Island Sands

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Island Sands
2000 Guineas
(1999)

Island Sands (foaled 27 January 1996) was an Irish-bred

2,000 Guineas at Newmarket
. His subsequent career was restricted by injury and he won only one minor race in the next two years. He retired to a stud career in China.

Background

Island Sands was described as a "most attractive" brown horse with a small white

IR£18,000 by the British trainer David Elsworth.[7]

Racing career

1998: two-year-old season

Island Sands made his first appearance in a six

Godolphin Racing and sent to spend the winter in Dubai, where he was trained by Saeed bin Suroor
.

1999: three-year-old season

Early in 1999 Island Sands won a private trial race against other Godolphin horses at Nad Al Sheba, which led to him being aimed at the 2000 Guineas,[10] whilst the Godolphin team's best two-year-old of 1998, Aljabr traveled to the United States for an abortive attempt at the Kentucky Derby.[11]

On 1 May 1999, Island Sands started the 10/1 sixth choice in the betting for the sixteen runner 2000 Guineas. As the Rowley Mile course was being redeveloped, the race was run on the Newmarket July course for the first time since 1945.[1] The field split into two groups, with Island Sands, ridden by Frankie Dettori, leading the larger group on the side of the course further from the stands. Two furlongs from the finish he established an overall lead and ran on well in the closing stages to win by a neck from the strong-finishing Greenham Stakes winner Enrique, with Mujahid third.[12] Dettori explained that he had not intended to make the running but had decided to let the colt go on when he started exceptionally well. Commenting on the finish, he said that he had been worried by Enrique's challenge but that "my fellow ran on really well again".[1] Three weeks later, Island Sands started favourite for the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh, but failed to reproduce his Newmarket form. He was never traveling well and appeared to be struggling three furlongs from the end of the race before finishing fifth of the ten runners, beaten more than seven lengths by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Saffron Walden.[13] An injury then kept him off the racecourse for the remainder of the year.[10]

2000–2001: later career

After a break of fifteen months, Island Sands returned to the racecourse in August 2000 in the

Group Three Prix Quincey at Deauville, for which he was made 9/10 favourite. Frankie Dettori attempted to make all the running on the colt, but he was overtaken in the closing stages and beaten one and a half lengths by the three-year-old filly Penny's Gold.[14]
A recurrence of his injury problems then ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Island Sands returned as a five-year-old in 2001 and won once from four starts. By this time his ownership had been transferred to

Royal Ascot
but after leading in the early stages he dropped away to finish last of the ten runners behind Medicean.

Assessment

In the 1999 International Classification, Island Sands was given a rating of 116, a very low mark for a Classic winner, and 19 pounds below the top-rated three-year-old Montjeu. The Racing Post was more generous, giving him a rating of 121.[16]

Stud career

Island Sands was exported to stand as a stallion in China.[10]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Island Sands (GB), dark bay/brown stallion, 1996
Sire
Turtle Island (GB)
1991 		Fairy King
1982 		Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Fairy Bridge Bold Reason
Special
Sisania
1983 		High Top Derring-Do
Camenae
Targo's Delight Targowice
Co-Optimist
Dam
Tiavanita (GB)
1986 		J. O. Tobin
1974 		Never Bend Nasrullah
Lalun
Hill Shade Hillary
Penumbra
Nirvanita
1971 		Right Royal Owen Tudor
Bastia
Nuclea Orsini
Nixe (Family:4-r)[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c Sue Montgomery (2 May 1999). "Racing: Island Sands glitters". The Independent. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Horse – Godolphin". Timeform.com. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Kilcoran House Stud, Stud Farm & Stallions, Co Tipperary, Ireland". Directory of the Turf. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Turtle Island form". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Turtle Island Stud Record". Racing Post. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Island Sands pedigree". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Goffs sales October 1997". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Tattersalls Maiden Auction Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Cranbourne Conditions Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  10. ^ a b c "Island Sands (Ire)". Godolphin. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Racing: Aljabr ready to complete renaissance – Sport". The Independent. 28 July 1999. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  12. ^ "2000 Guines result". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  13. ^ Sue Montgomery (23 May 1999). "Saffron adds to classic flavour". The Independent. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Overbrook homebred wins Prix Quincey". Thoroughbred Times. 25 August 2000. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  15. ^ "Renault Kangoo Van Condition Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  16. ^ "International Classifications: Montjeu ranks among great". 19 January 2000. Retrieved 4 March 2012 – via Free Online Library.
  17. ^ "Cub Mare – Family 4-r". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
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