Fairy Footsteps
| Fairy Footsteps | |
|---|---|
| Sire | 1000 Guineas (1981) |
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating: 118p (1980), 123 (1981) | |
Fairy Footsteps (15 January 1978 – 1996) was a British
Background
Fairy Footsteps was a "well-made, robust"
Racing career
1980: two-year-old season
Fairy Footsteps made her racecourse debut in a maiden race over seven furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse in July 1980. She came from last place on the turn into the straight to finish fourth of the sixteen runners behind Seasurf. She then finished second to Exclusively Raised in the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse, beaten 1+1⁄2 lengths. Later that month, Fairy Footsteps and Exclusively Raised met again in the Group Three Waterford Candelabra Stakes (the race now known as the Prestige Stakes) over seven furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse. Ridden for the first time by Pat Eddery she started third favourite at odds of 4/1. According to Timeform, she "ran rings round the opposition", taking the lead three furlongs from the finish and winning by 4+1⁄2 lengths from Madam Gay with Exclusively Raised in fourth and Leap Lively in fifth place.[4] The winning time was a new course record for two-year-olds.[5] She did not race again in 1980, but the form of her Goodwood win was boosted when Exclusively Raised won the May Hill Stakes and Leap Lively won the Fillies' Mile.
1981: three-year-old season
Fairy Footsteps began her three-year-old season in the
Fairy Footsteps' breeding suggested that she was likely to be better suited by longer distances and she was very strongly fancied for
Assessment
In the 1980 Free Handicap, a rating of the best two-year-olds of the season, Fairy Footsteps was allotted 122 pounds, eleven pounds below the top-rated Storm Bird and five pounds below the leading filly Marwell. The independent Timeform organisation gave her a rating of 118p, the "p" indicating that she was likely to make significant improvement.[4] In the following year, Fairy Footsteps was given a rating of 123 by Timeform. In the official International Classification, she was rated nineteen pounds below the top-rated horse Shergar and nine pounds below the top-rated three-year-old filly Marwell.[2] In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Fairy Footsteps an "average" winner of the 1000 Guineas.[9]
Stud career
Fairy Footsteps was retired from racing to become a broodmare for her owner's stud. She produced at least nine foals and six minor winners between 1983 and 1995:
- Flying Fairy (GB) : chesnut filly, foaled 1 January 1983, sired by Prix du Moulin, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes)
- Lothario (GB) : chesnut colt (gelded), foaled in 1985, sired by Hello Gorgeous (USA) – unplaced in 2 starts on the flat in England 1988; unplaced 2 starts over hurdles in England 1989–90; unplaced 2 starts in steeple chases in England 1991
- Lovely Fairy (GB) : bay filly, foaled in 1986, sired by Beldale Flutter (USA) – won two races from 7 starts in England 1988–89[11]
- Fleet Fairy (USA) : bay filly, foaled in 1987, sired by Teenoso (USA) – maiden, 3rd G3 Prix Penelope[12] Saint-Cloud; 4th LR Prix Rose de Mai, Maisons-Laffitte
- Always Far (USA) : brown filly, foaled in 1989, sired by Alydar (USA) – unraced
- Haunted Wood (USA) : bay filly, foaled in 1990, sired by Nijinsky (CAN), won one race and placed once from 4 starts in England 1992-3[13]
- Fabulous Fairy (USA) : chesnut filly, foaled 14 May 1991, sired by Alydar (USA), won one race[14] from 5 starts in Britain 1993-4
- Swan Princess (USA) : bay filly, foaled in 1993, sired by Nureyev (USA) – unraced
- Sky Commander (USA) : brown colt, foaled 31 March 1994, sired by Storm Bird (CAN), won two races[15] and placed 2nd twice from 7 starts in England 1996–97
- Brigade Charge (USA) : bay colt, foaled 7 April 1995, sired by Affirmed (USA) – won one race and placed 2nd once from 4 starts on the flat in England 1998; won once and placed five times from 12 starts over hurdles in Ireland and England 1999–2000; won twice and placed twice from 9 starts over fences in Ireland and England 2002-4[16]
Pedigree
| Sire Mill Reef (USA) 1968 |
Never Bend (USA) 1960 |
Nasrullah | Nearco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumtaz Begum | |||
| Lalun | Djeddah | ||
| Be Faithful | |||
| Milan Mill (USA) 1962 |
Princequillo | Prince Rose | |
| Cosquilla | |||
| Virginia Water | Count Fleet | ||
| Red Ray | |||
| Dam Glass Slipper (GB) 1969 |
Relko (GB) 1960 |
Tanerko | Tantieme |
| La Divine | |||
| Relance | Relic | ||
| Polaire | |||
| Crystal Palace (GB) 1956 |
Solar Slipper | Windsor Slipper | |
| Solar Slipper | |||
| Queen of Light | Borealis | ||
| Picture Play (Family:1-s)[3] |
References
- ^ a b "Fairy Footsteps pedigree". Equineline. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ ISBN 0-900599-33-2.
- ^ a b "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Web – Family 1-s". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
- ^ a b "Martin Gale" (30 April 1981). "Go Leasing each way looks best bet for guineas". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ Sean Magee. "Living legend Piggott makes light of his brush with death". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- Evening Times. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
- ISBN 0-900599-44-8.
- ^ "Lovely Fairy Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "Fleet Fairy Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "Haunted Wood Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "Fabulous Fairy Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "Sky Commander Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "Brigade Charge Record By Race Type". Racing Post. Retrieved 24 October 2013.