Rite of Passage (horse)
Encyclopedia
Rite of Passage is a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred
racehorse best known for winning the Ascot Gold Cup
and being named Cartier Racing Award
for European Champion Stayer in 2010. His career was unusual in the fact that he established himself as a high-class performer under National Hunt rules before moving to flat-racing. His win in the Gold Cup came in his third start under flat rules.
-based Newsells Park Stud. He was sired by the European Horse of the Year
Giant's Causeway out of the mare Dahlia's Krissy. Since retiring to stud in 2001 Giant's Causeway has sired the winners of more than three hundred races, including 26 at Group One
/Grade I
level. His best winners include Shamardal
, Aragorn
and Eskendereya
Dahlia's Krissy was a winner in the United States and a grand-daughter of the Champion racemare Dahlia
.
Rite of Passage is inbred
to both Roberto
and Northern Dancer
, (see below).
Rite of Passage was sent to the Tattersalls
October sale as a yearling where he was bought by Dermot Weld
for 20,000 gns
. Weld trains the horse at his base near the Curragh. Right of Passage has been ridden by Robbie McNamara in most of his National Hunt starts and by Pat Smullen in all of his flat races.
s or "bumpers". These are races designed to give experience to potential jumpers and are run at National Hunt meetings. Rite of Passage won one of these events, at Galway in August 2008, starting the 9/4 favourite and beating 19 rivals "very easily". Six months later he reappeared at Naas
in a similar event and won by six lengths from the odds-on favourite Quadrillon. February before being sent to the Cheltenham Festival
for the Grade I Champion Bumper
where Pat Smullen
replaced the amateur Robbie McNamara as his jockey. The race appeared to lie between Rite of Passage, who was made 5/2 favourite, and another unbeaten Irish horse Dunguib
. Rite of Passage moved up to dispute the lead two furlong out but looked outpaced in the closing stages and finished third, ten lengths behind Dunguib. On his final "bumper" appearance at the Curragh in May he was made odds-on favourite, but finished fourth.
in September. He was then sent to Leopardstown
for a two-mile handicap. Smullen sent the gelding into the lead two and a half furlongs from the finish and soon went clear. Although he was eased down in the closing stages, Rite of Passage won by eight lengths from the favourite Donna's Palm.
a month later he won another novices' race "comfortably" at odds of 2/7, before returning to Cheltenham for the Grade I Baring Novices' Hurdle. For the second year in succession Rite of Passage was an unsuccessful Festival
favourite, finishing third to the undefeated Peddlers Cross.
Ascot Gold Cup
over two and a half miles for which he started a 20/1 outsider. Rite of Passage raced in third and survived a "barging match" with the tiring Akmal (for which Smullen was subsequently disciplined) to challenge Age of Aquarius for the lead a furlong out. The two horses raced together to the line with Rite of Passage maintaining a narrow advantage to win by a neck. It was his trainer's first success in the race after narrow failures with the notable stayers Vintage Crop
and Vinnie Roe
in 1994 and 2002 respectively. Weld emphasised the importance of stamina in the victory, quoting Lester Piggott
who had reportedly told him that "there's a big difference between horses that go two miles and horses that go two and a half."
The Irish St Leger
was scheduled as Rite of Passages's next run, but he was withdrawn from the race after performing poorly in training, A plan to run in the Melbourne Cup
did not materialise, and Weld decided to rest the gelding in the winter, rather than campaigning him over hurdles.
in the Saval Beg Stakes
. Although Rite of Passage lost his unbeaten record in flat races, Weld was "very pleased" with his horses performance.
Rite of Passage was aimed at a second Gold Cup, but had problems in training, and was ruled out of the race by Weld five days before the event.
In the 2010 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings
, Rite of Passage was assessed at 118, making him the fourth best horse in the world in the Extended division behind So You Think
, Americain
and Arctic Cosmos
.
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 best known for winning the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and being named Cartier Racing Award
Cartier Racing Award
The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier jewelers. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers.Eight...
for European Champion Stayer in 2010. His career was unusual in the fact that he established himself as a high-class performer under National Hunt rules before moving to flat-racing. His win in the Gold Cup came in his third start under flat rules.
Background
Rite of Passage was bred by the HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
-based Newsells Park Stud. He was sired by the European Horse of the Year
European Horse of the Year
European Horse of the Year is an award in European Thoroughbred horse racing. Since 1991 the honor has been part of the Cartier Racing Awards. It is presented annually by Cartier SA to a horse of any age racing in Europe.-Honorees:...
Giant's Causeway out of the mare Dahlia's Krissy. Since retiring to stud in 2001 Giant's Causeway has sired the winners of more than three hundred races, including 26 at 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...
/Grade I
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
level. His best winners include Shamardal
Shamardal
Shamardal is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United Kingdom and in France and was voted the 2004 European Champion Two-Year-Old.-Background:...
, Aragorn
Aragorn (horse)
Aragorn is an Irish millionaire Thoroughbred racehorse who won major Graded stakes races in 2005 and 2006.Retired to stud, Aragorn stands in Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.-References:* *...
and Eskendereya
Eskendereya
Eskendereya is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is sired by Giant's Causeway, a son of North America's one time leading sire Storm Cat. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was a $250,000 Keeneland September purchase. His dam is Aldebaran Light, who is a daughter of champion...
Dahlia's Krissy was a winner in the United States and a grand-daughter of the Champion racemare Dahlia
Dahlia (horse)
Dahlia was an American-bred Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racemare who won major races in France, England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States...
.
Rite of Passage is inbred
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
to both Roberto
Roberto (horse)
Roberto was an American-bred Thoroughbred Champion racehorse who competed in Ireland and England.-Background:Roberto was bred by Galbreath at his Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. The son of the successful sire Hail To Reason out of the dam Bramalea, Roberto's grandsire was Turn-To, a...
and Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and the most successful sire of the 20th Century. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association calls him "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history"....
, (see below).
Rite of Passage was sent to 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...
October sale as a yearling where he was bought by Dermot Weld
Dermot Weld
Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....
for 20,000 gns
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...
. Weld trains the horse at his base near the Curragh. Right of Passage has been ridden by Robbie McNamara in most of his National Hunt starts and by Pat Smullen in all of his flat races.
2008/2009 season: National Hunt flat races
Rite of Passage began his racing career by running in National Hunt flat raceNational Hunt flat race
National Hunt Flat races, informally known as Bumper races, are flat races run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland....
s or "bumpers". These are races designed to give experience to potential jumpers and are run at National Hunt meetings. Rite of Passage won one of these events, at Galway in August 2008, starting the 9/4 favourite and beating 19 rivals "very easily". Six months later he reappeared at Naas
Naas Racecourse
Naas Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Naas, County Kildare, Ireland, approximately 18 miles from Dublin. The course stages both Flat racing and National Hunt racing and in 2010 fifteen race meetings were held there....
in a similar event and won by six lengths from the odds-on favourite Quadrillon. February before being sent to the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
for the Grade I Champion Bumper
Champion Bumper
The Champion Bumper is a Grade 1 National Hunt flat race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four to six years. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in...
where Pat Smullen
Pat Smullen
Patrick J. Smullen is a jockey and considered one of the top riders in Ireland. He has had many successes through his position as stable jockey to Dermot Weld.-Major wins: Ireland...
replaced the amateur Robbie McNamara as his jockey. The race appeared to lie between Rite of Passage, who was made 5/2 favourite, and another unbeaten Irish horse Dunguib
Dunguib
Dunguib is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who became the second horse to complete the Cheltenham and Punchestown double in 2009 for trainer Philip Fenton and owners Daniel Harnett and Lily Lawlor...
. Rite of Passage moved up to dispute the lead two furlong out but looked outpaced in the closing stages and finished third, ten lengths behind Dunguib. On his final "bumper" appearance at the Curragh in May he was made odds-on favourite, but finished fourth.
2009 Flat season
Rite of Passage was switched to conventional flat racing and won both his starts. As his wins had been under National Hunt rules he was still eligibe to run in maiden races and was an odds-on winner of such a race at BallinrobeBallinrobe
-Early history:Dating back to 1390, Ballinrobe is said to be the oldest town in South Mayo. The registry of the Dominican friary of Athenry mentions the monastery de Roba, an Augustinian friary whose recently restored ruins are one of the historical landmarks of the town today...
in September. He was then sent to Leopardstown
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...
for a two-mile handicap. Smullen sent the gelding into the lead two and a half furlongs from the finish and soon went clear. Although he was eased down in the closing stages, Rite of Passage won by eight lengths from the favourite Donna's Palm.
2009/2010 season: Novice hurdles
In the National Hunt season of 2009/2010, Rite of Passage was campaigned in Novice hurdle races. These are races for horses which have not won a race over hurdles before the start of the season. In January at Leopardstown he won on his hurding debut, when his only danger came when he was carried wide by a loose (riderless) horse on the turn into the straight. At PunchestownPunchestown Racecourse
Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland....
a month later he won another novices' race "comfortably" at odds of 2/7, before returning to Cheltenham for the Grade I Baring Novices' Hurdle. For the second year in succession Rite of Passage was an unsuccessful Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
favourite, finishing third to the undefeated Peddlers Cross.
2010 Flat season
At Royal Ascot ran in his third conventional flat race, the Group OneConditions 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...
Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
over two and a half miles for which he started a 20/1 outsider. Rite of Passage raced in third and survived a "barging match" with the tiring Akmal (for which Smullen was subsequently disciplined) to challenge Age of Aquarius for the lead a furlong out. The two horses raced together to the line with Rite of Passage maintaining a narrow advantage to win by a neck. It was his trainer's first success in the race after narrow failures with the notable stayers Vintage Crop
Vintage Crop
Vintage Crop was a popular Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in flat racing in Ireland, England, and Australia from 1992 to 1995. He won 16 races in Ireland and England, and one of his greatest achievements was winning over two miles and two furlongs in the 1992 Cesarewitch Handicap at...
and Vinnie Roe
Vinnie Roe
Vinnie Roe is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won the Irish St. Leger for four years in succession and was named European Champion Stayer in the Cartier Racing Awards for 2002. He also became known internationally for his three attempts to win the Melbourne Cup in which...
in 1994 and 2002 respectively. Weld emphasised the importance of stamina in the victory, quoting Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....
who had reportedly told him that "there's a big difference between horses that go two miles and horses that go two and a half."
The Irish St Leger
Irish St Leger
The Irish St. Leger is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
was scheduled as Rite of Passages's next run, but he was withdrawn from the race after performing poorly in training, A plan to run in the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
did not materialise, and Weld decided to rest the gelding in the winter, rather than campaigning him over hurdles.
2011 Flat season
Rite of Passage did not run for more than eleven months after his Gold Cup win. On his reappearance he finished third to Fame and GloryFame and Glory
Fame and Glory is a thoroughbred horse from Ireland. Sired by Montjeu from the dam Gryada, Fame and Glory is a grandson of Sadler's Wells....
in the Saval Beg Stakes
Saval Beg Stakes
The Saval Beg Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May....
. Although Rite of Passage lost his unbeaten record in flat races, Weld was "very pleased" with his horses performance.
Rite of Passage was aimed at a second Gold Cup, but had problems in training, and was ruled out of the race by Weld five days before the event.
Assessment
Despite having run only one race in the 2010 flat season Rite of Passage was named European Champion Stayer at the Cartier Racing Awards.In the 2010 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....
, Rite of Passage was assessed at 118, making him the fourth best horse in the world in the Extended division behind So You Think
So You Think
So You Think is a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, now majority owned by Coolmore Stud of Ireland. So You Think came to prominence through winning the 2009 and 2010 Cox Plates, Australia's premier weight for age race. His second Cox Plate win came at just his tenth career start...
, Americain
Americain
Americain is an American-bred French trained thoroughbred racehorse. The six-year-old stayer won the 150th Melbourne Cup in 2010, ridden by Gérald Mossé, trained by Alain De Royer-Dupre and owned by Melbourne businessmen Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford....
and Arctic Cosmos
Arctic Cosmos
Arctic Cosmos is a British racehorse and winner of the 2010 St. Leger Stakes. He was bought for 47,000 guineas at Tattersalls Blandford Bloodstock and John Gosden for his wife Rachel Hood....
.
Pedigree
- Rite of Passage is inbredInbreedingInbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
3x4 to Roberto. This means that the stallion appears in both the third and fourth generations of his pedigree. He is also inbred 4x4 to Northern Dancer.