Kooyonga
Encyclopedia
Kooyonga was an Irish champion Thoroughbred
racehorse who raced from 1990 to 1992. After showing good form as a juvenile, she had a highly successful three-year-old campaign, winning the Group One
Irish 1000 Guineas
and the Coronation Stakes
and being named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. She stayed in training as a four year old and became the second filly (after Pebbles
) to win the Eclipse Stakes
.
, County Kildare
. Her sire, Persian Bold was a successful racehorse who won the Richmond Stakes
in 1977. He went on to be a “good” stallion, getting important winners such as Falcon Flight (Prix Hocquart
), Persian Heights (St. James's Palace Stakes
) and Bold Russian (Celebration Mile
). Kooyonga’s dam, Anjuli, was an unraced half sister of the 2000 Guineas winner Roland Gardens.
Kooyonga was trained throughout her career by Michael Kauntze at Ashbourne, County Meath
and ridden in all but three of her races by Warren O'Connor. Her name was derived from that of a Golf
Club in South Australia
.
by three lengths. Four weeks later she was moved up to Listed class and won the Silver Flash Stakes at Phoenix Park
by a head from the odds-on favourite African Dance. In October, she returned to Phoenix Park for the Cartier Million, a valuable sales race, in which she finished second to Rinka Das. On her final start she successfully moved to Group Three
class to record a four length win in the Leopardstown Stakes
.
. Ridden by the veteran Lester Piggott
, the filly was held up in the early stages, before finishing strongly to finish second, two lengths behind the odds-on favourite Shadayid.
The Vincent O'Brien
trained Rua d'Oro was made favourite for the Irish 1000 Guineas
with Kooyonga starting at 4/1. Kooyonga proved much too good for the opposition, winning by three lengths under Warren O'Connor to record her first Group One win. Following the race she was bought as prospective broodmare by the Japanese businessman Mitsuo Haga for a fee of $1,200,000. The Coronation Stakes
at Royal Ascot featured a rematch between Kooyonga and Shadayid, who, since her Newmarket win, had finished third in the Oaks
. O'Connor tracked the leaders on his filly before moving her past Gussy Marlowe to take the lead in the straight. Shadayid emerged to make a challenge, but Kooyonga ran on strongly to reverse the Newmarket form and win by three quarters of a length.
In September, Kooyonga was prepared for an Autumn campaign with a run in the Matron Stakes
, then a Group Three race, which she won by a length from Blue Daisy. She was then sent back to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
, which attracted a strong field including Shadayid, Hector Protector
, Selkirk and Second Set, who was made favourite after his win in the Sussex Stakes
. Kooyonga moved into second place behind Shadayid in the straight and ran on strongly to overtake the English filly but was herself passed in the final furlong
and beaten one and a half lengths by Selkirk.
On her final start of the season she was sent to Churchill Downs
for the Breeders' Cup Mile
, but failed to reproduce her best form, finishing thirteenth of the fourteen runners behind Opening Verse
(then a Group Two race). She had hung to the right in the closing stages however, and was disqualified for causing interference to Young Buster who finished third, with the race being awarded to the Henry Cecil
-trained Perpendicular. Kauntze accepted that his filly had impeded Young Buster but added that "she was a bit unlucky... she was clearly the best horse on the day."
Despite unsuitably soft ground, Kooyonga started 7/2 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes
at Sandown against a strong field which included notable winners such as Opera House (horse)
, Arcangues (horse)
, Zoman and Terimon
. Kooyonga was held up at the back of the field until the straight, but then quickened past the field to take the lead a furlong out. She was ridden out by O'Connor to win "as she liked" by one and a half lengths. O'Connor, who had been criticised for his riding at Ascot and had been practising his skills on a wooden horse, said that he "had them beaten two out and she still had a bit in hand at the finish." As of 2011, she remains one of only two fillies to have won the Eclipse, the other being Pebbles
in 1985.
Kooyonga was sent to Germany for her next start, in which she was matched against Perpendicular again in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen
at Munich
in August. Kooyonga quickened into a clear lead a furlong out before being eased down in the closing stages to win "comfortably" by three quarters of a length from Zaahi, with Perpendicular third. Kooyonga was made favourite for the International Stakes
at York
but ran a very poor, struggling to go the pace from the start and being "virtually pulled up" by O'Connor in the straight. It was subsequently revealed that Kooyonga had been in season at the time of the race.
Hopes that Kooyonga would run in the Japan Cup were abandoned after the filly failed to recover her form in her last two races. She finished a distant fourth behind Dr Devious
and St Jovite
in the Irish Champion Stakes
, and was then well beaten when starting odds-on favourite for a minor stakes race at Leopardstown in October.
In the official International Classification, Kooyonga was rated 123 in 1991 when she was the highest rated horse of either sex trained in Ireland. She was rated 122 in 1992 in which she was the highest rated Irish-trained filly.
) and Philomatheia (by Danzig
). Her last known foal was born in 2000.
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 raced from 1990 to 1992. After showing good form as a juvenile, she had a highly successful three-year-old campaign, winning the 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...
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:...
and the Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
and being named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. She stayed in training as a four year old and became the second filly (after Pebbles
Pebbles (horse)
Pebbles was a champion British-bred Thoroughbred race horse, the first British-trained racehorse to win a Breeders' Cup race.She was foaled in 1981 and was initially owned by her breeder, Marcos Lemos...
) to win 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...
.
Background
Kooyonga was bred in Ireland by Sean Collins at the Ovidstown Stud, near MaynoothMaynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Her sire, Persian Bold was a successful racehorse who won the Richmond Stakes
Richmond Stakes
The Richmond Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
in 1977. He went on to be a “good” stallion, getting important winners such as Falcon Flight (Prix Hocquart
Prix Hocquart
The Prix Hocquart is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
), Persian Heights (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....
) and Bold Russian (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....
). Kooyonga’s dam, Anjuli, was an unraced half sister of the 2000 Guineas winner Roland Gardens.
Kooyonga was trained throughout her career by Michael Kauntze at Ashbourne, County Meath
Ashbourne, County Meath
Ashbourne, historically called Killeglan or Kildeglan , is a town in County Meath, Ireland. It is about 20 km north of Dublin city centre and is bypassed by the M2 motorway.-History:...
and ridden in all but three of her races by Warren O'Connor. Her name was derived from that of a Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Club in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
1990: two-year-old season
Kooyonga first appeared on a racecourse in August when she won a maiden race at Gowran ParkGowran Park
Gowran Park is a horse race course in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the Annerly Estate near the village of Gowran.The first meeting was held in 1914...
by three lengths. Four weeks later she was moved up to Listed class and won the Silver Flash Stakes at Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park Racecourse
Phoenix Park Racecourse is a former horse racing venue in Ireland. It was located in the north-west corner of Dublin on the northern edge of Phoenix Park. The course was founded by J. H. H. Peard, and racing began there in 1902....
by a head from the odds-on favourite African Dance. In October, she returned to Phoenix Park for the Cartier Million, a valuable sales race, in which she finished second to Rinka Das. On her final start she successfully moved to 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...
class to record a four length win in the Leopardstown Stakes
Leopardstown Stakes
The Leopardstown Stakes was a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland which was open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It was run at Leopardstown over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it was scheduled to take place each year in late October....
.
1991: three-year-old season
Kooyonga began her three-year-old season with a win in the Listed Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial and was then sent to England for the 1000 Guineas at NewmarketNewmarket 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...
. Ridden by the veteran Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....
, the filly was held up in the early stages, before finishing strongly to finish second, two lengths behind the odds-on favourite Shadayid.
The Vincent O'Brien
Vincent O'Brien
Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
trained Rua d'Oro was made favourite for 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:...
with Kooyonga starting at 4/1. Kooyonga proved much too good for the opposition, winning by three lengths under Warren O'Connor to record her first Group One win. Following the race she was bought as prospective broodmare by the Japanese businessman Mitsuo Haga for a fee of $1,200,000. The Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
at Royal Ascot featured a rematch between Kooyonga and Shadayid, who, since her Newmarket win, had finished third in the Oaks
Epsom Oaks
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
. O'Connor tracked the leaders on his filly before moving her past Gussy Marlowe to take the lead in the straight. Shadayid emerged to make a challenge, but Kooyonga ran on strongly to reverse the Newmarket form and win by three quarters of a length.
In September, Kooyonga was prepared for an Autumn campaign with a run in the Matron Stakes
Matron Stakes (Ireland)
The Matron Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
, then a Group Three race, which she won by a length from Blue Daisy. She was then sent back to Ascot for 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...
, which attracted a strong field including Shadayid, Hector Protector
Hector Protector
Hector Protector is an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed primarily in France. Owned and bred by Stavros Niarchos, he was conditioned for racing by Francois Boutin....
, Selkirk and Second Set, who was made favourite after his win in the Sussex Stakes
Sussex Stakes
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain 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 July or early August.-History:...
. Kooyonga moved into second place behind Shadayid in the straight and ran on strongly to overtake the English filly but was herself passed in the final 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....
and beaten one and a half lengths by Selkirk.
On her final start of the season she was sent to Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
for the Breeders' Cup Mile
Breeders' Cup Mile
The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up, run on a grass course. It has been conducted annually as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships since the event's inception in 1984...
, but failed to reproduce her best form, finishing thirteenth of the fourteen runners behind Opening Verse
Opening Verse
Opening Verse was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in England and the United States. Bred in Kentucky, his sire was the 1977 Epsom and Irish Derby winner, The Minstrel...
1992: four-year-old season
Kooyonga stayed in training as a four-year-old, but did not run until June when she finished unplaced as odds-on favourite in a Listed race at Leopardstown. Kooyonga was then moved up in distance to ten furlongs and sent to Royal Ascot where she showed much improved form to finish first in the Prince of Wales's StakesPrince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes 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 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
(then a Group Two race). She had hung to the right in the closing stages however, and was disqualified for causing interference to Young Buster who finished third, with the race being awarded to the 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....
-trained Perpendicular. Kauntze accepted that his filly had impeded Young Buster but added that "she was a bit unlucky... she was clearly the best horse on the day."
Despite unsuitably soft ground, Kooyonga started 7/2 favourite for 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...
at Sandown against a strong field which included notable winners such as Opera House (horse)
Opera House (horse)
Opera House is a retired British thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. As a racehorse, he is best known for his performances as a five-year-old in 1993, when he won three Group One races and was named European Champion Older Horse...
, Arcangues (horse)
Arcangues (horse)
Arcangues was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire from France.The son of owner Daniel Wildenstein's 1984 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sagace, he was given the name of the village of Arcangues in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departement of the Aquitaine region...
, Zoman and Terimon
Terimon
Terimon was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His most successful year was 1991, when he won the International Stakes at York and was named European Champion Older Horse at the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards...
. Kooyonga was held up at the back of the field until the straight, but then quickened past the field to take the lead a furlong out. She was ridden out by O'Connor to win "as she liked" by one and a half lengths. O'Connor, who had been criticised for his riding at Ascot and had been practising his skills on a wooden horse, said that he "had them beaten two out and she still had a bit in hand at the finish." As of 2011, she remains one of only two fillies to have won the Eclipse, the other being Pebbles
Pebbles (horse)
Pebbles was a champion British-bred Thoroughbred race horse, the first British-trained racehorse to win a Breeders' Cup race.She was foaled in 1981 and was initially owned by her breeder, Marcos Lemos...
in 1985.
Kooyonga was sent to Germany for her next start, in which she was matched against Perpendicular again in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen
Bayerisches Zuchtrennen
The Bayerisches Zuchtrennen is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Munich over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
at Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in August. Kooyonga quickened into a clear lead a furlong out before being eased down in the closing stages to win "comfortably" by three quarters of a length from Zaahi, with Perpendicular third. Kooyonga was made favourite for the International Stakes
International Stakes
The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
at 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...
but ran a very poor, struggling to go the pace from the start and being "virtually pulled up" by O'Connor in the straight. It was subsequently revealed that Kooyonga had been in season at the time of the race.
Hopes that Kooyonga would run in the Japan Cup were abandoned after the filly failed to recover her form in her last two races. She finished a distant fourth behind Dr Devious
Dr Devious
Dr Devious is an Irish-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1992.-Background:Bred by Lyonstown Stud, Dr Devious was sired by Ahonoora and out of the mare Rose of Jericho, a daughter of two-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Alleged...
and St Jovite
St Jovite
St Jovite is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by American Virginia Kraft Payson, he was sired by Pleasant Colony, winner of the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. He was out of Ms...
in the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
, and was then well beaten when starting odds-on favourite for a minor stakes race at Leopardstown in October.
Assessment
At the inaugural Cartier Racing Awards in 1991, Kooyonga was named European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. As a four year old she was described as one of "Ireland's two best horses for almost a decade" (the other being St Jovite).In the official International Classification, Kooyonga was rated 123 in 1991 when she was the highest rated horse of either sex trained in Ireland. She was rated 122 in 1992 in which she was the highest rated Irish-trained filly.
Stud career
After being retired to stud Kooyonga produced at least four winners including Gaily The Pride (by Seeking The GoldSeeking The Gold
Seeking The Gold is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by the leading stud, Mr. Prospector, who in turn was a son of Raise a Native, out of the mare, Con Game....
) and Philomatheia (by Danzig
Danzig (horse)
Danzig was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who is best known as a leading sire. He was purchased for $310,000 by Henryk de Kwiatkowski at the 1978 Saratoga Yearling Sale...
). Her last known foal was born in 2000.
Pedigree
- The Bold Lad appearing in this pedigree is not the well-known American horse, but an Irish-bred stallion of the same name.