Flemensfirth
Encyclopedia
Flemensfirth is a retired Thoroughbred
racehorse and active stallion, who was bred in the United States
but trained in the United Kingdom
during a racing career which ran from 1994 to 1997. He is best known as a successful sire of National Hunt racehorses.
. He was sired by the dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
winner Alleged out of the Diesis mare Etheldreda. He was bought as a yearling for $290,000 by Sheikh Mohammed
and sent into training with John Gosden in England.
maiden race "smoothly" by three lengths.
After finishing second in the listed
Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on his three year old debut, he was campaigned exclusively in top-class company. At Longchamp in May he upset the 1-2 favourite Solar One to take the Group I Prix Lupin, taking the lead two furlongs out and staying on strongly to win by a length. After finishing unplaced in the Prix du Jockey Club
and the St. James's Palace Stakes
he was rested for an Autumn campaign. He returned to Longchamp for the Arc
meeting, where he led all the way to win the Group II Prix Dollar by half a length from Volochine.
Injury then kept Flemensfirth off the racecourse for over a year. When he returned he took his record at at Longchamp to three wins in three starts by taking his second Prix Dollar, leading in the staight and staying on strongly to win by two lengths. A month later he traveled to Italy to land odds of 1-2 in the Premio Roma, defeating the German mare Hollywood Dream by a neck.
By the time he appeared again in the 1997 Dubai World Cup
, Flemensfirth had not lost a race for almost two years, but he was always struggling on the dirt surface, and came home last of the ten finishers behind Singspiel
. It proved to be his final racecourse appearance.
winner Imperial Commander
, while his other Grade I winners include Tidal Bay
, Joe Lively and Pandorama. He currently stands for the Coolmore organisation at The Beeches stud in County Waterford
.
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 and active stallion, who was bred in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
but trained in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during a racing career which ran from 1994 to 1997. He is best known as a successful sire of National Hunt racehorses.
Background
Flemensfirth is a bay horse bred by the Mill Ridge Farm at Lexington, KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. He was sired by the dual 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...
winner Alleged out of the Diesis mare Etheldreda. He was bought as a yearling for $290,000 by Sheikh Mohammed
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and absolute monarch of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
and sent into training with John Gosden in England.
Racing career
Flemensfirth did not appear on the racecourse until the September of his two year old season, when he won a 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....
maiden race "smoothly" by three lengths.
After finishing second in 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...
Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on his three year old debut, he was campaigned exclusively in top-class company. At Longchamp in May he upset the 1-2 favourite Solar One to take the Group I Prix Lupin, taking the lead two furlongs out and staying on strongly to win by a length. After finishing unplaced in the Prix du Jockey Club
Prix du Jockey Club
The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and the St. James's Palace Stakes
St. James's Palace Stakes
The St. James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
he was rested for an Autumn campaign. He returned to Longchamp for the Arc
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...
meeting, where he led all the way to win the Group II Prix Dollar by half a length from Volochine.
Injury then kept Flemensfirth off the racecourse for over a year. When he returned he took his record at at Longchamp to three wins in three starts by taking his second Prix Dollar, leading in the staight and staying on strongly to win by two lengths. A month later he traveled to Italy to land odds of 1-2 in the Premio Roma, defeating the German mare Hollywood Dream by a neck.
By the time he appeared again in the 1997 Dubai World Cup
Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and from 2010 at the Meydan Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
, Flemensfirth had not lost a race for almost two years, but he was always struggling on the dirt surface, and came home last of the ten finishers behind Singspiel
Singspiel (horse)
Singspiel was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. The Bay horse was out of the Eclipse Award winner and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame mare, Glorious Song...
. It proved to be his final racecourse appearance.
Stud career
Flemensfirth has had very little success as a sire of flat-race horses, but has been highly successful as a sire of jumpers. By 2005 he was being mentioned as a "leading sire of the future" and he has gone on to produce the winners of almost five hundred races. His best son is the Cheltenham Gold CupCheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
winner Imperial Commander
Imperial Commander (horse)
Imperial Commander is a 9 year old throughbred racehorse.-Racing career:Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan, Imperial Commander won the Gold Cup in 2010 at the Cheltenham Festival. The horse finished ahead of favourites Kauto Star and Denman...
, while his other Grade I winners include Tidal Bay
Tidal Bay
Tidal Bay is an Irish bred Bay gelding Thoroughbred race horse foaled on 12 May 2001. He is the winner of two Grade 1 jumps races, the Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Maghull Novices' Chase in 2008...
, Joe Lively and Pandorama. He currently stands for the Coolmore organisation at The Beeches stud in County Waterford
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
.