Mysterious (horse)

Mysterious
Racing silks of George Pope, jr
SireCrepello
GrandsireDonatello
DamHill Shade
DamsireHillary
SexMare
Foaled1970
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourChestnut
BreederGeorge Pope Jr.
OwnerGeorge Pope Jr.
TrainerNoel Murless
Record8: 5-2-0
Major wins
Cherry Hinton Stakes (1972)
Fred Darling Stakes (1973)
1000 Guineas (1973)
Epsom Oaks (1973)
Yorkshire Oaks (1973)
Honours
Timeform rating 127

Mysterious (1970–1988) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career lasting from July 1972 until October 1973 she ran eight times and won five races. Mysterious won Group races on her first four racecourse appearances including the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and Oaks at Epsom. She later finished second to Dahlia in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh and won the Yorkshire Oaks at York.

Background

Mysterious was a chestnut filly with a narrow white blaze and white socks on her hind feet, bred in England by the California-based[1] George Pope, Jr and raised at the Cliff Stud near Helmsley in Yorkshire.[2] She was sired by The Derby winner Crepello out of Hill Shade an American-bred mare. Hill Shade won the Nassau Stakes and the Sun Chariot Stakes when trained in Britain and spent most of her breeding career in the United States where she produced several other winners including J. O. Tobin.

Mysterious was sent into training with Noel Murless at his Warren Place stables in Newmarket, Suffolk.

Racing career

Mysterious bypassed maiden races, beginning her career in the Group Three Cherry Hinton Stakes over six furlongs at the Newmarket July meeting. She won the race from two opponents but did not appear again in 1972.[3]

Mysterious made her first appearance as a three-year-old in the Group Three Fred Darling Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse. She defeated the Irish-trained favourite Grasse by three quarters of a length to take the event, a recognised trial for the 1000 Guineas.[4] At Newmarket Mysterious was ridden as usual by Geoff Lewis and started at odds of 11/1 for the 1000 Guineas, with the Cheveley Park Stakes winner Jacinth being made odds-on favourite. Lewis sent Mysterious into the lead two furlongs from the finish and she won decisively, beating Jacinth by three lengths.[5] Her win gave Murless a sixth success in the race, setting a 20th-century record.[6]

At Epsom a month later, Mysterious started 13/8 favourite for the Epsom Oaks against nine other fillies. Lewis restrained the filly in the early stages, before moving up along the inside to take the lead in the straight. Mysterious retained her undefeated record, winning easily by four lengths from Where You Lead.[7] Mysterious started 1/2 favourite for the Irish Oaks in July, but was beaten three lengths by the French-trained filly Dahlia.[8] Later that month Dahlia was a six length winner of Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. In the Yorkshire Oaks in August, Mysterious won comfortably from Virunga, a French filly who had finished second to Dahlia in the Prix Saint-Alary.[4]

Mysterious failed to reproduce her best form in her remaining two starts. She started odds-on favourite for the Sun Chariot Stakes but was beaten by Cheveley Princess, her only rival in a two-runner race.[9] In October she finished sixth in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket.[4]

Retirement

Mysterious spent her breeding career in the United States where she was bred to leading stallions including Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector and Nijinsky. She produced several winners, but nothing approaching top class. Her most successful descendant has been Quest, whose wins included the Clark Handicap.[10]

Assessment and honours

Mysterious was given a Timeform rating of 127.[11]

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Mysterious an "average" winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks.[12]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Mysterious (GB), chestnut mare, 1970[13]
Sire
Crepello (GB)
1954 		Donatello
1934 		Blenheim Blandford
Malva
Delleana Clarissimus
Duccia di Buoninsegna
Crepuscule
1948 		Mieuxce Massine
L'Olivete
Red Sunset Solario
Dulce
Dam
Hill Shade (USA)
1965 		Hillary
1952 		Khaled Hyperion
Eclair
Snow Bunny Boswell
The Rose
Penumbra
1955 		Imperium Piping Rock
Imperatrice
Moonrise Moonlight Run
Seventh Heaven (Family:3-m)[14]

References

  1. ^ "California Rules". Pedigreepost.net. Archived from the original on 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2012-07-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "Cliff Stud". Yorkshire-racing.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  3. ^ "Mysterious should give Murless Guineas boost". Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1973. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  4. ^ a b c Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1999). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  5. ^ "Odds-on classic favourite beaten". Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1973. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  6. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third ed.). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
  7. ^ "Mysterious snares Oaks Classic". Ocala Star-Banner. 10 June 1973. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  8. ^ "Irish upset". Pittsburgh Press. 21 July 1973. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  9. ^ "Hoof prints; GALLOPING BACK IN TIME". Daily Record. 2003-10-04. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  10. ^ "Quest pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  11. ^ Timeform (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1.
  12. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
  13. ^ "Mysterious pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  14. ^ "Amazon – Family 3-m". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-07-29.