Roysyn
Encyclopedia
Roysyn is a Thoroughbred
racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby
in 1995, giving trainer Roger James his first of three Derby wins and rider Vinny Colgan the first of his four.
After failing in his only start at two, Roysyn started off his three year-old season with a win in a maiden at Avondale. He followed that up with a placing and another win in low-quality races before finishing only sixth in the Avondale Guineas, his last race before the Derby.
But he was a changed horse when the Derby came around, beating Clear Rose and favourite Interval to record a slight upset victory in the Derby of 1995. But he proved it was no fluke result later in the season, winning the Wellington Stakes and then his second Group 1 race in the Trackside Sales Stakes against older horses.
His four year-old season saw him win the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Handicap and finish second in the Group 1 Avondale Cup and Group 2 Counties Cup.
After finishing a disappointing tenth when one of the favourites in the Auckland Cup of that season he was unable to rediscover his best form when lightly raced in the last two years of his career.
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 won the New Zealand Derby
New Zealand Derby
The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...
in 1995, giving trainer Roger James his first of three Derby wins and rider Vinny Colgan the first of his four.
After failing in his only start at two, Roysyn started off his three year-old season with a win in a maiden at Avondale. He followed that up with a placing and another win in low-quality races before finishing only sixth in the Avondale Guineas, his last race before the Derby.
But he was a changed horse when the Derby came around, beating Clear Rose and favourite Interval to record a slight upset victory in the Derby of 1995. But he proved it was no fluke result later in the season, winning the Wellington Stakes and then his second Group 1 race in the Trackside Sales Stakes against older horses.
His four year-old season saw him win the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Handicap and finish second in the Group 1 Avondale Cup and Group 2 Counties Cup.
After finishing a disappointing tenth when one of the favourites in the Auckland Cup of that season he was unable to rediscover his best form when lightly raced in the last two years of his career.