Rainbow Quest (horse)
| Rainbow Quest | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Blushing Groom |
| Grandsire | Red God |
| Dam | I Will Follow |
| Damsire | Herbager |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1981 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Alan Clore |
| Owner | Khalid Abdullah |
| Trainer | Jeremy Tree |
| Record | 14: 6-4-2 |
| Earnings | £482,133 |
| Major wins | |
| Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes (1983) Great Voltigeur Stakes (1984) Clive Graham Stakes (1985) Coronation Cup (1985) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1985) | |
| Awards | |
| Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland (2003, 2004) | |
| Last updated on January 3, 2010 | |
Rainbow Quest (1981–2007) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion broodmare sire.
Background
Rainbow Quest was a bay horse with two white socks and a small white star bred in Kentucky by British businessman, Alan Clore. He was sired by Blushing Groom out of the mare I Will Follow.
Racing career
1983: two-year-old season
Rainbow Quest began his racing career at Newmarket Racecourse in August 1983 when he defeated twenty-nine opponents in the El Capistrano Stakes. In the following month he beat nineteen rivals in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes over one mile at Newbury Racecourse. In October, Rainbow Quest was matched against El Gran Senor, Siberian Express (winner of the Prix Morny) and Superlative (July Stakes) in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. El Gran Senor took a decisive lead in the closing stages but Rainbow Quest cut his advantage back to half a length at the line. In the 1983 International Classification, Rainbow Quest was rated the second best two-year-old in Europe, one pound behind El Gran Senor.[1]
1984: three-year-old season
On his three-year-old debut Rainbow Quest was beaten a short-head by Lear Fan in the Craven Stakes and then finished fourth behind El Gran Senor, Chief Singer and Lear Fan in the 2000 Guineas. Rainbow Quest was then diverted from the Epsom Derby to the Prix du Jockey Club in which he finished third behind Darshaan and Sadler's Wells. He was then sent to Ireland where he finished second in the Irish Derby, beaten a length by El Gran Senor. In August Rainbow Quest returned to England and recorded an easy and impressive victory in the Great Voltigeur Stakes. On his final appearance of the season he contested the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longcamp in October. He was made favourite for the race by British bookmakers but ran very poorly finishing eighteenth of the twenty-two runners behind Sagace.[2]
1985: four-year-old season
Rainbow Quest began his third season with an easy win in the Clive Graham Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in May. He then ran in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs Racecourse and recorded an impressive win from Old Country. In July Rainbow Quest finished second to Pebbles in the Eclipse Stakes and third behind Petoski and Oh So Sharp in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. On his final appearance, Rainbow Quest ran for the second time in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He finished a neck behind Sagace but was awarded the race when French horse was disqualified for causing interference.[3]
Major winners
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
| Foaled | Name | Sex | Major Wins |
| 1987 | Knights Baroness | f | Irish Oaks |
| 1987 | Quest for Fame | c | Epsom Derby, Hollywood Turf Cup |
| 1987 | Saumarez | c | Grand Prix de Paris, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe |
| 1988 | Sought Out | f | Prix du Cadran |
| 1990 | Armiger | c | Racing Post Trophy |
| 1990 | Raintrap | c | Prix Royal-Oak, Canadian International Stakes |
| 1990 | Urgent Request | c | Santa Anita Handicap |
| 1991 | Rainbow Dancer | c | Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap, Oak Tree Turf Championship Stakes |
| 1991 | Sakura Laurel | c | Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen |
| 1991 | Sunshack | c | Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Prix Royal-Oak, Coronation Cup |
| 1992 | Spectrum | c | Irish 2,000 Guineas, Champion Stakes |
| 1994 | Fiji | f | Yellow Ribbon Stakes, Gamely Stakes |
| 1995 | Croco Rouge | c | Prix Lupin, Prix d'Ispahan |
| 1995 | Nedawi | c | St Leger |
| 1995 | Ebadiya | f | Moyglare Stud Stakes |
| 1997 | Millenary | c | St Leger |
| 2006 | Crowded House | c | Racing Post Trophy |
| 2008 | Colour Vision | g | Ascot Gold Cup |
Riviera Red, from Rainbow Quest's 2000 crop, was a moderate racehorse, but attracted some attention when he was the equine model for the proposed White Horse at Ebbsfleet statue.[4]
Rainbow Quest was the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 2003 and 2004. Among his daughters' top runners were:
- Rebelline (b. 1998) - won G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup
- Marotta (b. 1999) - won G1 Prix Saint-Alary
- Rakti (b. 1999) - won G1s: Derby Italiano, Premio Presidente della Repubblica, Champion Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Lockinge Stakes
- Kris Kin (b. 2000) - won Epsom Derby
- Powerscourt (b. 2000) - won G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, Arlington Million
- North Light (b. 2001) - won Epsom Derby
- Footstepsinthesand (b. 2002) - won 2,000 Guineas Stakes
- Look Here (b. 2005) - won Epsom Oaks
- Elusive Wave (b. 2006) - won G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches
- Auroras Encore (b. 2002)- won Grand National
As a result of irreparable complications following surgery for colic, Rainbow Quest was euthanized on July 7, 2007 at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud near the village of Cheveley in East Cambridgeshire.[5]
Pedigree
| Sire Blushing Groom (FR) 1974 |
Red God (USA) 1954 |
Nasrullah | Nearco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumtaz Begum | |||
| Spring Run | Menow | ||
| Boola Brook | |||
| Runaway Bride (GB) 1962 |
Wild Risk | Rialto | |
| Wild Violet | |||
| Aimee | Tudor Minstrel | ||
| Emali | |||
| Dam I Will Follow (USA) 1975 |
Herbager (FR) 1954 |
Vandale | Plassy |
| Vanille | |||
| Flagette | Escamillo | ||
| Fidgette | |||
| Where You Lead (USA) 1970 |
Raise a Native | Native Dancer | |
| Raise You | |||
| Noblesse | Mossborough | ||
| Duke's Delight |
References
- ^ Timeform (1984). Racehorses of 1983. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
- ^ Timeform (1985). Racehorses of 1984. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-40-5.
- ^ Timeform (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1.
- ^ "White Horse sculpture given go-ahead by council". www.kentnews.co.uk. KOS Media. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
- ^ thoroughbrednews.com.au