Connaught Bridge (2 May 1976 – after 1994) was an Irish-bred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
racehorse. Trained in the United Kingdom by
Henry Cecil
Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a British flat racing horse trainer. Cecil was very successful, becoming Champion Trainer ten times and training 25 domestic Classic winners. These comprised four winners ...
she raced for two seasons, winning five of her nine races. As a two-year-old she showed some promise, winning twice from five attempts. In the following year she did not run competitively until July, but after finishing third on her seasonal debut she established herself as one of the best middle-distance in Britain by winning the
Nassau Stakes
The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong ...
,
Yorkshire Oaks
The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 ...
and Twickenham Stakes. She was retired from racing at the end of 1979 and has had some influence as a broodmare.
Background
Connaught Bridge was a chestnut mare bred in Ireland by the Burton Agnes Stud. She had a number of white
markings including a long white
stocking
Stockings (also known as hose, especially in a historical context) are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transpare ...
on her right hind leg, white
socks
A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. In the lat ...
on her other feet, a large, diamond-shaped white
star
A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth make ...
and a large white patch above her left nostril.
She was from the fifth crop of foals sired by
Connaught
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and De ...
, a talented but temperamental horse who finished second in the 1968
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey ...
before winning the
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furl ...
in 1970 and two editions of the
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 me ...
. Connaught Bridge's dam Fishermans Bridge was a talented racemare who finished second in the Nassau Stakes in 1973.
She was descended from the broodmare Rustic Bridge, who produced the
St Leger
The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...
winning filly
Cantelo and was the direct female-line ancestor of the four-time
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,01 ...
winner
Yeats
William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish lite ...
.
As a yearling, Connaught Bridge was sent to the sales and bought for 2,500
guineas
The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where ...
by representatives of H. Barker. The filly was sent into training with
Henry Cecil
Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a British flat racing horse trainer. Cecil was very successful, becoming Champion Trainer ten times and training 25 domestic Classic winners. These comprised four winners ...
at his Warren Place stable at
Newmarket, Suffolk
Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred ...
.
Racing career
1978: two-year-old season
After finishing second and third in minor races over five and six
furlongs
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...
respectively, Connaught Bridge recorded her first win over seven furlongs in August, beating eleven opponents when odds-on favourite for a
maiden race
In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the s ...
at
Great Yarmouth Racecourse. When moved up in distance for a Nursery (a
Handicap race for two-year-olds) over one mile at
Doncaster Racecourse
Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.
History
D ...
she was beaten a neck by the colt Messenger of Peace. On her final appearance of the season the filly was moved up in distance and defeated twenty opponents in a minor event over nine furlongs at
Wolverhampton Racecourse
Wolverhampton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. The track was the first to be floodlit in Britain and often holds meetings in the evening. The track surface has been Tapeta since ...
in October.
1979: three-year-old season
As a three-year-old, Connaught Bridge did not race in the spring and did not contest either the
1000 Guineas
The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,60 ...
or the
Oaks Stakes
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards ...
. She made her seasonal debut in July when she finished third to the colts Conte Santi and Bold Shot over one mile at
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England.
It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It attracts around 350, ...
. Despite her defeat, she was then moved up in class and distance for the Nassau Stakes (then a Group Two race) over ten furlongs at
Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in l ...
. She was ridden by
Joe Mercer
Joseph Mercer, OBE (9 August 1914 – 9 August 1990) was an English football player and manager. Mercer, who played as a defender for Everton and Arsenal in his footballing career, also went on to manage Aston Villa, Manchester City and En ...
, who chose her in preference to the Cecil stable's other filly Odeon. She started at odds of
5/1 in a ten-runner field with her main opposition appearing to come from the French-trained fillies Tintagel (winner of the
Prix Corrida) and Tempus Fugit (
Prix de la Nonette,
Prix Penelope,
Prix Exbury
The Prix Exbury is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Saint-Cloud in March.
H ...
). Connaught Bridge was among the leaders from the start before taking the advantage in the final furlong and winning by one and a half lengths from Odeon with Tempus Fugit in third.
In August Connaught Bridge was again moved up in class and distance for the Yorkshire Oaks over one and a half miles at York in which she was again by Mercer and she started at odds of 9/2.
Her four opponents were
Godetia, winner of the
Irish 1000 Guineas
The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled ...
and the
Irish Oaks
The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it i ...
, Reprocolor (
Lancashire Oaks
The Lancashire Oaks is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 175 yards ...
), Senorita Poquito (runner-up in the
Ribblesdale Stakes) and Britannia's Rule (winner of the
Lupe Stakes and third in
The Oaks). After racing at the rear of the field in the early stages, Connaught Bridge moved forward in the straight and engaged in a protracted struggle with Reproclor before drawing away in the final furlong. She won by three lengths from Senorita Poquito who overtook the weakening Reprocolor in the closing stages.
Following her win at York, Connaught Bridge was sold privately to the breeder
Peter Harris. On her only subsequent appearance, Connaught Bridge was brought back in distance for the Twickenham Stakes over ten furlongs on firm ground at
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track together with a licensed entertainment and conference venue in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, 16 miles south-west of Charing Cross, London and on a border of Greater London. The site has ...
in September in which she was required to concede weight to opponents including Britannia's Rule, the Epsom Oaks runner-up Bonnie Isle and the
Musidora Stakes
The Musidora Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at ...
winner Rimosa's Pet. After racing just behind the leaders in the early stages she moved to the front inside the last quarter mile and accelerated clear of her rivals to win by three lengths from Head Huntress. She did not race again, being withdrawn from an engagement in the
Sun Chariot Stakes
The Sun Chariot Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...
and was retired at the end of the year.
Assessment and awards
In the British Free Handicap for 1978, a ranking of the best two-year-olds to have raced in Great Britain that year, Connaught Bridge was given a weight of 112 pounds, 21 pounds behind the top-rated
Tromos and fifteen pounds behind the top filly
Devon Ditty. The independent Timeform organisation gave her a rating of 105, twenty-nine pounds behind Tromos and twenty-seven behind their top two-year-old filly
Sigy. In their annual ''Racehorses of 1978'' Timeform commented that she would be "suited by 1¼m+".
In the International Classification for 1979, Connaught Bridge was the highest rated British-trained three-year-old filly level with
One In A Million, but fourteen pounds behind the French filly
Three Troikas
Three Troikas (foaled 1976) was a French Thoroughbred champion racehorse who was owned, trained, and raced by three members of the famous Head family. The highlight of her career came in an impressive victory in the 1979 Prix de l'Arc de Triomph ...
.
She was rated 124 by Timeform, nine pounds behind their top-rated three-year-old filly Three Troikas.
Breeding record
After her retirement from racing Connaught Bridge became a broodmare at Harris's Pendley Farm Stud in
Hertfordshire. She produced at least eight foals and three winners between 1982 and 1994:
*Kindjal, a filly, foaled in 1982, sired by
Kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
. Failed to win in three races.
*Wassl Reef, bay colt, 1983, by
Mill Reef
Mill may refer to:
Science and technology
*
* Mill (grinding)
* Milling (machining)
* Millwork
* Textile mill
* Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel
* List of types of mill
* Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine earl ...
. Won four races.
*Conmaiche, bay colt, 1984, by
Kings Lake. Won three races including the
Prix Saint-Roman.
*Munjarid, chestnut colt, 1985, by
Habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
. Failed to win in fourteen races.
*Class Adorns, bay filly, 1987, by
Sadler's Wells
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue in Clerkenwell, London, England located on Rosebery Avenue next to New River Head. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500-se ...
. Failed to win in two races.
*Lydia Maria, bay filly, 1988, by
Dancing Brave
Dancing Brave (11 May 1983 – 2 August 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1985 until October 1986, he ran ten times and won eight races. Dancing Brave was the ou ...
. Failed to win in nine races.
*Dorothea Brooke, bay filly, 1992, by
Dancing Brave
Dancing Brave (11 May 1983 – 2 August 1999) was an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1985 until October 1986, he ran ten times and won eight races. Dancing Brave was the ou ...
. Won one of her ten races. As a broodmare, she is the dam of the
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is ...
winner
Primo Valentino
Primo Valentino (foaled 14 February 1997) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist sprinter, he showed his best form as a two-year-old in 1999 when he won his last five races including the Sirenia Stakes, ...
and the
Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Dora Carrington, herself the dam of the
Colin Stephen Quality Handicap winner Julienas
*Kristal Bridge, chestnut filly, 1994, by
Kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
. Failed to win in eight races.
As a broodmare she produced
Overturn
''Overturn'' is a video game developed by Japanese company Studio Zan for WiiWare. It was released in Japan on December 2, 2008, in North America on August 3, 2009, and in Europe on February 12, 2010, by Gamebridge as ''Overturn: Mecha Wars''.
...
.
Pedigree
References
{{reflist, 2
1976 racehorse births
Racehorses bred in Ireland
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
Thoroughbred family 1-m