Sunline
Sunline | |
---|---|
Sire | Desert Sun (GB) |
Grandsire | Australian Horse of the Year (2000, 2001, 2002) Australian Champion Filly or Mare (2000, 2001, 2002) Timeform rating: 129 Timeforms World Champion turf mare of 1999. Timeforms World Champion female mare 2000. |
Honours | |
Australian Racing Hall of Fame New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame Sunline Stakes, Moonee Valley Racecourse Sunline Vase, Ellerslie Racecourse, Australian Postage Stamp, Sunline Lounge - Moonee Valley Racecourse, Bronze Statue created in her honour at Ellerslie Racecourse, |
Sunline (29 September 1995 – 1 May 2009) was a champion
Sunline led in most of her races, and sometimes settled just behind the leader; she was difficult to pass. She loved to win and was known for her fiery temperament.[1]
In 2006, Sunline was an inaugural inductee into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, along with Carbine, Gloaming, Kindergarten, and Phar Lap.
Background
Sunline was foaled at Pleasanton Stud near Cambridge, New Zealand on 29 September 1995. Her sire was the Group Two winning English stallion Desert Sun, a grandson of leading sire Danzig. Her dam was the capable mare Songline[2] by Western Symphony (USA).[3] Sunline came from the same family as Phar Lap, tracing back to the Entreaty through Night Raid (Sunline's 8th dam).[4] She was a big strong plain bay with no white markings.
Racing career
Early career
In partnership with Thayne Green and Helen Lusty, McKee raced Sunline as a two-year-old. She was unbeaten in three starts.
After a first-up win at three, in August 1998, the McKees took Sunline to Australia for the first of an eventual nine visits. Racing in the second, third, and fourth legs of Sydney's Princess Series, for three-year-old fillies, she powered through the slop on her Australian debut in the Furious Stakes,
Sunline resumed in February 1999. She won first up but was narrowly beaten for the first time by Rose O'War, second-up, in Melbourne's Angus Armanasco Stakes, her 9th career start. The race was not run to suit, with a long shot racing away before the home turn, which may have exposed Sunline's lack of fitness on the day, as she was jumping from 1,200 to 1,600 metres.[
Sunline then ventured north to Sydney to tackle the Doncaster Handicap (1,600 metres).[8] Despite taking on older horses for the first time, and starting from a wide starting gate, Sunline was sent out one of the shortest-priced favourites in the race's long history,[9] at 10/9 (approximately $2.10). Sunline went straight to the front and never looked back to score by one-and-three-quarter lengths. She became just the fourth filly to win in the modern history of the race.
A fortnight later, Sunline was again a favourite in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000 metres), and led the field over the rise (near the top of the straight), then faded to finished second-last of the six runners. She was then sent home to New Zealand for a spell.
1999/2000: Four-Year-Old Season
Unlike many three-year-old champions, Sunline made the transition to
Speculation in the media[10] that Sunline would be vulnerable in the Cox Plate - in open company over 2,040 metres - proved unfounded. Leading before the home turn, Sunline held off a late challenge from Tie the Knot, with Caulfield Cup winner Sky Heights in third place. Sunline became only the fifth mare to win the race since its inception in 1922 and the second of four mares to win the race since Dane Ripper in 1997 (the others being Makybe Diva in 2005 and Pinker Pinker in 2011).
After a brief let-up, Sunline came back in distance and defeated other mares in the Auckland Breeders' Stakes (1,400 metres), in New Zealand, in preparation for the International Cup (2,000 metres) in Hong Kong. Sunline led, and her jockey, Greg Childs, explained that she travelled well to the home turn, but, in an echo of the autumn's Queen Elizabeth Stakes, tired badly in the home straight and finished seventh. She then returned home to New Zealand for a spell.
Back in Sydney for the autumn of 2000, Sunline powered through the rain-affected going to win the Apollo Stakes (1,400 metres) first-up. In her entire career, she was never beaten over the distance. She then carried the maximum topweight (60 kilograms) to win the first of two Coolmore Classics - at the time, Australia's only Group One race for fillies and mares (three years and over). At her next start, she carried 57.5 kilograms (9 st. 1 lb.) in the Doncaster Handicap and was narrowly defeated by the lightly weighted three-year-old Over. Meeting again a week later, in the All-Aged Stakes, Sunline relished the return to weight for age conditions - accounting for Georgie Boy, with Over in third place, to make it three wins from four starts this campaign.
2000/2001: Five-Year-Old Season
Sunline started her five-year-old campaign in Melbourne, against the sprinters - streaking away in the Manikato Stakes (1,200 metres) at Moonee Valley. She then had wins in the Memsie (1,400 metres) and Feehan Stakes (1,600 metres), but was narrowly beaten by Fairway in the Turnbull Stakes (2,000 metres). A natural frontrunner, like Sunline, Fairway refused to hand up the lead to Sunline, who was forced to chase, and held her at bay down the straight. It was Sunline's third defeat over the distance from as many starts away from Moonee Valley, but it was a great improvement on her previous defeats, especially since Fairway was a multiple Group One winning three-year-old the previous season.
Sunline fans regard her next run as one of her greatest.
International Success
Returning to New Zealand after the Cox Plate, the mare's owners revealed that Sunline had been part of a bidding war from five different countries, including the powerful
While the victory in Hong Kong neither confirmed nor denied the oft-made claim of her fans that Sunline was world's best racemare, her Cox Plate victory saw the Australian and New Zealand Horse of the Year receive an invitation to compete in the world's richest raceday, the Dubai World Cup meeting in the United Arab Emirates.
In early February, Sunline recorded her eighth win in New Zealand when she was too good for seven other Group One winners in the Waikato Sprint. The victory kept alive Sunline's wonderful record in her home country, which at career end would stand at 11 wins from as many starts. Sunline's next step came with a hit-and-run trip to Sydney for the Apollo Stakes at Warwick Farm. For the second year in a row, the race was run on a rain-affected track, and Sunline accounted for Celestial Choir, with Tie the Knot unplaced.
In Dubai, Sunline showed her customary pace to lead the field in the Duty Free (1,800 metres), but her breakaway tactics were not aided by a home straight of 600 metres. Jim And Tonic and Fairy King Prawn loomed up to Sunline with 200 metres to run, and after a tough run, Sunline did well to hold on for third.
She returned to Australia to contest the All Aged Stakes against a sub-standard field on a wet track at Randwick. Starting a hot favourite, Sunline was narrowly defeated by El Mirada and Final Fantasy, and then given time off from racing.
2001/2002: Six-Year-Old Season
The six year old Sunline returned with a close second to Piavonic in the
Sunline was defeated by
Following her spring defeats by Northerly, she returned in the autumn of 2002 to race four times for as many wins - all in Group One races. Each of her nine starts for the season came in races she had also contested in the last two seasons, and returned six wins from nine starts (a winning strike-rate of 67%), compared to eight from 11 in the 2000–2001 season (73%), and six from 11 in the 1999–2000 season (55%).
The first of these was a win by four lengths in Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa (defeating Ethereal, who was out-paced in her first run since the Melbourne Cup).[16] She then won the Coolmore Classic for a second time - again carrying the race's maximum handicap of 60 kilograms - and became the first horse in Australasia to win A$9 million in prize money.[17]
At her next start, she carried the number one saddlecloth to victory in Doncaster Handicap. With 58 kilos, she defeated Shogun Lodge (who also carried 58 kilos) and Defier (who carried 51.5 kilos but was trapped wide). She closed her campaign with a six length victory in the weight-for age All-Aged Stakes. By winning these races, she became the first horse in Australasia to pass the $11 million mark in career earnings and with 13 Group One wins, she was within one of Kingston Town's record of 14 Group One races.
In the next spring, Sunline notched her fifth consecutive win when taking the
The clash may have flattened Sunline and Lonhro, who appeared to race below their best when fourth and sixth,[19] respectively, behind Northerly in the Cox Plate. As planned, Sunline was retired after this, her fourth and final Cox Plate, and her record of two wins, a second, and a fourth is one of the best in the history of the race.
Retirement and Records
She retired[20] with 27 stakes wins, more than any other horse in Australasian history,[21] and was the highest grossing Australasian racehorse at that time.[22] She was Australian Horse of the Year a record 3 times, and inducted into Australia’s Racing Hall of Fame – the only horse to receive that honour while still racing.[23] She was New Zealand Horse of the Year 4 times, and inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.
Race Record[24]
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | 10 May 1998 | 2yo Hcp Restricted | Paeroa | NA | 1100 m | 55 | P. Johnson | 2nd - Speed To Burn |
Won | 30 May 1998 | 2yo Hcp Restricted | Ellerslie | NA | 1200 m | 54 | P. Johnson | 2nd - Light Opera |
Won | 9 July 1998 | Breeders Stakes | Ruakaka | LR | 1200 m | 56.5 | P. Johnson | 2nd - Life of Riley |
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | 22 August 1998 | 3yo Hcp Restricted | Hastings | NA | 1200 m | 55 | P. Johnson | 2nd - No Alimony |
Won | 5 September 1998 | Furious Stakes | Randwick | G3 | 1400 m | 54 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Zaroyale |
Won | 19 September 1998 | Tea Rose Stakes | Rosehill |
G2 | 1500 m | 55.5 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Zola |
Won | 3 October 1998 | Flight Stakes | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 54 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Camerena |
Won | 1 February 1999 | 3yo Hcp Restricted | Ellerslie | NA | 1200 m | 62.5 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Delphic |
2nd | 20 February 1999 | Angus Armanasco Stakes | Caulfield | G3 | 1600 m | 55.5 | L. Cassidy | 1st - Rose O'War |
Won | 6 March 1999 | AV Kewney Stakes |
Flemington | G2 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Rose O'War |
Won | 20 March 1999 | Moonee Valley Oaks |
Moonee Valley | G3 | 2040 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Grand Archway |
Won | 3 April 1999 | Doncaster | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 52 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Lease |
5th | 17 April 1999 | Queen Elizabeth Stakes | Randwick | G1 | 2000 m | 52 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Intergaze |
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | 21 August 1999 | Warwick Stakes |
Warwick Farm | G2 | 1400 m | 55 | L. Cassidy | 2nd - Tie The Knot
|
2nd | 11 September 1999 | Theo Marks Stakes | Rosehill |
G2 | 1300 m | 58 | L. Cassidy | 1st - Adam |
2nd | 25 September 1999 | George Main Stakes |
Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 55 | L. Cassidy | 1st - Shogun Lodge |
4th | 2 October 1999 | Epsom Handicap | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 56.5 | L. Cassidy | 1st - Allez Suez |
Won | 23 October 1999 | Cox Plate |
Moonee Valley | G1 | 2040 m | 54 | G. Childs | 2nd - Tie The Knot
|
Won | 20 November 1999 | Breeders Stakes | Pukekohe | G2 | 1400 m | 54.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Soap Opera |
7th | 12 December 1999 | Hong Kong Cup | Sha Tin | G1 | 2000 m | 56 | G. Childs | 1st - Jim And Tonic |
Won | 11 March 2000 | Apollo Stakes | Warwick Farm | G2 | 1400 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Adam |
Won | 1 April 2000 | Coolmore Classic | Rosehill |
G1 | 1500 m | 60 | G. Childs | 2nd - Beat The Fade |
2nd | 22 April 2000 | Doncaster | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 57.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Over |
Won | 29 April 2000 | All Aged Stakes | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Georgie Boy |
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | 19 August 2000 | Manikato Stakes | Moonee Valley | G1 | 1200 m | 55 | G. Childs | 2nd - Honour The Name |
Won | 3 September 2000 | Memsie Stakes | Caulfield | G2 | 1400 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Umrum |
Won | 16 September 2000 | J F Feehan Stakes |
Moonee Valley | G2 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Le Zagaletta |
2nd | 7 October 2000 | Turnbull Stakes | Flemington | G2 | 2000 m | 56.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Fairway |
Won | 28 October 2000 | Cox Plate |
Moonee Valley | G1 | 2040 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Diatribe |
Won | 25 November 2000 | Breeders Stakes | Pukekohe | G2 | 1400 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Amnesia |
Won | 17 December 2000 | Hong Kong Mile | Sha Tin | G1 | 1600 m | 56 | G. Childs | 2nd - Fairy King Prawn |
Won | 10 February 2001 | Waikato Sprint | Te Rapa | G1 | 1400 m | 56 | G. Childs | 2nd - Fritz |
Won | 3 March 2001 | Apollo Stakes | Warwick Farm | G2 | 1400 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Celestial Choir |
3rd | 24 March 2001 | Dubai Duty Free Stakes |
Nad Al Sheba | G2 | 1777 m | 55 | G. Childs | 1st - Jim And Tonic |
3rd | 21 April 2001 | All Aged Stakes | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - El Mirada |
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd | 18 August 2001 | Manikato Stakes | Moonee Valley | G1 | 1200 m | 55 | G. Childs | 1st - Piavonic |
Won | 1 September 2001 | Memsie Stakes | Caulfield | G2 | 1400 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Piavonic |
2nd | 15 September 2001 | J F Feehan Stakes |
Moonee Valley | G2 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Northerly |
Won | 6 October 2001 | Turnbull Stakes | Flemington | G2 | 2000 m | 56.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Universal Prince |
2nd | 27 October 2001 | Cox Plate |
Moonee Valley | G1 | 2040 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Northerly |
Won | 9 February 2002 | Waikato Sprint | Te Rapa | G1 | 1400 m | 56 | G. Childs | 2nd - Honor Bound |
Won | 9 March 2002 | Coolmore Classic | Rosehill |
G1 | 1500 m | 60 | G. Childs | 2nd - Gentle Genius |
Won | 30 March 2002 | Doncaster | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 58 | G. Childs | 2nd - Shogun Lodge |
Won | 6 April 2002 | All Aged Stakes | Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 2nd - Cent Home |
Result | Date | Race | Venue | Group | Distance | Weight (kg) | Jockey | Winner/2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | 24 August 2002 | Mudgway Stakes |
Hastings | G2 | 1400 m | 56 | G. Childs | 2nd - Tit For Taat |
3rd | 28 September 2002 | George Main Stakes |
Randwick | G1 | 1600 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Defier |
2nd | 12 October 2002 | Caulfield Stakes | Caulfield | G1 | 2000 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Lonhro |
4th | 24 October 2002 | Cox Plate |
Moonee Valley | G1 | 2040 m | 55.5 | G. Childs | 1st - Northerly |
Stud record
Sunline went into retirement at the McKee property near Auckland and produced four foals. Two of her progeny won races, Sunstrike (2004 filly, by Rock of Gibraltar) and Sun Ruler (2005 colt, by Zabeel).[25] Sun Ruler and Sunstrike were both trained by Stephen McKee and met in a race on 19 December 2009 at Te Rapa with Sun Ruler defeating his older half-sister, Sunstrike, by a nose.[26][27]
Sun Ruler stood at stud in New Zealand from 2012 until 2017 and died 12 February 2022.[28]
Sunline also left the unraced Sunalta (2006 filly, by Rock of Gibraltar) and the unplaced Sunsett (2007 filly, by Hussonet).[29][30]
In 2011, Sunline became a grandmother for the first time, when her 3rd foal and 2nd daughter, Sunalta, produced a bay filly by the Danzig stallion, Librettist. In 2012, Sunalta foaled a chestnut filly by the Zafonic stallion, Iffraaj (GB) and Sunstrike foaled a bay colt by the Street Cry stallion, Per Incanto (USA).
Pedigree
Sire Desert Sun (GB) 1988 |
Green Desert (USA) 1983 |
Danzig (USA) 1977 |
Northern Dancer (Can) |
---|---|---|---|
Pas de Nom (USA) | |||
Foreign Courier (USA) 1979 |
Sir Ivor (USA) | ||
Courtly Dee (USA) | |||
Solar (GB) 1973 |
Hotfoot (GB) 1966 |
Firestreak (GB) | |
Pitter Patter (GB) | |||
Languissola (GB) 1967 |
Soderini (GB) | ||
Posh (GB) | |||
Dam Songline (NZ) 1987 |
Western Symphony (USA) 1981 |
Nijinsky (Can)1967 |
Northern Dancer (Can) |
Flaming Page (Can) | |||
Millcent (USA) 1969 |
Cornish Prince (USA) | ||
Milan Mill (USA) | |||
McAngus (NZ) 1979 |
Alvaro (GB) 1965 |
Rockefella (GB) | |
Aldegonde (Fr) | |||
Honey Carlyle (NZ) 1967 |
Better Honey (GB) | ||
Nora Crena (NZ) (Family: 2-r) |
Death
On 1 May 2009 Sunline was put down after suffering from the debilitating hoof disease laminitis for nine months.[31] A memorial has been established at Ellerslie Racecourse where she is buried.[32]
See also
References
- Specific citations
- ^ "She's Got a Temper...and she bites". Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Songline (NZ) 1987 / Breeding / NZ Studbook". loveracing.nz. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Sunline (NZ) 1995 / Breeding /NZ Studbook". loveracing.nz. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Sunline's birthplace to change hands >Pleasanton Stud NZ". www.thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Furious Stakes | Past Winners | Results | Australia". www.racingandsports.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Tea Rose Stakes | Past Winners | Results | Australia". www.racingandsports.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Flight Stakes | Past Winners | Results | Australia". www.racingandsports.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Thomas, Ray (25 March 2014). "Countdown to The Championships: What makes the Doncaster Mile so special". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Sunline races into immortality with hat-trick of titles". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 July 2002. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Horse Racing: Sunline still one to beat in Cox Plate". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Australian Recap: Sunline Leaves Them Speechless". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Cassidy knows how the rest feel now". nzherald.nz. 30 October 2000. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
- ^ "ESPN.com - Horse Racing - Sunline shines in Australia's BMW Cox Plate". www.espn.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ HRP (8 December 2020). "Sunline vs Fairy King Prawn: the Sha Tin showdown that resonates 20 years on". Horse Racing Planet. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Northerly's Cox Plate After Protest Drama > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily". www.thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Ethereal Wins Historic Melbourne Cup > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily". www.thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Turf Heroes – Sunline". Making the Nut. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ "Lonhro Defeats Sunline in Cox Plate Prep". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "ESPN.com - Horse Racing - Northerly takes Cox Plate". www.espn.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Racing: No regrets as Sunline's exit looms". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ HRP (13 March 2021). "All-time great: Melody Belle breaks Sunline's record with 14th G1 triumph". Horse Racing Planet. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Curnow, Daryl (23 April 2020). "SUNLINE - Racehorse Profile, Facts & Stats | GoBet". GoBet®. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "Sunline (NZ) - a tribute to a racehorse of a lifetime > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily". www.thoroughbrednews.com.au. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ Official Information NZTR NZ Thoroughbred Racing File
- ^ "Sunstrike (NZ) 2004 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
- ^ Herald Sun: “Sunline's offspring fight it out” Archived 13 September 2012 at archive.today Retrieved 2009-12-19
- ^ "Race 6 LODGE CITY RENTALS 1200 at WAIKATO RC on 19 DEC 2009 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
- ^ "Sun Ruler (AUS) 2005 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
- ^ "Sunsett (NZ) 2007 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
- ^ "Vale, Sunline - you thrilled in victory and stirred in defeat". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ "Champion Sunline Euthanized".
- ^ "Sunline Loses Battle With Disease".
- General references