Papineau (horse)
Papineau | |
---|---|
Sire | Chestnut |
Breeder | Executors of the late Peter Winfield |
Owner |
|
Trainer | |
Record | 9: 5–1–0 |
Earnings | £263,421 |
Major wins | |
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Papineau (6 April 2000 – 4 February 2024) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Unraced as a juvenile, he showed promise as a three-year-old in France, winning two races including the Prix de l'Avre. As a four-year-old, he was campaigned in England and was unbeaten in three starts. After winning a minor race on his seasonal debut he won a strongly-contested edition of the Henry II Stakes and then recorded his biggest success in the Ascot Gold Cup. He made two appearances as a five-year-old but failed to recover his best form.
Background
Papineau was a chestnut horse with a white
Papineau was sired by Singspiel an exceptional international campaigner whose wins included the Canadian International Stakes, Japan Cup, Dubai World Cup, Coronation Cup and International Stakes. The best of his other progeny have included Moon Ballad, Solow and Dar Re Mi.[4]
The colt was acquired by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin system[5] and sent into training with André Fabre before being switched to Saeed bin Suroor.[6]
Racing career
2003: three-year-old season
On his racecourse debut, Papineau started as the favourite for the Prix Aveu over 2400 metres at
At the end of the year, Papineau was transferred to Sheikh Mohammed's
2004: four-year-old season
Papineau made his British debut in a minor takes race over one and a half miles at Goodwood Racecourse on 19 May in which he was ridden by the Australian Kerrin McEvoy. Starting at 8/1 in a fourteen-runner field he overtook his stablemate Songlark inside the final furlong and went clear to win by two and a half lengths.[10] Twelve days later, Papineau was stepped up in class and distance to contest the Group Three Henry II Stakes over two miles at Sandown Park Racecourse. He started as the 9/4 second favourite against eight opponents, including the Ascot Gold Cup winners Mr Dinos and Royal Rebel, as well as the Sagaro Stakes winner Risk Seeker, and Misternando, winner of ten races in 2003. Ridden by Dettori, he tracked the leaders before taking the lead approaching the final furlong, and won by one and a half lengths from Mr Dinos, with New South Wales in third. Papineau was carrying 124 pounds, whilst Mr Dinos carried 131.[11]
On 17 June, Papineau, again ridden by Dettori, started as the 5/1 second favourite for the 196th running of the Gold Cup over two and a half miles at Ascot Racecourse. Mr Dinos (the 5/4 favourite), Royal Rebel, New South Wales and Misternando were again in opposition along with Brian Boru, Westerner, Ingrandire (Tenno Sho), Darasim (Prix Kergorlay) and Alcazar (Sagaro Stakes). After being restrained towards the rear of the field in the early stages, Papineau began to make progress in the last half mile. He overtook Westerner a furlong out and stayed on to defeat the French challenger by one and a half lengths, with Darasim taking third ahead of Royal Rebel.[12] Dettori celebrated with a flying dismount and said "This horse is top class – he can win a Group 1 over a mile and a half. I had faith in my horse's turn of foot, and if he could take me to the furlong marker, I knew I would outsprint anyone in the last furlong." The connections of the beaten horses were less charitable: Westerner's owner commented "the dope testing machine must be broken", whilst Mark Johnston, trainer of the third and fourth placed horses, objected to the use of ear plugs on the runner-up.[13] The Godolphin team indicated that the horse would be brought back in distance to contest races such as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe[14] but Papineau did not race again in 2004.
2005: five-year-old season
After an absence of almost eleven months, Papineau returned for the Yorkshire Cup on 13 May 2005. He started as the 7/2 second favourite but finished fifth to Franklins Gardens after hanging to the right in the closing stages. The "Royal Ascot" meeting of 2005 took place at York Racecourse as Ascot Racecourse was being redeveloped. Papineau was made the third favourite for the Gold Cup, but never looked likely to win and was virtually pulled-up by McEvoy in the straight and finished sixteenth of the seventeen runners behind Westerner.[15]
Retirement and death
After Papineau's retirement from racing, he was re-trained to compete in
Papineau was euthanised on 4 February 2024, at the age of 23. He had recently been diagnosed with heart issues.[18]
Assessment
In the 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Papineau was given a rating of 119, making him the 34th best racehorse in the world.[19]
Pedigree
Sire Singspiel (IRE) 1992 |
In the Wings (GB) 1986 |
Sadler's Wells | Northern Dancer |
---|---|---|---|
Fairy Bridge | |||
High Hawk | Shirley Heights | ||
Sunbittern | |||
Glorious Song (CAN) 1976 |
Halo | Hail To Reason | |
Cosmah | |||
Ballade | Herbager | ||
Miss Swapsco | |||
Dam Early Rising (USA) 1980 |
Grey Dawn (FR) 1962 |
Herbager | Vandale |
Flagette | |||
Polamia | Mahmoud | ||
Ampola | |||
Gliding By (USA) 1975 |
Tom Rolfe | Ribot | |
Pocahontas | |||
Key Bridge | Princequillo | ||
Blue Banner (Family: 2-n)[3] |
- Papineau was inbred 3 × 4 to Herbager, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and the fourth generations of his pedigree.
References
- ^ a b "Papineau pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
- ^ "Horse Racing: Patriarch dam Early Rising dies, aged 26; BLOODSTOCK DESK. – Free Online Library".
- ^ a b "Alexander Mare – Family 2-n". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
- ^ "Singspiel | Stud Record | Bloodstock Stallion Book". Racing Post. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
- ^ a b Our Founder
- ^ a b c 'He did even more for others in his retirement as he did throughout his career' – death of Gold Cup winner Papineau at 24, Racing Post
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ "'Catch me if you can'. – Free Online Library".
- ^ a b 'Incredibly soft and gentle' Gold Cup winner who became therapy horse dies age 24, Horse & Hound
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ "Racing Royal Ascot: OVER TO YOU PAPINEAU AS DINOS FLOPS; FANTASTIC FRANKIE GRABS GOLD Johnston rages at French farce. – Free Online Library".
- ^ "Gold Cup glory for Papineau". 18 June 2004.
- ^ Racing Post
- ^ "NORWAY TRAGEDY Norway's horrific island [...]. – Free Online Library".
- ^ "Godolphin – PAPINEAU (GB)". Archived from the original on 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- ^ "Gold Cup Winner, Therapy Horse Papineau Dies at 24 [sic]". BloodHorse.
- ^ IFHA 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings