Battle Heights was a notable New Zealand

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

. A son of Battle-Waggon from the mare Wuthering Heights, he was foaled in 1967 and was trained throughout his career by Tim Douglas. Douglas was a farmer and all-round horseman based in Morrinsville in the north-eastern Waikato province of New Zealand. As well as being a successful racehorse trainer, he was an accomplished polo player and bought Wuthering Heights, a young thoroughbred mare, with the intention of including her in a consignment of polo ponies purchased for the Sultan of Brunei. That plan had to change, however, when it became apparent that Wuthering Heights was pregnant, forcing Douglas to retain her. She subsequently produced a foal whose sire was believed to be a non-thoroughbred stallion, after which Douglas decided to breed from her himself. Battle Heights was the fourth full thoroughbred foal produced by Wuthering Heights (the previous three, Gold Heights, Monty and Arctic Heights, also became good performers for Douglas). Battle Heights started in 115 races and raced until he was 10 years old when he was forced into retirement after suffering sesamoid injuries in the 1977 VRC

LKS Mackinnon Stakes The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the ''LKS Mackinnon Stakes'', is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia o ...

. During his career, he raced and won in every season from the age of three until ten, winning 23 times over distances ranging from 1,100m to 3,200m. In New Zealand his wins included the

Wellington Cup The Wellington Cup is a Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in January by the Wellington Racing Club at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham, New Zealand, Trentham. History Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been ra ...

Trentham Stakes The Trentham Stakes is a Group 3 weight-for-age race held for thoroughbred racehorses at Trentham Racecourse near Wellington, New Zealand conducted by the Wellington Racing Club. Held over 2100 metres in January, it is seen as the main lead-up ...

and

New Zealand International Stakes The International Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton in early February every year. The race is now run as the Herbie Dyke Stakes. The 2010 running was sponsored by the connections of stallion Darci Brahma, ...

. That led to several campaigns in Australia, where he won the

Sydney Cup The Sydney Cup is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred handicap horse race, for horses three years old and older, run over 3200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the autumn during the ATC Championships series ...

, Queen Elizabeth Stakes,

The Metropolitan (ATC) The Metropolitan is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October ...

and

Craven Stakes The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 met ...

in Sydney; in Melbourne he won the

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racin ...

, and in Perth the CB Cox Stakes. His many placings included second in the

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under Handicap (horse racing), handicap conditions. This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 met ...

. Battle Heights was awarded the 1974

New Zealand Horse of the Year There is a New Zealand horse of the year in each of the racing codes: - Standardbred or harness racing, either pacers or trotters, and - Thoroughbred racing or gallopers. Harness Horse of the Year The New Zealand Harness Horse of the Year award ...

title, while Wuthering Heights received the Broodmare of the Year title. In the 1974

and

Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC) The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, formerly known as the Queen's Plate, AJC Plate, and AJC King's Cup, is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Randwick Racecours ...

he was ridden by New Zealand jockey Gary Willetts, who then decided to establish himself in Australia and became one of the leading jockeys of his era when based in Melbourne, where he still lives. Battle Heights, known affectionately by the nickname 'Fred', enjoyed a long retirement on the Douglas family farm, where for many years he was the trusty mount of Tim Douglas's wife Elaine. He died at age 32 and is buried on the farm.

Pedigree

References

1967 racehorse births Cox Plate winners Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand Sydney Cup winners Thoroughbred family 9-h Wellington Cup winners {{racehorse-stub

Pedigree

See also

References