Many thanks to Catrin Nack for supplying the photos.
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Latest News - TAKEN FROM THE NATIONAL STUD WEBSITE
Phoenix Reach retires to stand at National Stud
Triple Group 1 winner, Phoenix Reach, is to stand at The National Stud for the 2007 season
Phoenix Reach the globetrotting winner of three of the world’s biggest races has run his last race. The winner of 5 races and almost £2 million in prize money, he raced in 7 countries on 4 separate continents. The highlights of his career were victories in the 2003 Pattison Canadian International (Group 1), the 2004 Hong Kong Vase (Group 1) and the 2005 Dubai Sheema Classic (Group 1) – an amazing record given that his 2-year-old career was restricted to one race by a fractured pastern which resulted in the insertion of a plate and three screws. Against the odds the colt recovered from this setback to win a maiden at Newbury on his second life time start and on his third appearance won the Gordon Stakes (G3) at Goodwood defeating High Accolade. He also achieved second place in the 10f, Group 1 Singapore Airlines Cup and has beaten horses that include Alexander Goldrun, Brian Boru, Powerscourt and Cherry Mix.
His trainer, Andrew Balding commented “Phoenix Reach has been our stable flagship since I started training and we will miss him terribly. He achieved so much in spite of some very bad luck and his appetite for competition was second to none. It takes a very special horse to travel across the world from one top class race to the next and still perform at the very highest level.”
Martin Dwyer, Phoenix Reach’s regular jockey said “I feel very lucky to have been able to ride Phoenix throughout his career. He was extremely courageous and had such class with a wonderful cruising speed that always makes it easier to be in the right place at the right time. My best memory of him was turning into the straight at Nad Al Sheba, we had the whole field to get by and passed them all as if they were standing still!”
Andrew Christou of Winterbeck Manor Stud, the horse’s owner, certainly has no concerns about Phoenix Reach’s future success as a sire: “There is no doubt about what any potential offspring of Phoenix's will be like” he said. “If they inherit anything from the sire, they will surely be as tough as nails, have plenty of guts, determination and an absolute dedication and commitment to the racing game. I am thrilled to be standing him at The National Stud.”
The National Stud’s Commercial General Manager, Tina Dawson, said “The National Stud is delighted to be working in partnership with Winterbeck Manor Stud and the Christou family and we look forward to standing this talented, 3 times Group1 winner. Achieving a Timeform rating of 124, despite considerable setbacks, proves what an absolute top-class performer he is. Being by proven multiple Group 1 producing sire, Alhaarth, and out of Carroll’s Canyon, a half sister to Arc winner Carroll’s House, Phoenix Reach, makes a very exciting prospect for breeders in 2007. “
For further details please contact Tina Dawson, 01638 675928
It was great to see The Thoroughbred Times' article which has been copied below.
Phoenix Reach retired, to stand at the National Stud in 2007
Phoenix Reach (Ire), who recovered from a serious injury sustained as a two-year-old to become a multiple Group 1-winning international performer, has been retired and will stand in 2007 at the National Stud in Newmarket.
A stud fee was not disclosed.
The six-year-old Alhaarth horse placed eight times in 16 career starts and won five races, including the 2005 Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) at Nad al Sheba, the '04 Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) at Sha Tin, and the '03 Canadian International Stakes (Can-G1) at Woodbine.
He raced only once as a juvenile in 2002 due to a fractured pastern that required the insertion of a plate and three screws. He recovered to race in seven nations on four continents during his five season career, earning $3,695,444 for owner Winterbeck Manor Stud.
In addition to his victories, Phoenix Reach placed third in the 2003 Seabiscuit St. Leger (Eng-G1) at Doncaster and second in the '05 International Cup (Sin-G1) at Kranji after which he was sidelined for 13 months with a fracture to the ankle on his other leg.
"Phoenix Reach has been our stable flagship since I started training and we will miss him terribly," trainer Andrew Balding said. "He achieved so much in spite of some very bad luck and his appetite for competition was second to none. It takes a very special horse to travel across the world from one top class race to the next and still perform at the very highest level."
Phoenix Reach is out of the Hatim mare Carroll's Canyon, a half sister to 1989 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) victor Carroll House. His is unplaced in two starts this year, his final appearance being the Arc Trial (Eng-G3) on September 15 a Newbury.
Andrew Christou of Winterbeck Manor Stud was enthusiastic about the impending launch of Phoenix Reach's stallion career.
"There is no doubt about what any potential offspring of Phoenix's will be like," he said. "If they inherit anything from the sire, they will surely be as tough as nails, have plenty of guts, determination, and an absolute dedication and commitment to the racing game. I am thrilled to be standing him at the National Stud."
Sunday 17th September 2006
After a Vet inspection at Newbury on Friday when Phoenix showed distressed symptoms after finishing his race in the Arc Trial, it was decided that for the best interests of the horse he should be retired. It was found that he was showing pain in his injured eye caused from an infection he picked up last year when he ran in the Singapore cup. Running keenly would create a huge pressure on his eye and he would run away from pain. These pressures would not be picked up when he was training as his work would be controlled and on the bridle. He always worked brilliantly so it was a shock to see him flop at Arlington and Newbury. In hindsight both races were run at a crawl making Phoenix hard to settle, this creating pressure in his eye which would then result in him being uncontrolable. Fortunately out of racing he is calm and happy his eye is normal with good vision. He owes us nothing, it has been a privilage to be involved with such a great horse, so now it is time for his second chapter, as a stallion! Close talks with various studs are under way and we will disclose where he will stand next year as soon as a decision has been made.
Phoenix Reach we honour you! Thank you
Phoenix Reach has now fully recovered from his exploits in America and is working very well at home.
We are in early negotiations with various studs who are interested in Phoenix Reach standing at the beginning of the next season at their studs and hopefully will be able to anounce our decision very shortly.
In view of this, we have decided that his next race should be in England. Weather permitting he will run at Newbury on FRIDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER in the group 3 Arc Trial so that the British public can view him.
Courtesy of The Racing Post
Rider Martin Dwyer blamed the ground for the eclipse of the globe-trotting Phoenix Reach, who was having his first run since last year's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
He said: "He just wouldn't let himself down on this fast ground. He's had a couple of little injuries and he was feeling it. He didn't run his race. He was a bit keen but I got him in but when I asked him for an effort he wouldn't let himself go on this firm ground."
Balding said: "Probably nowadays with all these problems he just isn't letting himself down quite that much in this firm ground. It is a bit disappointing.
"He was a little fresh earlier on but Martin said that when he asked him for an effort he was just looking after himself, which he is entitled to do probably.
"It is disappointing and we will have to have a long think about it but obviously the ground will be very important now."
Doncaster Bloodstock Agency in recognition to their best sales promotion horse purchased at their sales in 2001 have renamed Racecourse Yard D,"The Phoenix Reach Yard" .
The Yard will be advertised in the 2006 Spring Breeze-Up sales
Courtesy of The Racing Post
Phoenix Reach ruled out of Dubai Sheema Classic
by Tom Reilly
GLOBETROTTING star Phoenix Reach has been ruled out of a defence of the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic after failing to recover in time from injury.
The Andrew Balding-trained six-year-old has been off the track since suffering a hairline fracture in hisoff-fore leg last summer but had been pencilled in for a return to action on Dubai World Cup day.
However Balding explained on Monday that the middle of summer was now being considered the time for a comeback for his stable star.
He said: “The original plan had been to send him back for the Sheema which he won so well last year.
“But, although he’s on the mend, after veterinary advice we are still taking things slowly with him. It was the sort of injury where the longer you have off the better.
“He’s currently back in the yard and walking but it there’s no chance now of seeing him on the track before the summer.”
Although no races have yet been mapped out for the son of Alhaarth he could be aimed at a number of middle races.
Balding added: “We are very lucky with him in that he is very versatile. There are probably over 50 races that we could go for so I’ll probably just wait until he shows us he’s ready rather than try and prepare him for one particular target.
“He was as good as ever lastyear so it makes sense to keep him going and give him all the time he needs.”
Phoenix Reach has amassed nearly £2 million in win and place prize-money after landing five of his 14 starts, including the Canadian International and the Cathay Pacific HongKong Vase, both Group 1s.
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