Kastoria (horse)
Kastoria | |
---|---|
Sire | Chestnut |
Breeder | Aga Khan IV |
Owner | Aga Khan IV |
Trainer | John Oxx |
Record | 13: 6-5-0 |
Earnings | £300,846 |
Major wins | |
Galtres Stakes (2005) Vintage Crop Stakes (2006) Curragh Cup (2006) Ballyroan Stakes (2006) Irish St. Leger (2006) |
Kastoria (foaled 2 April 2001) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for her upset victory over Yeats in the 2006 Irish St. Leger. Bred and owned by Aga Khan IV and trained by John Oxx she was a specialist stayer who competed in five different countries and won six of her thirteen races. Unraced at two or three years she began her racing career in 2005 when she won the Galtres Stakes and finished second in the Give Thanks Stakes, Park Hill Stakes and Prix de Royallieu. In the following year she won the Vintage Crop Stakes, Curragh Cup and Ballyroan Stakes before recording her biggest win in the Irish St. Leger. She also finished second in the Hong Kong Vase on her final racecourse appearance. As a broodmare she has produced some minor winners.
Background
Kastoria is a chestnut mare with a broad white
She was
Racing career
2005: four-year-old season
Unusually for a modern racehorse, Kastoria did not appear on the track until the age of four, making her debut on 10 June 2005 2005 when she finished second in a
Kastoria was back in England in September for the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse in which she was made 7/2 co-favourite alongside Punctilious and the French-trained mare Sweet Stream (winner of the 2004 Prix Vermeille). She took the lead in the straight but was overtaken in the closing stages and beaten into second by Sweet Stream. On her final appearance of the season she was sent to France for the Prix de Royallieu over 2500 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 1 October in which she finished second to the favoured Oiseau Rare.
2006: five-year-old season
Kastoria's first run of 2006 saw her made odds-on favourite, ahead of the Mooresbridge Stakes winner Cairdeas in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan Racecourse on 30 April. After racing in fifth place she made steady progress in the straight, went to the front with a furlong and a half left to run and won by a length from her stablemate Virginia Woolf.[8] In May she started favourite for the Yorkshire Cup but finished fourth of the seven runners behind the five-year-old gelding Percussionist. On 1 July the mare started 9/4 favourite for the Curragh Cup ahead of Collier Hill and Mkuzi, a seven-year-old gelding who had won the race for the last two years. After being restrained by Kinane at the rear of the seven-runner field she stayed on strongly in the straight took the lead inside the final furlong and held off the late challenge of Collier Hill to win by a head.[9]
After a break of almost seven weeks, Kastoria returned in the Listed Ballyroan Stakes over one and a half miles at Leopardstown Racecourse. Starting the 4/5 favourite she raced in second behind the British-trained Foreign Affairs (winner of the Goodwood Cup) before taking the lead a furlong out and drawing away to win by three lengths.[10] John Oxx commented "She's a lovely mare and I wish we could have one of her every year. She dosses a bit in front but hopefully she will step up again from this".[11]
The Group 1 Irish St. Leger at the
In October Kastoria was sent to Canada where she started favourite for the Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine Racetrack but finished eighth of the ten runners behind Collier Hill. For her final racecourse appearance, the mare was shipped to Hong Kong to contest the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin Racecourse on 10 December. After being badly hampered and dropping back to last place entering the straight she produced a very strong finish and appeared to be an unlucky loser as she failed by a nose to overhaul Collier Hill.[14]
Breeding record
Kastoria was retired from racing to become a broodmare for the Aga Khan's stud. She produced five foals and two winners:
- Kastania, a bay filly, foaled in 2008, sired by Gone West. Won one race.[15]
- Kastovia, chestnut filly, 2009, by Giant's Causeway. Unraced.
- Karlidi, bay colt (later gelded), 2010, Smart Strike. Failed to win in nine races.
- Kassim, bay colt, 2012, by Shamardal. Won two races.[16]
- Kossian, chestnut colt (gelded), 2013, by Sea the Stars
In November 2013 Katoria was offered for sale at Goffs and bought for €100,000 by Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud.[17]
Pedigree
Sire Selkirk (USA) 1988 |
Sharpen Up (GB) 1969 |
Atan | Native Dancer |
---|---|---|---|
Mixed Marriage | |||
Rocchetta | Rockefella | ||
Chambiges | |||
Annie Edge (IRE) 1980 |
Nebbiolo | Yellow God | |
Novara | |||
Friendly Court | Be Friendly | ||
No Court | |||
Dam Kassana (IRE) 1994 |
Shernazar (IRE) 1981 |
Busted | Crepello |
Sans Le Sou | |||
Sharmeen | Val de Loir | ||
Nasreen | |||
Kassiyda (IRE) 1986 |
Mill Reef | Never Bend | |
Milan Mill | |||
Kadissya | Blushing Groom | ||
Kalkeen (Family: 5-e)[5] |
References
- ^ a b "Kastoria pedigree". Equineline.
- ^ "Kastoria profile". Aga Khan Studs.
- ^ "Selkirk Stud Record". Racing Post. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
- ^ "Kassana – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
- ^ a b "Belvoirina – Family 5-e". Thoroughbred Bloodlinest.
- ^ "Chesser Auctioneers European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden result". Racing Post. 1 July 2005.
- ^ "Galtres Stakes result". Racing Post. 18 August 2005.
- ^ "Vintage Crop Stakes result". Racing Post. 30 April 2006.
- ^ "Curragh Cup result". Racing Post. 1 July 2006.
- ^ "Ballyroan Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 August 2006.
- ^ "Kastoria handed Leger assignment". Irish Examiner. 21 August 2006.
- ^ "Irish St. Leger result". Racing Post. 16 September 2006.
- ^ "Yeats denied maiden Leger by Kastoria". Irish Independent. 17 September 2006.
- ^ "Hong Kong Vase result". Racing Post. 10 December 2006.
- ^ "Kastania – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
- ^ "Kassim – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
- ^ "Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale 2013". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017.