Dylan Thomas (horse)
Encyclopedia
Dylan Thomas is a Thoroughbred
racehorse
. He was trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien
and owned by Sue Magnier
and Michael Tabor
. He was sired by Danehill
out of Lagrion, a daughter of Diesis
. Dylan Thomas is a half brother to the 2001 European champion two-year-old filly
, Queen's Logic
.
and finished third in the Epsom Derby
. He subsequently won the Irish Derby at the Curragh
, ridden by Kieren Fallon
. After a summer break, Dylan Thomas beat Ouija Board in a thrilling finish to the Irish Champion Stakes
in September.
In late September 2006, Coolmore took the unusual step of sending Dylan Thomas to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup
at Belmont Park
, his first (and only) race on dirt where he was to race against top US dirt 3yo, Bernardini
. He never took to the surface and struggled from the break, trailing in a distant last.
at Longchamp in France
, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
, the latter in impressive fashion under Johnny Murtagh
. On September 8, 2007 he became the first two-time winner of the Irish Champion Stakes and rider Kieren Fallon became the first jockey to win the race three times in succession. The best was, however, saved till last and he crowned this fantastic season with a dramatic win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
on unsuitably soft ground. Jockey Kieren Fallon had to endure a half-hour stewards enquiry into interference caused when Dylan Thomas veered sharply to the right halfway up the home straight, thereby coming across two other runners. Prior to this race Kieren Fallon had described Dylan Thomas as the best horse he had ever ridden, high praise indeed which was vindicated with the victory
After the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Dylan Thomas was entered in the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf
, but mainly because of the sloppy track he was never travelling well and didn't finish in the first three. After being withdrawn from the Japan Cup
, his last race was the Hong Kong Vase
, in which he finished 7th. Dylan Thomas retired to Coolmore Stud
in Ireland before the end of the year. He raced for Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier, whose husband, John Magnier
, is Coolmore's managing partner.
"We've already had numerous enquires about him from breeders both here in Ireland and abroad, so we just wanted to put everyone in the picture," said farm manager Christy Grassick about the 4-year-old son of Danehill. "Dylan Thomas has everything it takes to be a great stallion, and Danehill is already proving a remarkable sire of sires with the likes of Danehill Dancer, Rock of Gibraltar, Dansili, and Danetime."
Dylan Thomas won 10 of his 18 races and earned £3,368,912. Bred in Ireland by Tower Bloodstock, Dylan Thomas is a half-brother to 2001 English champion 2YO filly Queen's Logic and is out of Irish Broodmare of the Year Lagrion, by Diesis
.
farm during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
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
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. He was trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien
Aidan O'Brien
Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....
and owned by Sue Magnier
John Magnier
John Magnier is Ireland's leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside of the horse breeding industry....
and Michael Tabor
Michael Tabor
Michael B. Tabor is a businessman and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses.-Thoroughbred racing career:...
. He was sired by Danehill
Danehill (horse)
Danehill was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United States. During his phenomenal stud career Danehill became a champion sire on both sides of the Equator...
out of Lagrion, a daughter of Diesis
Diesis (horse)
Diesis was a racehorse and stallion, foaled in 1980, died in 2006. By the sire Sharpen Up, he was owned throughout his racing career by 9th Baron Howard de Walden and trained by Henry Cecil....
. Dylan Thomas is a half brother to the 2001 European champion two-year-old filly
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...
, Queen's Logic
Queen's Logic
Queen's Logic is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse and active broodmare, bred in Ireland and trained in the United Kingdom. She is notable for winning the title of European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 2001 at the Cartier Racing Awards, and for retiring undefeated...
.
2006: three-year-old season
As a three-year-old in 2006, Dylan Thomas won the Derrinstown Stud Derby TrialDerrinstown Stud Derby Trial
The Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial is a Group 2 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
and finished third in the Epsom 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...
. He subsequently won the Irish Derby at the Curragh
Curragh Racecourse
The Curragh Racecourse, usually abbreviated to The Curragh, is Ireland's most important Thoroughbred race track. It is situated on the Curragh plain near Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.- History :...
, ridden by Kieren Fallon
Kieren Fallon
Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....
. After a summer break, Dylan Thomas beat Ouija Board in a thrilling finish to the Irish Champion Stakes
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1976, and...
in September.
In late September 2006, Coolmore took the unusual step of sending Dylan Thomas to run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the...
at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
, his first (and only) race on dirt where he was to race against top US dirt 3yo, Bernardini
Bernardini
Bernardini is a thoroughbred race horse foaled on March 23, 2003 at Darley Stable in Kentucky. A son of A.P. Indy, he is out of Cara Rafaela who won almost a million dollars over the course of her racing career...
. He never took to the surface and struggled from the break, trailing in a distant last.
2007: four-year-old season
As a four-year-old in 2007, Dylan Thomas won the Prix GanayPrix Ganay
The Prix Ganay is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May....
at Longchamp in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
, the latter in impressive fashion under Johnny Murtagh
Johnny Murtagh
Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world...
. On September 8, 2007 he became the first two-time winner of the Irish Champion Stakes and rider Kieren Fallon became the first jockey to win the race three times in succession. The best was, however, saved till last and he crowned this fantastic season with a dramatic win in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the...
on unsuitably soft ground. Jockey Kieren Fallon had to endure a half-hour stewards enquiry into interference caused when Dylan Thomas veered sharply to the right halfway up the home straight, thereby coming across two other runners. Prior to this race Kieren Fallon had described Dylan Thomas as the best horse he had ever ridden, high praise indeed which was vindicated with the victory
After the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Dylan Thomas was entered in the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
, but mainly because of the sloppy track he was never travelling well and didn't finish in the first three. After being withdrawn from the Japan Cup
Japan Cup
The is the most prestigious horse race run in Japan. It is contested at the end of November at Tokyo Racecourse in Fuchu, Tokyo at a distance of 2400 meters over the grass. With a purse of ¥476 million , the Japan Cup is one of the richest races in the world.The Japan Cup is an invitational event...
, his last race was the Hong Kong Vase
Hong Kong Vase
The Hong Kong Vase is a Group 1 flat horse race in Hong Kong which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Sha Tin, and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid December....
, in which he finished 7th. Dylan Thomas retired to Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....
in Ireland before the end of the year. He raced for Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier, whose husband, John Magnier
John Magnier
John Magnier is Ireland's leading thoroughbred stud owner and has extensive business interests outside of the horse breeding industry....
, is Coolmore's managing partner.
"We've already had numerous enquires about him from breeders both here in Ireland and abroad, so we just wanted to put everyone in the picture," said farm manager Christy Grassick about the 4-year-old son of Danehill. "Dylan Thomas has everything it takes to be a great stallion, and Danehill is already proving a remarkable sire of sires with the likes of Danehill Dancer, Rock of Gibraltar, Dansili, and Danetime."
Dylan Thomas won 10 of his 18 races and earned £3,368,912. Bred in Ireland by Tower Bloodstock, Dylan Thomas is a half-brother to 2001 English champion 2YO filly Queen's Logic and is out of Irish Broodmare of the Year Lagrion, by Diesis
Diesis
In classical music from Western culture, a diesis is either an accidental , or a comma type of musical interval, usually defined as the difference between an octave and three justly tuned major thirds , equal to 128:125 or about 41.06 cents...
.
Assessment
Dylan Thomas was named Horse of the Year at the annual Irish Horse Racing Awards in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on Monday December 10, 2007.[3]Stud career
He was retired at the end of 2007 and now stands as a "shuttle stallion" for Coolmore, serving mares at the main Coolmore farm in Ireland during the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and at Coolmore's AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
farm during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.