Swiss Maid

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Swiss Maid
SireWelsh Pageant
GrandsireTudor Melody
DamHornton Grange
DamsireHornbeam
SexMare
Foaled13 February 1975[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBay
BreederMrs J R Hine
OwnerMax Fine
TrainerPaul A. Kelleway
Record20:5-2-2
Major wins
Sun Chariot Stakes (1978)
Champion Stakes (1978)
Awards
Top-rated European three-year-old filly (1978)
Timeform top-rated three-year-old filly (1978)
Top-rated British older female racehorse (1979)
Timeform rating 129 (1978), 121 (1979)

Swiss Maid (13 February 1975 – after 1992) was a British

weight-for-age Champion Stakes
. She remained in training as a four-year-old but failed to reproduce the form he had shown in the autumn of 1978. She made no impact as a broodmare.

Background

Swiss Maid was a strongly-built, dark-coated bay mare with no white markings bred by Mrs J R Hine.[2] She was sired by Welsh Pageant, a one-mile specialist whose wins included the Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.[3] Welsh Pageant's other progeny included the Arlington Million winner Teleprompter and the Ascot Gold Cup winner Longboat. Swiss Maid was the third foal of her dam, Hornton Grange, a half-sister to the dam of the Derby Italiano winner Don Orazio.[4]

As a

guineas and was sent into training with Paul Kelleway at his Shalfleet stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.[5]

Racing career

1978: three-year-old season

Swiss Maid was unraced as a two-year-old but was highly tried in the spring of her three-year-old season. Her racecourse debut was scheduled for 19 April when she was to be matched against in the

Oaks Stakes. She finished second, four lengths behind the impressive winner Cistus.[7]

In June, Swiss Maid (now racing without a hood) was dropped in class and recorded her first victory, winning the Twyford Stakes over ten furlong at

Royal Ascot) and was then dropped in distance for the Twickenham Stakes over seven furlongs at Kempton Park Racecourse and won from Spring In Deepsea,[8] who was carrying ten pounds more than the winner. In the Virginia Stakes over ten furlongs at Newcastle Racecourse she won again, beating Sofala and Seraphima.[7]

Swiss Maid then appeared at Newmarket in early October when she ran in the ten furlong Sun Chariot Stakes, which was then a Group Two race. Ridden by Lester Piggott, she started at odds of 5/1 and recorded her most important success up to that time beating Be Sweet and Upper Deck by three quarters of a length and a length. Two weeks later, over the same course and distance, Swiss Maid moved up to Group One class for the

Benson and Hedges Gold Cup) she was ridden by Greville Starkey and started at odds of 9/1 while the other major contenders included the French filly Dancing Maid (winner of the Prix Vermeille and third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe) and the Eclipse Stakes winner Gunner B.[9] Piggott sent Hawaiian Sound into the lead and set a strong pace ahead of Gunner B but Starkey moved Swiss Maid up to dispute the lead two furlongs from the finish and always looked the likely winner. She finished strongly and won by one and a half lengths from Hawaiian Sound, with Gunner B finishing third ahead of the French-trained colts Pevero and Pyjama Hunt.[7]

In December, Swiss Maid was offered for sale and bought back for 325,000

guineas.[7]

1979: four-year-old season

Swiss Maid remained in training as a four-year-old but failed to win in nine races. At Royal Ascot in June she finished a close third behind Obraztsovy when attempting one and a half miles in the

Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York in August, when she finished fourth behind Troy, she was unplaced in her last three races.[11]

At the end of the year, Swiss Maid returned to the sales: she was sold for 290,000 guineas and exported to the United States.[11]

Assessment

In 1978, the independent

Shirley Heights.[7] In the following year, Swiss Maid was rated on 121 by Timeform while the International Classification rated her the best older female racehorse trained in Britain.[11]

Stud record

Swiss Maid was sold in January 1988 to Allez France Stables for $120,000.[12] Swiss Maid produced at least three foals between 1985 and 1992, none of whom were successful racehorses:

  • Swiss Sphere (chestnut filly, foaled in 1985, sired by Globe)
  • Sauvan (gelding, 1988, by Palace Music)
  • Sèvres (bay filly, 1992, sired by Lyphard's Wish)

Pedigree

Pedigree of Swiss Maid (GB), bay mare, 1975[1]
Sire
Welsh Pageant (FR)
1966 		Tudor Melody (GB)
1956 		Tudor Minstrel Owen Tudor
Sansonnet
Matelda Dante
Fairly Hot
Picture Light (FR)
1954 		Court Martial Fair Trial
Instantaneous
Double Deal Borealis
Picture Play
Dam
Hornton Grange (GB)
1967 		Hornbeam (GB)
1953 		Hyperion Gainsborough
Selene
Thicket Nasrullah
Thorn Wood
Grove Hall (GB)
1959 		Hook Money Bernborough
Besieged
Ski Club Chamossaire
Private Entree (Family: 1-g)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Swiss Maid pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  2. ^ "wiss Maid image". www.sporthorse-data.com. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  3. ISBN 0-354-08536-0
    .
  4. ^ a b "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Problem - Family 1-g". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  5. ^ Richard Griffiths (22 April 1999). "Obituary: Paul Kelleway". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  6. Glasgow Herald
    . Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  7. ^
    ISBN 0-900599-27-8
    .
  8. ^ a b "White and Gold" (7 July 1979). "Swiss Maid should eclipse her rivals". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  9. ^ "White and Gold" (21 October 1979). "ir Gregor is sure to please". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  10. ^ "White and Gold" (28 July 1979). "Hot favourite Troy to launch record earnings". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-900599-29-4
    .
  12. ^ Staff. "Bunker Hunt Dispersal at Keeneland (January 19, 1988)". Bloodhorse. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
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