Category Archives: Royal Academy

Death of Royal Academy

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Coolmore Stud yesterday announced the death of Royal Academy (USA). The 25-year-old son of Nijinsky succumbed to the infirmities of old age at Coolmore Australia.

“It’s very sad,” said Tom Magnier.¬†”Royal Academy has been a tremendous servant to Coolmore, wherever he’s been based. He spent the last five years of his life here, the last two years in retirement.”

“Particular credit must go to our head stallion man Gerry Ryan, who looked after him with great care and attention. He has been wonderfully prolific, siring more than 160 Stakes winners and his progeny earnings are the equivalent of more than US$120,000,000.”

“He sired major winners over a wide range of distances, at all ages. I suspect, though, that his greatest legacy is the speed he passed on to the best of his Australian descendants – the brilliant Black Caviar is by one of his sons while champion sire-elect Fastnet Rock is out of one of his daughters.”

Winner of the July Cup and Breeders Cup Mile, Royal Academy began his stallion career at Coolmore at a fee of IR30,000gns in 1991. Royal Academy also stood at Coolmore’s American branch, Ashford Stud, as well as shuttling to Australia and South America.

His Gr 1 winners in Australia include Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit, Serious Speed and Kenwood Melody.

First stakes for Mygoodgrace

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Australian-bred Mygoodgrace (4 m Royal Academy – Good Faith, by Straight Strike) took the Valachi Downs Breeders Stakes (Listed) over 1400m at Riccarton Park in New Zealand on Wednesday, her first black type success and the 163rd stakes winner for her recently pensioned sire.

Trained by Donna Logan, Mygoodgrace ¬†was strong to the line in defeating Final Touch (Kashani) by a length with One Nite Stand (Cullen) a nose away in third. Yesterday’s victory was Mygoodgrace’s fifth from 18 starts.

A half-sister to Gr 3 winner  and now sire Tully Dane (Danehill), Mygoodgrace becomes the  the second black type winner for Good Faith, a daughter of leading broodmare sire Straight Strike (USA), a son of Mr Prospecter, and herself a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old.

A proven shuttle sire in several countries, Royal Academy  has eight live foal from his last small crop that are now yearlings.

Winning quartet for Coolmore sires

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Star Coolmore Stud sire High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells – Kashora, by Darshaan) started the last week of October in fine style with a winning double on either side of the Tasman Sea.

Prairie Star (High Chaparral – Maryann Jones, by Fasliyev) provided the New Zealand leg of High Chaparral’s dual success when the mare took out the Vision Forest Lake Handicap (2000m) at Te Rapa.

Colin and Cindy Alderson produced High Chaparral’s Australian winner on Monday when head Honcho (High Chaparral – Dialect, by Lord Waverley) won the Schweppes Handicap (1314m) at Pakenham.

Head Honcho’s win formed part of a treble for Coolmore Stud sires at Pakenham. The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable produced Hugomania (Royal Academy – Hugo Girl, by Entrepreneur) to win the Brady’s Carpet Court Maiden Plate (1314m) before Dame Claire (Danehill Dancer – Lovely Actress, by Kaldoun) claimed the Carlton and United Brewers Handicap (2428m).

High Chaparral has produced the winners of 27 races this season.

Four more For Darley on Sunday

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The Darley operation made its mark on Sunday’s Geelong Synthetic meeting after its stallions sired the winners of three of the first four races on the program.

Street Cry (Machiavellian – Helen Street, by Troy) four-year-old Cry In Awe (Street Cry – Irish Blessing, by Suave Dancer) started the day perfectly for Darley when the Robbie Griffiths-trained stallion won the Centrebet Best Price Maiden Plate (2000m).

Veteran sire Strategic (Zeditave – Sudden Impulse, by Luskin Star) was a winning sire at Geelong after Platelet (Strategic – Bloodline, by Dracula) the Centrebet Name Her To Win Maiden (1000m).

Riverbank (Elusive Quality – Violet Lane, by Danzero) finished Darley’s Geelong treble when the gelding took out the Centrebet Superbest Maiden Plate (1300m).

Yasir (Exceed And Excel – Bayyaan, by Dixieland Band) became the fourth winner of the day for Darley sires when the three-year-old claimed the Xmas Lights Maiden Plate (1200m) at Launceston.

Meanwhile, retired Coolmore champion Royal Academy (Nijinsky II – Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) continued to contribute to the success of the stud with a Sunday double.

Royal Society (Royal Academy – Kianben, by Jan Murray) started Royal Academy’s successful day with a win in the Rabobank Handicap (1000m) at Warren before Royal Capishe (Royal Capishe – Supersoft, by Snippets) claimed the Good Paddock Maiden (1000m) at Carnarvon.

The dual success took Royal Academy’s trans-Tasman win tally for the season to six.

Big six for Coolmore Stud sires

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Winners to Coolmore father and son duo Danehill Dancer (Danehill – Mira Adonde, by Sharpen Up) and Choisir (Danehill Dancer – Great Selection, by Lunchtime) helped propel the stud to a sextet of successes on Friday.

Coolmore Stud sires produced at least one winner at all five meetings held in Australia. Choisir and Fastnet Rock (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) combined to produce a double at the Geelong Synthetic fixture.

Le Bonsir (Choisir – La Bella Dame, by Royal Academy) took out the Keane Real Estate Maiden Plate (1100m) before Ramiel (Fastnet Rock – Oh Blue Angel, by Semipalatinsk) claimed the Optus Business Handicap (1200m).

Merwaan (Fusaichi Pegasus – Jump ‘n’ Move, by Catrail) took out the Shoalhaven Services Club Handicap (2200m) at Nowra while To Follow (Danehill Dancer – Hit And Run, Success Express) provided the Ipswich leg of Coolmore’s winning day in the Schweppes Australia Handicap (1200m).

Oracle Of Omaha (Royal Academy – Bellquin, by Bellotto) continued the success for Coolmore with his win in the PCYC Gunnedah Handicap (2050m) at Gunnedah before Positive Dream (Encosta De Lago – Fayfa, by Slip Anchor) completed the stud’s day out with her win over older mares in the Maiden Plate (1000m) at Cowra.

12 winners for Coolmore

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The Coolmore Stud machine hit top gear on Saturday with the Hunter Valley operation producing no less than a dozen winners around Australia.

The ever-reliable Danehill Dancer (Danehill – Mira Adonde, by Sharpen Up) earned his 126th individual stakes winner when Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer – Rare Insight, by O’Reilly) took out the Listed Daybreak Lover (1400m) at Eagle Farm. First Look (Danehill Dancer – Sly Smile, by Crafty Prospector) completed a double for the stallion with her win in the McWilliam’s Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.

Another Coolmore stalwart, Encosta De Lago (Fairy King – Shoal Creek, by Star Way) produced stakes winner number 82 of his distinguished career when Mystical Grey roared home to claim the Listed Spear Chief Handicap (1500m) at Eagle Farm.

Royal Academy (Nijinsky – Crimson Saint, by) produced a double at Rosehill. My Vegas (Royal Academy – Smytzer’s Century, by Geiger Counter) won the Omni Handicap (1200m) before Irish Love (Royal Academy – More Natural, by Naturalism) took out the Woodford Reserve Handicap (1800m).

Galileo (Sadler’s Wells – Urban Sea, by Miswaki) enjoyed a treble with winners at the Gold Coast, Newcastle and Sandown Lakeside meetings while Fastnet Rock (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) produced a double at the Morphettville and Kilmore fixtures. Winners for Dehere (Deputy Minister – Sister Dot, by Secretariat) and Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector – Angel Fever, by Danzig) completed Coolmore’s terrific day.

Big Sunday for Coolmore sires

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Coolmore Stud stallions were unstoppable on Sunday with the Hunter Valley operation producing trebles at both the Sunshine Coast meeting in Australia and the Sha Tin fixture in Hong Kong.

High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells – Kasora, by Darshaan) started the day in fine style for the stud with a running double at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Harish’s (High Chaparral – Centamira, by Centaine) win in the Dallas Campbell Memorial Maiden (1600m) followed Handsome’s (High Chaparral – Prized Gem, by Prized) success in the Yalumba Wines Plate (2200m).

Handsome failed to reach his $150,000 reserve at the 2008 Karaka Sale. The four-year-old is out of the dual Group 1 winner Prized Gem (Prized – Vaguely Attentive, by Noble Bijou), making Handsome a three-quarter brother to the 2008 Group 1 AJC Australian Derby winner Nom Du Jeu (Montjeu РPrized Gem, by Prized).

Encosta De Lago (Fairy King – Shoal Creek, by Star Way) gained his fourth two-year-old win of the season when the John Sargent-trained youngster Largo Da Barra (Encosta De Lago – Amanusa, by Alzao) won the Southside Wrecking Handicap (1400m).

Later, Coolmore stalwart Royal Academy (Nijinsky II – Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) started a hat-trick of victories for the stud at Sha Tin with Darpana’s (Royal Academy – Going Raja, by Well Decorated) success in the Peacock Handicap (1200m). Cat Storm (Tale Of The Cat – Eternal Youth, by Fairy King) provided Coolmore’s second win of the day in Flamingo Handicap (1200m) before Choisir (Danehill Dancer – Great Selection, by Lunchtime) completed the operation’s Hong Kong trio when Mustang (Choisir – Maid Of Pines, by Charnwood Forest) claimed the Swan Handicap (1400m).

Meanwhile, Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat – Yarn, by Mr Prospector) and his son Lion Heart (Tale Of The Cat – Satin Sunrise, by Mr Leader) provided a Coolmore double at Sunday’s Warwick Farm meeting. The Chris Waller-trained Great Heart (Tale Of The Cat – Floridays, by Kenmare) won the Calcoup Knitwear Handicap (1300m) before Trilione (Lion Heart – Al Terzo, by Brave Warrior) took out the Metro Civil Contractors Handicap (1200m) for the Joe Pride stable.