Paco Boy
Paco Boy | |
---|---|
Sire | Desert Style |
Grandsire | Green Desert |
Dam | Tappen Zee |
Damsire | Sandhurst Prince |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 24 March 2005 |
Country | Ireland |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Joan Browne |
Owner | The Calvera Partnership |
Trainer | Richard Hannon Sr. |
Record | 24: 11-3-2 |
Earnings | £1,078,287 |
Major wins | |
Spring Cup (2008) Greenham Stakes (2008) Betfair Cup (2008) Hungerford Stakes (2008) Prix de la Forêt (2008) Sandown Mile (2009, 2010) Queen Anne Stakes (2009) Lockinge Stakes (2010) |
Paco Boy (foaled 24 March 2005) is a retired Irish thoroughbred racehorse who was trained by Richard Hannon Sr. He won three Group 1 races including Prix de la Forêt, Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes. Paco Boy was known as a hold up horse, usually coming from behind with a devastating turn of foot.[1]
Background
Paco Boy was bred by Joan Browne, and was sired by Desert Style, a Group 3 winning sprinter and son of outstanding sire Green Desert, out of the mare Tappen Zee. Paco Boy is a bay with a distinctive white stripe on his face.
Paco Boy was sold as a yearling for 30,000 guineas and bought by the Calvera Partnership and put into training with Richard Hannon Sr. He was described as "an old favourite" by his trainer due in part to his high-class ability in spite of his relatively cheap price.[2]
Career
Two-year-old season
Paco Boy made his debut on 5 September 2007, finishing third in a six furlong maiden race on the all-weather at Kempton. He won his next race on the grass at Newbury, winning by two and a half lengths as the 2/1 favourite. He finished off his season with a win in a conditions race at Newmarket, beating the favourite Wid by three-quarters of a length.[3]
Three-year-old season
Paco Boy made his season debut in the Listed
Paco Boy next entered the Group 2
With this taking win, Paco Boy stepped up in class for the Group 1
Paco Boy restored his reputation with an excellent win the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt over seven furlongs on the Arc undercard at Longchamp, where he beat Natagora by three lengths.[9]
Four-year-old season
Paco Boy made his debut as an older horse in the Group 1
In Paco Boy's next race he had another crack at winning a Group 1 over a mile in the
The Sussex Stakes was Paco Boy's final run in 2009 and he was rested for the following season.
Five-year-old season
Paco Boy did not run in Dubai in 2010, and instead reappeared in the Sandown Mile, which he won for the second time by over three lengths from Group 1 winner Pressing.[15] He then attempted to make amends for the previous year and win the Lockinge Stakes, which he did in extremely impressive style; coming to challenge on the bridle before quickening to lead in the final furlong.[15] After the Lockinge, he was made favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.[16]
The race at Ascot featured a highly anticipated clash between dual Breeders Cup Mile winner Goldikova and Rip Van Winkle, who had also won the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.[17] Goldikova was sent off the favourite and duly prevailed by a neck from Paco Boy, who was gaining on the mare throughout the final furlong but could not get past before the line.[15] He faced Goldikova again in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, but both older horses were beaten by the 2000 Guineas winner Makfi, who relished the soft ground to beat Goldikova by two and a half lengths, with Paco Boy a neck behind in third.[18]
Paco Boy attempted to get back to winning ways in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin, but was blocked half a furlong from home before running on again to finish fourth to upset winner Fuisse.[19] Paco Boy clashed with Goldikova for a third time in the Prix de la Forêt, but again the mare was too good and recorded a record breaking eleventh Group 1 victory, with Paco Boy half of a length behind her in second.[20] Paco Boy faced Goldikova for the fourth and final time in the Breeders Cup Mile at Churchill Downs in the United States, where the mare was attempting to win a record third Breeders Cup race. Held up near the back of the field as usual, Paco Boy ran on late down the straight to finish fourth behind Goldikova, who won comfortably.[21]
Paco Boy was sold to Highclere Stud and Waikato Stud after his fourth-placed finish in Kentucky, and his previous owners believed that he would not race again.[22] However, his new owners decided to run him one last time in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin where, despite being sent off the 2/1 favourite, he ran very poorly and finished last in a field of thirteen.[23] His connections suggested that the long season and hard races had caught up with him and he was retired to stud.
Assessment
Trainer Richard Hannon described Paco Boy as "a horse with everything. He's got a cruising speed and then, when you get him into the race, he's got a turn of foot, which is what shows how good he is."[2]
He earned a Timeform rating of 128,[24] and an official rating of 124, making him the joint 14th best horse in the world in 2010.[25]
Retirement
Paco Boy is standing at Highclere Stud for £8,000,
References
- ^ a b "Success, Sales Preparation, Highclere Stud".
- ^ a b Greg Wood (15 May 2010). "Richard Hannon weeps tears of joy after Paco Boy's Lockinge romp". the Guardian.
- ^ a b "Paco Boy – Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
- ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Lingfield (AW)". Racing Post. 15 March 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 4.00 Race At Newbury". Racing Post. 19 April 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 3.30 Race At Goodwood". Racing Post. 29 July 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 3.15 Race At Newbury". Racing Post. 16 August 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 3.20 Race At Longchamp (FR)". Racing Post. 7 September 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 2.20 Race At Longchamp (FR)". Racing Post. 4 October 2008.
- ^ "Results From The 3.55 Race At Nad al sheba (UAE)". Racing Post. 28 March 2009.
- ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Newbury". Racing Post. 16 May 2009.
- ^ "Results From The 2.30 Race At Ascot". Racing Post. 16 June 2009.
- ^ "Paco Boy silences doubters". SkySports.
- ^ a b "Results From The 3.10 Race At Newmarket". Racing Post. 10 July 2009.
- ^ a b c "Results From The 3.40 Race At Sandown". Racing Post. 24 April 2010.
- ^ "Royal Ascot: Paco Boy wins Queen Anne Stakes".
- ^ mirror Administrator (14 June 2010). "Royal Ascot special: Brilliant equine superstars Paco Boy, Goldikova and Rip Van Winkle". mirror.
- ^ "Results From The 2.40 Race At Deauville (FR)". Racing Post. 15 August 2010.
- ^ "Results From The 2.43 Race At Longchamp (FR)". Racing Post. 5 September 2010.
- ^ "Results From The 2.20 Race At Longchamp (FR)". Racing Post. 3 October 2010.
- ^ "Results From The 8.40 Race At Churchill Downs (USA)". Racing Post. 6 November 2010.
- ^ HOTSPUR (J A McGrath) (3 December 2010). "Paco Boy will bow out under a cloud in the Hong Kong Mile". Telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Results From The 7.50 Race At Sha tin (HK)". Racing Post. 12 December 2010.
- ^ "Waikato Stud – News – Paco Boy Service Fee Announced".
- ^ "Final Fling For Paco Boy".
- ^ "Waikato Stud – Paco Boy".