The Phantom (horse)
Encyclopedia
The Phantom was a Group One winning New Zealand
Thoroughbred
racehorse who made several trips to Australia
, and completed a remarkable comeback later in his career. From three to five, The Phantom's highlights included wins in the Memsie
and the Underwood Stakes
, and he was third in the 1989 Caulfield Cup
and second in the 1990 Melbourne Cup
. In 1991, aged five, The Phantom broke down and spent two-and-half years off the scene. He returned to racing as an eight-year-old, in the spring of 1993, and immediately won a Group Three at Wanganui
. Later in the same campaign, after finishing third in the Caulfield Cup
, The Phantom won the Mackinnon Stakes, and reappeared in the new year to win the Cambridge Stud International Stakes
and the 1994 New Zealand Horse of the Year Award. The Phantom returned to Australia
for a final campaign, as a nine-year-old, in the autumn of 1995 but was unable to recapture his best form. The Phantom, a gelding by Noble Bijou out of The Fantasy, was a member of one of New Zealand's best-known Thoroughbred families. In recent times, this family features a number of horses whose names begin with 'The', including 1981 Broodmare of the Year The Pixie (who produced The Twinkle and 1994 Broodmare of the Year The Fantasy), 1993 Cox Plate
winner The Phantom Chance (a full-brother to The Phantom), and 2003 Broodmare of the Year The Grin.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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...
racehorse who made several trips to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and completed a remarkable comeback later in his career. From three to five, The Phantom's highlights included wins in the Memsie
Memsie Stakes
The Memsie Stakes is a Group 2 weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Caulfield Racecourse over 1,400 metres . The total prizemoney for the race is A$201,000...
and the Underwood Stakes
Underwood Stakes
The Underwood Stakes is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, held at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne Australia. It is run over 1800 metres under weight-for-age conditions in late September each year...
, and he was third in the 1989 Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
and second in the 1990 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
. In 1991, aged five, The Phantom broke down and spent two-and-half years off the scene. He returned to racing as an eight-year-old, in the spring of 1993, and immediately won a Group Three at Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
. Later in the same campaign, after finishing third in the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
, The Phantom won the Mackinnon Stakes, and reappeared in the new year to win the Cambridge Stud International Stakes
New Zealand International Stakes
The International Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton in early February every year. The 2010 running was sponsored by the connections of stallion Darci Brahma, after being sponsored for many years by Whakanui Stud....
and the 1994 New Zealand Horse of the Year Award. The Phantom returned to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for a final campaign, as a nine-year-old, in the autumn of 1995 but was unable to recapture his best form. The Phantom, a gelding by Noble Bijou out of The Fantasy, was a member of one of New Zealand's best-known Thoroughbred families. In recent times, this family features a number of horses whose names begin with 'The', including 1981 Broodmare of the Year The Pixie (who produced The Twinkle and 1994 Broodmare of the Year The Fantasy), 1993 Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
winner The Phantom Chance (a full-brother to The Phantom), and 2003 Broodmare of the Year The Grin.