Istabraq (23 May 1992 – 25 July 2024) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who was most famous for his hurdling. He won the Champion Hurdle on three consecutive occasions. He was trained by Aidan O'Brien and owned by John Patrick McManus. Jockey Charlie Swan rode him in all of his 29 races over jumps. Istabraq is regarded as one the greatest ever over hurdles.
| Istabraq | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Sadler's Wells |
| Grandsire | Northern Dancer |
| Dam | Betty's Secret |
| Damsire | Secretariat |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 23 May 1992 |
| Died | 25 July 2024 (aged 32) |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Shadwell Estate Co. |
| Owner | Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum John P. McManus |
| Trainer | John Gosden Aidan O'Brien |
| Record | 40: 25-7-0 11: 2-4-0 (Flat) 29: 23-3-0 (Hurdle) |
| Earnings | £1,053,385 |
| Major wins | |
| Champion Hurdle (1998, 1999, 2000) Irish Champion Hurdle (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) Future Champions Novice Hurdle (1996) Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1996) Deloitte Novice Hurdle (1997) Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle (1997) Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle (1997) Hatton's Grace Hurdle (1997, 1998) December Festival Hurdle (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001) Aintree Hurdle (1999) Punchestown Champion Hurdle (1999) John James McManus Memorial Hurdle (1997, 1998, 1999) | |
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating: 180 | |
| Honours | |
| Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown | |
| Last updated on 25 July 2024 | |
Early life
editIstabraq was bred for the flat, being by the champion sire Sadler's Wells, who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas, and also being three parts brother to Epsom Derby winner Secreto. On his dam's side the horse was a descendant of US Triple Crown winner Secretariat. Istabraq was tried unsuccessfully over a mile and failed to please his handlers and owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Shadwell Racing and a partner in his family's Godolphin Stables.
Jumps racing
editThe horse was sold to John Durkan who had been an assistant to John Gosden with the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle as the target for the Cheltenham Festival.[1] Durkan started training the horse but was diagnosed with leukemia and suggested that Aidan O'Brien train Istabraq while he was ill. The agreement was that when Durkan recovered, he would take over the training. However, he died just before Istabraq won the 1998 Irish Champion Hurdle. O'Brien continued to train the horse afterwards, and Durkan remained in the thoughts of the horse's connections.[2] When riding the horse back after his 1998 Champion Hurdle win, jockey Charlie Swan said, 'This one's for John,' in an interview with Channel 4's Lesley Graham.
1996/1997: Novice hurdler
editOn 16 November 1996 Istabraq made his hurdling debut and lost by a head to Noble Thyne at Punchestown.[1] Before his next race Istabraq was gelded. He won his next three races prior to the Cheltenham Festival. There he won the Royal & Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle from Mighty Moss.
1997/1998
editIstabraq won the first four races of the season. In his fifth race of the season he started as favourite for the 1998 Champion Hurdle. Last years winner Make A Stand was a notable absence but the runner-up Theatreworld returned as one of the 18 runners. Istabraq moved to the front three out before he accelerated rounding the home turn. The Champion Hurdle then became a procession in the home straight, as Istabraq won by 12 lengths from Theatreworld.[3][4] The conditions for the Aintree Hurdle were soft, heavy in places with Istabraq the favourite.[5] However Istabraq came second to Pridwell to end Istabraq's 10 race winning streak.[4] This was Istabraq's last race of the season.
1998/1999
editLike last season, Istabraq won his first four races. In his fifth race of the season he started the 1999 Champion Hurdle as favourite. He won by 3+1⁄2 lengths from Theatreworld to win his second Champion Hurdle. In the next race he beat French Holly at the Aintree Hurdle. He won his last race of the season at the Punchestown festival.
1999/2000
editIstabraq had his first start of the season in October at Tipperary in the John James McManus Memorial Hurdle. He beat Limestone Lad by 7 lengths. There was a rematch for Istabraq's second start of the season in the Hattons Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse. This time Istabraq came second losing by 5+1⁄2 lengths to Limestone Lad also in soft conditions.[6] Despite the loss Istabraq started the 2000 Champion Hurdle as favourite. He won by 4 lengths from Hors La Loi III. This victory was Istabraq's fourth straight win at the Cheltenham Festival. This was his last race of the season.
2000/2001
editIstabraq made his reappearance at Leopardstown for the December Festival Hurdle. He battled with Moscow Flyer before he fell at the last. This was the first time Istabraq fell.[7] The race was won by Moscow Flyer. After the race winning jockey Barry Geraghty said "I thought I had Istabraq beat going to the last, I was the only one going in the right direction."[7] Istabraq's jockey Charlie Swan however said "He was tired but he always finds something, however, he's always been vulnerable in those sort of conditions. He felt well and as good as ever during the race."[7] On his next start, Istabraq won but this time Moscow Flyer fell. In Istabraq's next start, Istabraq again fell at the final flight, with Moscow Flyer the winner. After Istabraq won the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle near the end of January he was the odds on ante post favourite for the 2001 Champion Hurdle.[8] However before the 2001 Cheltenham Festival, cases of foot-and-mouth disease started to appear in Britain.[9] The festival was therefore abandoned.[9]
2001/2002
editIstabraq reappeared the following season to defeat Bust Out by a head in the December Festival Hurdle. In the 2002 Champion Hurdle Istabraq was the favourite of the 15 runners. However Swan pulled him up after 2 hurdles. The race was won by Hors La Loi III. After the race Swan said "I jumped the first and his action went. I jumped the second and thought he might get a bit better but he didn't and I just thought, for the good of the horse, to pull him up".[10] Istabraq was found to have a tendon injury after the race and was retired.[11]
Retirement and death
editAfter retirement Istabraq was moved to Martinstown, home of owner J. P. McManus.[12]
Istabraq died at Martinstown Stud on 25 July 2024, at the age of 32.[13]
Legacy
editHis main trainer, Aidan O'Brien, considered Istabraq "the horse of a lifetime" who was like a member of his family and a "mystical character" on account of his legacy.[14]
Pedigree
edit| Sire Sadler's Wells (USA) b. 1981 |
Northern Dancer (CAN) b. 1961 |
Nearctic (CAN) br. 1954 |
Nearco (ITY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Angela (GB) | |||
| Natalma (USA) b. 1957 |
Native Dancer (USA) | ||
| Almahmoud (USA) | |||
| Fairy Bridge (USA) b. 1975 |
Bold Reason (USA) b. 1968 |
Hail To Reason (USA) | |
| Lalun (USA) | |||
| Special (USA) b. 1969 |
Forli (ARG) | ||
| Thong (USA) | |||
| Dam Betty's Secret (USA) ch. 1977 |
Secretariat (USA) ch. 1970 |
Bold Ruler (USA) b. 1954 |
Nasrullah (GB) |
| Miss Disco (USA) | |||
| Somethingroyal (USA) b. 1952 |
Princequillo (IRE) | ||
| Imperatrice (USA) | |||
| Betty Loraine (USA) ch. 1965 |
Prince John (USA) ch. 1953 |
Princequillo (IRE) | |
| Not Afraid (USA) | |||
| Gay Hostess (USA) ch. 1957 |
Royal Charger (GB) | ||
| Your Hostess (USA) |
Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown, ch. = Chestnut
- Through his dam he is inbred 4x4 to Princequillo. This means that the stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Byrne, Cormac. "From tragedy to triumph - It's 20 years since Istabraq's bittersweet moment of greatness at Cheltenham - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ Muscat, Julian. "Julian Muscat looks at the all-too-brief life of John Durkan". Racing Post. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "1998 Champion Hurdle Blast From The Past | Istabraq". Timeform. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ a b McCoy, Tony (10 February 2009). "Tony McCoy looks back over his thrilling career so far". Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
- ^ "Full Result | 14:55 Martell Aintree Hurdle | Aintree | Sky Sports Horse Racing". www.skysports.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ Wood, Greg. "Istabraq flop fails to deter O'Brien". The Independent. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ a b c Armytage, Marcus (31 December 2000). "Istabraq is the fallen hero". Telegraph. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
- ^ "Champion Istabraq back to his true brilliance". amp.independent.ie. 22 January 2001. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b Fleetwood-Jones, Colin (2 April 2001). "Foot and mouth: Festival and Six Nations give up the fight". The Guardian.
- ^ "Istabraq pulled up in Champion Hurdle". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ "Istabraq in good form after tendon injury in Champion". Irish Independent. 14 March 2002.
- ^ Hunt, Joanne. "Istabraq: Three-time champion hurdle winner who gifted Cheltenham to the Irish". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ 'Legendary jumps champion Istabraq dies at 32'. RTÉ News, 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024
- ^ Richard Forristal, 'Aidan O'Brien's glowing tribute after death of legendary Champion Hurdle hero Istabraq'. Racing Post, 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024
- ^ Michelson, Miles. "Istabraq Horse Pedigree". www.pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
External links
edit- Istabraq's pedigree and partial racing stats
- Istabraq - The Quest for Greatness (video)
- Racing Post Istabraq file