Star Appeal Remembered…..

With the 2020 Arc to be staged this weekend. It might be nice to remember the first horse I saw winning the Arc.

I first published this in October 2013.

Star Appeal entered the history books in 1975 following his victory in the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe. The 5 year old son of Appiani 11 and Sterna was the very first German trained Arc winner with Danedream only adding their second winner in 2011.

Ridden by British rider Greville Starkey the win at the unconsidered odds of 118/1 shocked the racing world as he weaved his way through the quality field which included two iconic French fillies, Dahlia and Allez France.

He raced another couple of times before retiring to Stud in the National Stud in Britain. Many have dismissed his race record and his subsequent stallion career but this would be unfair.

His dam line had a strong German influence and long before it was fashionable both Mehl Mulhens and Gestut Rottgen tapped this particular stand.

This pedigree also saw Star Appeals half sisters produce the wonderful national hunt stallion, Strong Gale, and another sister was the grandam of the dual Cheltenham Champion hurdler Hardy Eustace. A fairly impressive record.

Star Appeal started his career in Ireland being in the care of John Oxx Senior at Curraghbeg on the Curragh before his transfer to Germany. He won 11 races of a 39 race career which included wins in Ireland, Britain, France, Italy and Germany all at Group level. Oxx ran him in every top 3 year old race in Ireland including the Irish Derby and Irish St Leger having taken the Birdcatcher Nursery as a 2 year old and the Madird Free Handicap as a 3 year old with him.

His transfer to Germany under Theo Grieper saw him add Group 2,3 and Listed races before he won the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes in Britain in 1975. The Arc win was his starring role.

Dundalk Racecourse will stage a 2 year old Listed race in his honour this evening. Oxx ran Star Appeal at the old Dundalk Racecourse in his 2 year old days with success so it is very fitting that that his name is remembered. He was a tough genuine horse that raced for 4 seasons from Ireland to America with considerable success. As the songwriter might say, I am a Star, he was and should be remembered as one.

Its a weekend of Champions….Enjoy.

Its been a summer to remember and hopefully one to forget in time.

Its been a summer to remember and hopefully one to forget in time. Covid 19 has seen this sport and industry put to the pin of its collar ti stay afloat. But we are racing, and safely at that. Our stable staff and jockeys are getting paid and our trainers and owners are having a chance to compete.

The restrictions have been difficult and many well known names have fallen foul of the health regulations. As we say, the rules imposed are for everyone not just the few.

But we have Champions Weekend with Leopardstown and Curragh staging competitive Group 1 fare.

In many ways its a weekend to savour and to thank the stars that we are racing and to thank all in Irish racing that are making it happen. Enjoy!

• 

Whats on this Week?

Racing: July 13th- 19th.

Monday 13th Killarney (e)

Monday 13th Roscommon

Tuesday 14th –

Wednesday 15th Killarney (e)

Wednesday 15th Downpatrick

Thursday 16th Leopardstown (e)

Friday 17th Limerick

Friday 17th Kilbeggan (e)

Saturday 18th Curragh (e)

Saturday 18th Tramore

Sunday 19th Curragh

Sunday 19th Tipperary.

Bloodstock Sales:

Tattersalls Derby Sale : Fairyhouse.

14th – 15th July.

Whats on this Week?

RACING : July 6th- 12th.

Monday 6th –

Tuesday 7th Roscommon

Tuesday 7th Killarney (e)

Wednesday 8th Gowran Park (e)

Wednesday 8th Bellewstown

Thursday 9th Navan

Friday 10th Curragh (e)

Friday 10th Kilbeggan (e)

Saturday 11th Leopardstown

Sunday 12th Cork

Sunday 12th Dundalk

Whats on this Week?

 

Racing: June 29th- July 5th.

Monday 29th Limerick

Monday 29th Kilbeggan (e)

Tuesday 30th –

Wednesday 1st Leopardstown (e)

Wednesday 1st Tipperary

Thursday 2nd Bellewstown

Thursday 2nd Sligo (e)

Friday 3rd Navan (e)

Saturday 4th Naas

Sunday 5th Cork

Sunday 5th Fairyhouse

 

 

Whats on this Week?

Racing: JUNE

Monday 22nd Roscommon

Monday 22nd Limerick (e)

Tuesday 23rd Navan

Wednesday 24th Naas

Wednesday 24th Roscommon (e)

Thursday 25th Fairyhouse

Friday 26th Curragh (e)

Saturday 27th Curragh (e)

Sunday 28th Curragh

Whats on this Week?

Racing: June (15th-21st)

Monday 15th Fairyhouse

Monday 15th Roscommon (e)

Wednesday 17th Gowran Park

Wednesday 17th Limerick (e)

Thursday 18th Fairyhouse (e)

Friday 19th Tipperary

Friday 19th Gowran Park (e)

Saturday 20th Naas

Sunday 21st Leopardstown

Whats on this Week?

Racing:

8th Naas

9th Leopardstown

10th Navan

11th Gowran

12th Curragh (e)

13th Curragh (e)

14th Leopardstown

Covid 19 hits a Classic Weekend with no Irish based jockeys at Newmarket.

Its the first weekend in June and the delayed first classics of the British season are being held at Newmarket this Saturday and Sunday.

With a quarantine in place for people entering Ireland due to Covid -19 no Irish based jockeys will make the trip over the Irish Sea. All challengers from this part of the world will have British based pilots to steer them up the Rowley Mile.

Aidan O’Brien will have the services of his number 1 stable jockey , as Ryan Moore is based in Britain but none of his Irish based jockeys are making the trip.

So its a new line up of jockeys on O’Briens four challengers in the 2000 Guineas, with Ryan Moore being joined by Frankie Dettori, Adam Kirby and Tom Marquand.

Just whether any of them can mount a serious assault on William Buick and the odds on favourite Pinutabu in the 2000 Guineas is open to question.

Aidan is joined by Jessica Harrington in the 1000 Guineas on Sunday with both of them saddling a runner a piece, and again jockey arrangements will different.

Ryan Moore will again get the leg as O’Briens number 1, with Harrington using the services of Co Kerry native, Oisin Murphy.

Just whether O’Brien and Harrington will physically make the trip to Newmarket and run the gauntlet of facing two weeks quarantine on their return to Ireland is unclear.

The cold wind of Covid 19 continues to impact life in racing and one wonders just how many Irish based jockeys, trainers and stable staff will make Royal Ascot or Epsom?

This might interest you?

Just a quick hello. After many years of silence Talkinhorses.ie has returned to cover and comment on all things horse racing. I will see what gets my interest and what might be worth a comment or two.

So keep in touch and let me know what you are thinking.

Happy galloping!