger is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He was bred in Ireland, but trained in the United Kingdom throughout his racing career, which lsted from 1993 to 1998...
and finished second, beaten two lengths.
Celeric's final start of the season came in the Group Three Jockey Club Cup
Jockey Club Cup
The British Champions Long Distance Cup, formerly known as the Jockey Club Cup, is a Group 3 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 2 miles...
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...
for which he started at 11/4 against a field which included Further Flight
Further Flight
Further Flight was an Irish-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the Jockey Club Cup for five successive years...
, who was attempting to win the race for a fifth time and the future dual Champion Stayer Persian Punch. Ridden by Richard Hills, Celeric tracked the leaders before moving easily up to challenge in the last quarter mile. He took the lead inside the final furlong and was driven out to hold the renewed challenge of the Ebor Handicap
Ebor Handicap
The Ebor Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three 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 August....
winner Sanmartino by a head and record his first Group win.
1997: five-year-old season
Celeric's championship season began with a fourth place in the Jockey Club StakesJockey Club Stakes
The Jockey Club Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs at Newmarket, and the final part of the race is on the Rowley Mile...
over a mile and a half in May. Less than two weeks later he returned to extended distances in the Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup may refer to:*Yorkshire Cup , a rugby union competition for Yorkshire clubs*Yorkshire Cup , a horse race held at York Racecourse*Rugby league county cups, a rugby league competition for Yorkshire clubs...
for which he was made second favourite behind the St Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
and 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....
winner Classic Cliche. Held up as usual, Celeric showed "courage" to match his "turn of foot" as he "squeezed" through a gap to take the lead inside the final furlong and ran on under pressure to beat Mons by a short head, with Classic Cliche finishing last of the nine runners. On his final trial for the Gold Cup, Celeric finished second to Persian Punch in the Henry II Stakes
Henry II Stakes
The Henry II Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 2 miles and 78 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May....
at Sandown, beaten three quarters of a length when attempting to give seven pounds to the younger gelding.
The field for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June was unusually strong. Apart from Classic Cliche, Double Trigger and Persian Punch, Celeric's rivals also included the Cartier Award winning stayers Moonax
Moonax
Moonax was an Irish-bred, English-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In 1994 Moonax became the first horse to win both the Classic St Leger and the Prix Royal-Oak and was named European Champion Stayer. He remains the only three year old to have been honoured in this way...
and Nononito
Nononito
Nononito was a French champion Thoroughbred race horse and sire. A specialist stayer, he ran twenty-two times on the flat and thirteen times over hurdles in a career which lasted from 1994 until 1998. Although he won only three of his flat races, he was noted for his consistency and ran...
. Celeric's task was made more difficult when the ground at Ascot was softened by heavy rain. Celeric ws held up in last place by Pat Eddery in the early stages as Grey Shot and Double Trigger made the running. Classic Cliche took over the lead in the straight as Eddery moved Celeric up to challenge. Celeric caught Classic Cliche well inside the last furlong and ran on under pressure to win by three quarters of a length. Eddery was singled out for praise in timing Celeric's challenge to perfection: the gelding disliked being in front and had to be produced as late as possible.
Celeric was dropped down to a mile and a half to finish fifth in the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
at Newmarket, but then disappointed when favourite for the Lonsdale Stakes, finishing fourth to Double Eclipse. On his final start of the season he was sent to France and was made odds-on favourite for the Prix du Cadran
Prix du Cadran
The Prix du Cadran is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 4,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October....
. He challenged strongly in the straight but was beaten a neck by Chief Contender.
1998-2000: later career
Following the death of David Morley in Jnuary, Celeric was sent to be trained by Morley's "great friend" John DunlopJohn L. Dunlop
John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....
.
Celeric failed to win in six races in 1998. In the first half of the year he was well below his best when finishing unplaced in three races including the Ascot Gold Cup.
His form improved later in the season as he finished third to Double Trigger in the Goodwood Cup, second to Persian Punch in the Lonsdale Stakes and second to Arctic Owl in the Jockey Club Cup. His effort in the Lonsdale Stakes was his best performance as he was beaten a short head when attempting to give six pounds to the winner. It was described as "a contest to make any pulse quicken."
Celeric began 1999 by recording his first win for twenty-two months. In the Sagaro Stakes
Sagaro Stakes
The Sagaro Stakes is a Group 3 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 it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May....
at Ascot he was held up patiently by Richard Quinn (Pat Eddery was suspended) before "pouncing" inside the final furlong and being pushed out to beat Shaya by one and a half lengths. He finished fifth in his next start, when made favourite for the Henry II Stakes.
Celeric produced a "noble" effort to finish fourth of seventeen runners in the Gold Cup, but then finished sixth of seven behind Kayf Tara
Kayf Tara
Kayf Tara is a United Kingdom Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Godolphin Stables who won the Cartier European Top Stayer three years in a row from 1998, through 2000....
when joint favourite for the Goodwwod Cup. Celeric was becoming unpredictable, and Dunlop considered running him in blinkers
Blinders
Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that prevent the horse seeing to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood...
. In the Lonsdale Stakes in August, Celeric started at 10/1 and scored his last victory. Pat Eddery held the gelding up before moving steadily forward to take the lead inside the final furlong. Celeric ran on strongly under pressure to beat Arctic Owl by a length and take the race for a second time. The Racing Post
Racing Post
The Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper, appearing in print form and online.From 30 May 2011 - 3 July 2011 it had a circulation of 56,507.-History:...
described Celeric as "back to his thrilling best."
In Autumn Celeric finished third in the Doncaster Cup but on his last start of the year he was very disappointing, finishing a remote last of the three runners in the Jockey Club Cup.
Celeric failed to find his best form in 2000. He finished third in the Sagaro Stakes on his debut, but after unplaced runs in the Yorkshire Cup and the Ascot Gold Cup he was retired from racing. Announcing the decision in late June, Christopher Spence said, "He's given us more fun than you could ever imagine, and we've been very lucky to have had him."
Assessment
At the 1997 Cartier Racing Awards, Celeric was named European Champion Stayer. In the official International Classification, however, he was ranked below Classic Cliche.In the Classification for 1998, he was again rated the second best European stayer on 119, one pound below Kayf Tara.
Retirement
After the end of his racing career, Celeric was retired to his birthplace, the Chievely Manor Stud near Newbury, BerkshireNewbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
, where he was reported to be enjoying an active retirement.