Phoenix of Spain

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Phoenix of Spain
Irish 2000 Guineas
(2019)

Phoenix of Spain (foaled 17 February 2016) is an Irish-bred, British-trained

Irish 2000 Guineas
. He failed to reproduce his best form in four subsequent starts and was retired from racing at the end of the year.

Background

Phoenix of Spain is a grey colt bred in Ireland by Cherry Faeste. As a foal in December 2016 he was offered for sale at

guineas by Good Will Bloodstock. He returned to the Tattersalls sale ring in October 2017 and was sold to Howson & Houldsworth Bloodstock for 220,000 guineas.[2] The colt entered the ownership of Tony Wechsler and Ann Plummer and was sent into training with Charles Hills at Lambourn in Berkshire. He was ridden in seven of his ten races by Jamie Spencer
.

He is from the fifth crop of foals sired by the Prix du Jockey Club winner Lope de Vega. His other foals have included Newspaperofrecord, Belardo, Vega Magic (Memsie Stakes) The Right Man (Al Quoz Sprint) and Santa Ana Lane (Stradbroke Handicap).[3] Phoenix of Spain's dam Lucky Clio showed no racing ability, failing to win in five starts,[4] but did better as a broodmare, producing six other winners. She was distantly descended from La Faisanderie, a full sister to Slieve Gallion.[5]

Racing career

2018: two-year-old season

On 6 July 2018 Phoenix of Spain began his racing career in a novice race (for horses with no more than two previous wins) over seven

Tapeta surface at Wolverhampton Racecourse the colt was ridden by Callum Shepherd and started the 6/5 favourite against six opponents. After tracking the leaders he went to the front a furlong out and recorded his first success as he won "comfortably" by two and a half lengths.[6] He was then stepped up in class for the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York Racecourse on 22 August and started at odds of 9/2 in an eight-runner field. Phoenix of Spain was restrained towards the rear by Spencer before taking the lead a furlong out and winning by one and a half lengths from the favourite Watan.[7] After the race Charles Hills said: "He was impressive at Wolverhampton and we felt York would suit him better. I thought Jamie gave him a great ride. He was a bit windy beforehand and he settled him well... You'd like to think a mile would be within his compass this season".[8]

Vertem Futurity Trophy over one mile and went off the 11/2 third choice in the betting. Phoenix of Spain came from well off the pace to dispute the lead inside the final furlong, but after being hampered in the closing stages he finished second in a blanket finish, beaten a head by Magna Grecia with Western Australia, Circus Maximus
and Great Scot close behind.

In the official ratings of European juveniles for 2018 Phoenix of Spain was given a mark of 112, making him the fourteen pounds inferior to the top-rated Too Darn Hot.[9]

2019: three-year-old season

For his three-year-old debut Phoenix of Spain was sent to Ireland to contest the

Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on 25 May and went off at odds of 16/1. Too Darn Hot and Magna Grecia started joint favourites while the other eleven runners included Skardu (Craven Stakes), Mohawk (Royal Lodge Stakes), Shelir (Tetrarch Stakes), Emaraaty Ana (Gimcrack Stakes) and Van Beethoven (Railway Stakes). Phoenix of Spain led from the start, opened up a clear advantage approaching the final furlong and came home three lengths clear of Too Darn Hot in second place.[10] Charles Hills said "The plan wasn’t really to make the running, but Jamie gave him an absolute peach and he’s some horse. He sustained that gallop all the way through and he just keep lengthening. He’s a big horse and whatever he did last year was a bonus. He’s got a hell of a future ahead of him".[11]

In June at Royal Ascot Phoenix of Spain started 5/2 second favourite for the

Prix du Moulin at Longchamp Racecourse. On his final racecourse appearance Phoenix of Spain contested the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on 19 October. Ridden by Doyle he raced in second place before dropping out of contention in the last quarter mile and finished tenth behind King of Change
, beaten almost twelve lengths by the winner.

Four days after his final race it was announced that Phoenix of Spain had been retired from racing and would begin his career as a breeding stallion at the Irish National Stud in 2020.[12]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Phoenix of Spain (IRE), grey colt, 2016[1]
Sire
Lope de Vega (IRE)
2007 		Shamardal (USA)
2002 		Giant's Causeway Storm Cat
Mariah's Storm
Helsinki (GB) Machiavellian (USA)
Helen Street
Lady Vettori (GB)
1997 		Vettori (IRE) Machiavellian (USA)
Air Distingue (USA)
Lady Golconda (FR) Kendor
Lady Sharp
Dam
Lucky Clio (IRE)
2004 		Key of Luck (USA)
1991 		Chief's Crown Danzig
Six Crowns
Balbonella (FR) Gay Mecene (USA)
Bamieres
Special Lady (FR)
1992 		Kaldoun Caro (IRE)
Katana
Macedoine King of Macedon (IRE)
Sainte Colere (Family: 8-d)[5]
  • Through his sire, Phoenix of Spain was inbred 4 × 4 to Machiavellian, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

  1. ^ a b "Phoenix of Spain pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ^ "Where Did They Come From?". Thoroughbred Daily News. 24 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Lope De Vega - Stud Record". Racing Post.
  4. ^ "Lucky Clio Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  5. ^ a b "Feronia - Family 8-d". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Novice Stakes result". Racing Post. 29 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Acomb Stakes result". Racing Post. 22 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Phoenix Of Spain shocks Watan in Acomb Stakes". www.itv.com. 22 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Irish Classification 2018" (PDF). Horse Racing Ireland.
  10. ^ "Irish 2000 Guineas result". Racing Post. 25 May 2019.
  11. ^ Wood, Greg (25 May 2019). "Phoenix Of Spain rocks Too Darn Hot to win Irish 2,000 Guineas" – via The Guardian.
  12. ^ Peacock, Tom (23 October 2019). "Phoenix of Spain Retired to Irish National Stud". The Blood-Horse.

External links

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