Fleeting Spirit
Encyclopedia
Fleeting Spirit is a retired, Irish-bred Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse who was trained in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 during a racing career which lasted from 2007 to 2010. She was a specialist sprinter, running all of her races over five and six furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

s. Fleeting Spirit was the highest-rated British-trained two-year-old filly of 2007 and went on to win the Group Two
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

 Temple Stakes
Temple Stakes
The Temple Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....

 at Haydock
Haydock Park Racecourse
Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Haydock, Merseyside, England. The track is a mostly flat left-handed oval of around 1 mile 5 furlongs with a very slight rise on the run-in. There are courses for flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 in 2008 and the Group One
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

 July Cup
July Cup
The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....

 in 2009. In the last named year she was awarded the title of European Champion Sprinter at the Cartier Racing Awards.

Background

Fleeting Spirit, a "delightful little" bay mare with a small white star
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...

, was bred at Kilcullen
Kilcullen
Kilcullen , formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 2,985 makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002...

, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland by Bernadette Hayden. The success of Fleeting Spirit led to Mrs Hayden being named as outstanding small breeder of 2007 by the Irish Thorougbred Breeders Association. Fleeting Spirit's sire Invincible Spirit was a sprinter who won the Haydock Sprint Cup in 2002. He has gone on to be a “leading” sire, getting the winners of more than five hundred races including Moonlight Cloud (Prix Maurice de Gheest
Prix Maurice de Gheest
The Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...

), Lawman (Prix du Jockey Club
Prix du Jockey Club
The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

), Hooray (Cheveley Park Stakes
Cheveley Park Stakes
The Cheveley Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was...

) and Vale of York
Vale of York (horse)
Vale of York Vale of York Vale of York (foaled April 4, 2007 in Ireland is a Thoroughbred raceghorse best known for winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Bred by Stock Vale Ltd., Vale of York's sire, Invincible Spirit, was a sprinter, securing all seven of his victories over 6 furlongs,...

 (Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

).

Fleeting Spirit was sent as a yearling to the Goffs sales in September 2006 where she was bought for €35,000 by Con Marnane, a bloodstock agent who specialised in "pinhooking"- buying horses at auction and then selling them on at a profit. Seven months later, Marnane's investment paid off at the Tattersalls
Tattersalls
Tattersalls is the main auctioneer of race horses in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1766 by Richard Tattersall , who had been stud groom to the second Duke of Kingston. The first premises occupied were near Hyde Park Corner, in what was then the outskirts of London...

 “breeze-up” sale where the filly was sold for 90,000gns
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...

 to Anthony Stroud acting on behalf of "The Searchers", a five member syndicate which included Andy Stewart and Paul Roy. She was trained throughout her career at Newmarket, Suffolk by Jeremy Noseda
Jeremy Noseda
Jeremy Noseda is a British racehorse trainer.After six years working for John Dunlop, and five years as assistant to John Gosden, he joined Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation in late 1993, and played a significant role in training such horses as Lammtarra, Halling and Balanchine.He started...

.

2007: two-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit made her racecourse debut in a maiden race at Nottingham
Nottingham Racecourse
Nottingham Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It is situated at Colwick Park, close to the River Trent and about 3 km east of the city centre....

 in June. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, she led from the start and was never headed, winning by two lengths. Fleeting Spirit was prevented from running at Royal Ascot after contacting an infection and Jeremy Noseda decided to wait for Glorious Goodwood where she was moved up to Group Three
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

 class to run against colts in the Molecomb Stakes
Molecomb Stakes
The Molecomb Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...

. Fleeting Spirit tracked the leaders before moving up to dispute the lead with Kingsgate Native .The two horses raced together in the final furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....

 before Fleeting Spirit gained the advantage and prevailed by a neck.

The filly was moved up to six furlongs for her next start in the Lowther Stakes
Lowther Stakes
The Lowther Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at York over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...

 at York
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing track in the southwest of the city of York in North Yorkshire, England with a spectator capacity of 60,000. The most famous race to be held at York on an annual basis is the Ebor Handicap, which is run during the Ebor Festival meeting in August...

, but after leading at the two furlong mark she was caught in the closing stages and finished third behind Nahoodh and the subsequently disqualified Visit. Just over an hour after her defeat, the form of her Goodwood win was boosted when Kingsgate Native defeated a field of older sprinters to win the Nunthorpe Stakes
Nunthorpe Stakes
The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....

.

In September, Fleeting Spirit returned to five furlongs and started 5/4 favourite for the Flying Childers Stakes
Flying Childers Stakes
The Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....

 at Doncaster
Doncaster Racecourse
Doncaster Racecourse is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 31 Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.- History :...

. Dettori sent the filly into the lead a furlong out and she ran on well to "decisively" beat Spirit of Sharjah by one and three quarter lengths. The result confirmed her status as "one of the fastest juveniles in training" Among the unplaced horses was the colt Dark Angel, who won the Group One Middle Park Stakes
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was established...

 on his next start. On her final start of the year Fleeting Spirit again attempted six furlongs in the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes. She failed by a neck to catch the front-running , French-trained Natagora, with the two fillies finishing four lengths clear of the rest of the field. Noseda was positive in defeat saying that it was "disappointing to get beat but she's run a huge race.

2008: three-year-old season

Instead of being aimed at the one mile 1000 Guineas, Fleeting Spirit was aimed at the top sprint races as a three-year-old. Noseda explained that "she is so fast and to try to get a mile is to destroy her natural asset". On her first start in May, she raced against colts and older horses in the Temple Stakes over five furlongs at Haydock Park. Ridden by Ryan Moore she broke from the stalls in a "sluggish" fashion and was behind in the early stages. Moore moved the filly up to challenge a furlong out and she quickened clear, winning by two lengths in "scintillating" style from Borderlescott who went on to win the next two runnings of the Nunthorpe Stakes
Nunthorpe Stakes
The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....

. The winning time of 57.15 broke the track record by more than a second. Fleeting Spirit was then made 15/8 favourite for the Group One King's Stand Stakes
King's Stand Stakes
The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

 at Royal Ascot in June. She again started slowly before producing a sustained late run to finish third, beaten half a length and a neck by Equiano and Takeover Target
Takeover Target
Takeover Target is a much travelled Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who has won top sprinting races in each of the five major cities in Australia as well as the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore....

. Noseda later explained that Fleeting Spirit was a "sick" horse after the race, and that she never fully recovered in 2008.

Fleeting Spirit was off the course for almost four months before running in a bizarre renewal of the Prix de l'Abbaye
Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp
The Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.-History:The Prix de l'Abbaye was one of two major...

 at Longchamp
Longchamp
- Companies :* Longchamp , a French leather goods company, founded in 1948* Longchamps , a US brand of French glassware maker Arc International* Longchamps , a 20th century restaurant chain in New York City- France :...

. At the start of the race, Fleeting Spirit's stall failed to open, leaving the filly banging her head against the gate as the other runners set off. A false start was called, but several runners, headed by the Hungarian Champion Overdose
Overdose (horse)
Overdose is a Hungarian Thoroughbred racehorse. As of August 2010, he won all but 3 of his 18 races.-Breeding:...

 ignored the recall and completed the race. The "result" was set aside and the race was re-run later in the afternoon although the connections of three of the runners who had completed the course declined to take part. Racing on soft ground for the first time, Fleeting Spirit looked outpaced at one stage, but finished strongly to be fifth of the seventeen runners, beaten just over three lengths by Marchand d'Or
Marchand d'Or
Marchand d'Or is a Thoroughbred racehorse who, in 2008, won his third straight Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Racecourse, becoming the first to ever win three consecutive runnings of any French Group 1 race....

. On her final start of the year she finished fourth, beaten just over two lengths in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint
The Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing...

 at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...

.

2009: four-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit made a belated start to her championship season, first appearing in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Not for the first time she made a slow start and was towards the back of the field for the first half of the race. She finished strongly however, to finish second of fifteen starters, beaten three quarters of a length by the Australian-trained Scenic Blast
Scenic Blast
Scenic Blast is a Thoroughbred racehorse trained in Australia. His first group win was in the HDF McNeil Stakes. In 2009, he won two group one races, the Lightning Stakes and the King's Stand Stakes.-References:**...

. The field for the July Cup at Newmarket attracted a strong international field, including Takeover Target and Scenic Blast from Australia, J J the Jet Plane from South Africa and African Rose (Haydock Sprint Cup
Haydock Sprint Cup
The Sprint Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early September....

) from France. Apart from Fleeting Spirit, the British runners included Equiano, Paco Boy
Paco Boy
Paco Boy is a retired thoroughbred racehorse who was trained by Richard Hannon. He won three Group 1 races including Prix de la Forêt, Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes. In 2010, he had a rivalry with Goldikova but lost to her four times.-References:**...

, King's Apostle (Prix Maurice de Gheest
Prix Maurice de Gheest
The Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...

) and Art Connoisseur (Golden Jubilee Stakes
Golden Jubilee Stakes
The Golden Jubilee Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

). Ridden by Tom Queally
Tom Queally
Thomas P. Queally is a Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He began his professional career in 2000 while still attending school...

, Fleeting Spirit tracked the leaders before moving up to take the lead a furlong out. Although she veered first left and then right in the closing stages she ran on strongly to win by a length and a quarter from Main Aim in a time of 1:09.58. There was a stewards' inquiry into possible interference caused by Fleeting Spirit but the result but the result was allowed to stand. Noseda paid tribute to the filly saying that,“she is back to her very best and that’s the best she has ever run in her life. She is a very tough and talented filly.”

Racing on soft ground in the Haydock Sprint Cup in September, Fleeting Spirit started the 100/30 favourite and took the lead a furlong out but was caught in the closing stages and beaten half a length by Regal Parade. A month later in the Prix de l'Abbaye she made her customary slow start and before finishing strongly, failing by a neck to catch Total Gallery. On her final start of the year she was sent back to Santa Anita, this time to contest the Breeders' Cup Sprint
Breeders' Cup Sprint
The Breeders' Cup Sprint is an American Weight for Age Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds & up. Run on dirt over a distance of 6 Furlongs , the race has been held annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World...

 on the artificial Pro-Ride surface. She was unable to reach the lead but, in finishing seventh, she was beaten less than two and a half lengths by Dancing in Silks
Dancing in Silks
Dancing in Silks is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita Park....

. Noseda felt that she had failed to settle in her unfamiliar surroundings and announced that she would stay in training for 2010.

2010: five-year-old season

Fleeting Spirit did stay in training at five, but ran only twice and failed to recapture her best form as she struggled to overcome ankle injuries. She finished fourth to the Australian-bred Starspangledbanner
Starspangledbanner
Starspangledbanner is an Australian-bred and internationally raced Thoroughbred racehorse who won six of his sixteen group or listed race starts including the group one Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, G1 July Cup at Newmarket, G1 Oakleigh Plate and the G1 Caulfield Guineas for A$2,198,503 in...

 in the Golden Jubilee Stakes in June and fifth behind the same horse in the July Cup.

Her retirement was announced in September by Jeremy Noseda who said that "the wear and tear from so many big runs has taken its toll and she owes us absolutely nothing, so it seems the right thing to do to retire her."

Assessment

In the 2007 International Classification for two-year-olds Fleeting Spirit was rated the best British-trained filly and the third best filly in Europe behind Zarkava
Zarkava
Zarkava is an undefeated French Thoroughbred racehorse whose wins included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.Bred and raced by HH Aga Khan IV, she was sired by Group II winner Zamindar who also sired the multiple Group One winner, Darjina...

 and Natagora.
In the 2009 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
The World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....

 Fleeting Spirit’s rating of 118 was the highest for any European-trained sprinter. She had been rated 115 in the previous year.

in the 2009 Cartier Racing Awards she was named European Champion Sprinter.

Stud career

In her first season at stud, Fleeting Spirit was sent to be covered by the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 winner Galileo
Galileo (horse)
Galileo is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He is best known for winning the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby Stakes, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001 and for his rivalry with the Godolphin champion Fantastic Light...

. In April 2011 it was announced that a scan had confirmed she had conceived successfully and was "in foal".

Pedigree

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK