Feathard Lady

[NoChanceToDance]

Not sure how many people know about her on here, but i am sure i will have mentioned her at somepoint. Unbeaten in her seven starts over hurdles, this mare looked destined for the top, but injury meant early retirement, which was a great shame.

I can't be sure but i think a fit Feathard Lady would have won the champion hurdle at Cheltenham this year. We will never know, though.

Anyway, she was sent to stud and covered by top national hunt sire, Presenting......... She went through the sale ring today, in foal and this is what happened.

http://www.dbsauctions.com/dbs/DBS.n...9?OpenDocument


FEATHARD LADY SMASHES WORLD RECORD

FEATHARD LADY smashed the world record for a National Hunt broodmare when she was knocked down to Howard Johnson for 270,000 guineas to top a strong day of trade at the August Sales. The daughter of Accordion was initially purchased for 539 guineas by Jamestown House Stud as a foal before she began her racing career for the Lord Of The Ring Syndicate. Trained by Colm Murphy, she was unbeaten in all her seven starts, which included a twelve length victory in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Sandown Park.

Her racing career was unfortunately cut short by an injury to her off hind joint and she was then covered in April of this year by the Gold Cup winning sire, Presenting. She was reoffered at the August Sales by Jamestown House Stud and the resulting foal will undoubtedly prove invaluable on the racecourse or in the sale ring for new connections.

The second top lot of the day belonged to the eight year old LOULOU NIVERNAIS, who was consigned by Red House Farm Stud and knocked down to Nigel Hawke for 76,000 guineas. Having won and been placed on two of his last three starts, he looks to have a bright future for his new connections.

Commenting on the sale, DBS Managing Director Henry Beeby said:

"We are delighted to have reclaimed the world record for a National Hunt broodmare, with a truly spectacular price which converted to €426,600. She had everything; a beautiful physical specimen, top class race record and a pedigree to match. It is rare for a mare of this quality to be offered at public auction and we are grateful to all the members of the Lord Of The Ring Syndicate for choosing DBS. We are delighted that we could achieve such an outstanding price for a truly wonderful horse and it just goes to show that when we get the right horses, we will get the top prices."

[my miss storm cat]

She's a legend and i think she very well could have won too.

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

She's a legend and i think she very well could have won too.

Have we found something we have agreed on?




surely not

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

Have we found something we have agreed on?




surely not

She's extraodinary.... no argument from me.

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

She's extraodinary.... no argument from me.

I was gutted when she had to retire, i had my fingers crossed for months that she was going to make the Champion Hurdle, especially as i had decided to make the long journey to Cheltenham for that day many months before she had to be retired

One of her seven fantastic displays:
http://play.www.atr.servecast.net/pp..._11_04_04_1435

[NoChanceToDance]

This story is along the same lines, about a different super mare.

From Racing Post....

by Tony O'Hehir
.

ONE big name missing from action during the 2007-2008 jumps season will be multiple Grade 1 winning hurdler, Asian Maze, who was on Wednesday reported to be in foal to Presenting and retired from racing.

The winner of nine races, all over hurdles, she ran what turned out to be her last race in April when sixth to Al Eile in the Baltika Beer Aintree Hurdle, an event she won in great style the previous year when beating dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace by 17 lengths. That stylish victory cataplulted her into the top bracket of performers in what was dubbed a golden era for hurdlers trained in Ireland. She achieved Rating Post rating for 165 for the Aintree win.

Her other Grade 1 victories were achieved in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle over 3m 1f at Aintree in 2005, the 2m 4f Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle at that year's Punchestown Festival and the 3m Whitewater Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown last year. She never won again after that 2006 Punchestown festival success.

Tom Mullins, who trained the eight year old daughter of Anshan for all of her Grade 1 wins, said on Wednesday: "At her best she was a very high-class mare, but she was never quite the same after she went to run in Auteuil in May 2006.

“She finishedlast in the Prix La Barka and although she ran a good race to finish second to Iktitaf in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown following a six-month break, her subsequent form was way below her best.
"We were never able to get to the bottom of what exactly was wrong but for some reason she just wouldn't let herself down in her races the way she used to.”

Mullins won a total of five races with the mare following the retirement of his father, Paddy, who won four consecutive races with her.

Bred by her owner Sheila Moore, Asian Maze is enjoying her retirement at home at her owner's stud farm near Mallow in County Cork. She ran 26 times, accruing career earnings of £364,592.

Such was her standing after trouncing Hardy Eusace at Aintree that opposition ahead of her follow up win in the stayers' hurdle at Punchestown was beaten before the off.

Trainer Tom Taaffe, preparing to saddle Emotional Moment in the race, memorably said: “I honestly believe none of us will get within an ass'sroar of the mare.”

ASIAN MAZE'S GRADE 1 ROLL OF HONOUR
Apr 27 2006 - Champion Stayers' Hurdle - Punchestown - 3m - Ruby Walsh

Apr 8 2006 - Aintree Hurdle - Aintree - 2m 4f - Ruby Walsh

Apr 29 2005 - Champion Novice Hurdle - Punchestown - 2m 4f - Paul Carberry

Apr 8 2005 - Sefton Novices' Hurdle - Aintree - 3m 1/2f - Ruby Walsh



*************

So, in a few years time, we may see Feathard Lady's and Asian Maze's babies taking eachother on at the track (both by Presenting), could be something special to look forward to.