Sir Tristram

This article is about the racehorse. For the Knight of the Round Table, see Tristan. For ship of the same name, see RFA Sir Tristram (L3505).

Sir Tristram
Sire	Sir Ivor (USA)
Grandsire	Sir Gaylord
Dam	Isolt
Damsire	Round Table (USA)
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1971
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	not found
Owner	1) Raymond R. Guest 2) Sir Patrick Hogan (at stud)
Trainer	1) Clive Brittain 2) Charles G. Milbank (USA)
Record	19: 2-6-3
Earnings	₣238,465
Major wins
Prix de Saint-Pierre Azif Prix de Tire Gerbe
Awards
1984-87, 1988-90 Leading sire in Australia Leading Broodmare Sire in Australia 1986/7 Leading Sire of New Zealand
Honours
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame (2008)
Last updated on 22 October 2011

Sir Tristram (IRE) (7 April 1971 – 21 May 1997) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who stood at stud in New Zealand, where he sired an extraordinary 45 Group One winners, including three Melbourne Cup winners. His progeny earned him 17 official Leading Australasian sire premierships, plus nine broodmare sire titles.

Background

Sir Tristram was by the outstanding racehorse and sire Sir Ivor (by Sir Gaylord) out of Isolt (by Round Table), and had 19 starts for two wins in France.

Racing career

Trained by Clive Brittain and raced in Ireland, England and France, owner Raymond Guest sent Sir Tristram to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to compete in the 1974 Kentucky Derby. Under jockey Bill Hartack, the colt finished eleventh. [1]

Stud record

Following his racing career, he was purchased by Sir Patrick Hogan of Cambridge Stud in New Zealand, and entered stud in 1976 at the modest stud fee of $1,200. By the time of his death in August 1997, his fee had risen to $200,000. 'Paddy', as he was affectionately known, had a reputation as a difficult horse to handle, although this is not a trait which seems to have been inherited by his progeny. In fact, he was so difficult that his handler was forced to wear protective gear, which remains on display at Cambridge Stud. Sir Tristram is the sire of over 140 stakes winners, including the Melbourne Cup winners Gurner's Lane (1982), Empire Rose (1988), and Brew (2000). He is also the broodmare sire of over 200 stakes winners, including the Melbourne Cup winners Saintly and Ethereal, and has earned himself a reputation as a sire of sires. His sire sons include Zabeel (who stood at Cambridge Stud at a fee of NZD$100,000), Marauding, Dr Grace and Grosvenor.

Whilst he was known as a sire of stayers, Sir Tristram's progeny and further descendants have excelled over a wide range of distances. As well as siring winners of the Melbourne Cup (the world's richest handicap - over 3,200 metres), Sir Tristram sired Marauding, who won a Golden Slipper (the world's richest two-year-old race - over 1,200 metres), and several other outstanding two-year-olds. During 1984 to 1987 and 1988 to 1990 he was the Leading sire in Australia, Leading Broodmare Sire in Australia and in 1986/7 the Leading Sire of New Zealand.

Sir Tristram was humanely euthanized in 1997 after he broke his shoulder and he was buried standing up - 'A priest conducted a 40-minute service for the horse they called "Paddy"'.

In 2008, Sir Tristram was inducted in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

Progeny

Sir Tristram's major race winners include:

Horse	Race	Distance (m)	Prizemoney (AUD)
Dr Grace	1990 Chipping Norton Stakes 1990 Australian Derby 1991 The BMW Stakes 1991 Underwood Stakes	1600 2400 2400 1800	$2,762,681
Brew	2000 Melbourne Cup	3200	$2,383,467
Empire Rose	1988 Mackinnon Stakes 1988 Melbourne Cup	2000 3200	$1,935,719
Zabeel	1990 Australian Guineas	1600	$1,138,400
Tristarc	1985 Underwood Stakes 1985 Caulfield Stakes 1985 Caulfield Cup 1985 Australian Derby 1986 Queen Elizabeth Stakes	1800 2000 2400 2400 2000	$808,360
Marauding	1987 Golden Slipper	1200	$726,300
Sovereign Red	1980 Caulfield Guineas 1980 Victoria Derby 1980 Western Mail Classic 1981 Doomben 10,000 1981 Underwood Stakes	1600 2500 1800 1350 1800	$566,350
Kaapstad	1987 Sires Produce Stakes	1400	$541,850
Gurner's Lane	1982 Caulfield Cup 1982 Melbourne Cup	2400 3200	$541,600
Trissaro	1983 BMW Stakes 1983 Underwood Stakes 1984 Sydney Cup	2400 1800 3200	$492,950
Grosvenor	1982 Caulfield Guineas 1982 Sires Produce Stakes 1982 Victoria Derby	1600 1400 2500	$465,350

Pedigree

Pedigree of Sir Tristram (Ire), bay stallion, 1971

Sire Sir Ivor (USA) 1965	Sir Gaylord (USA) 1959	Turn-To (USA) 1951	Royal Charger (GB)
			Source Sucree (Fr)
		Somethingroyal (USA) 1952	Princequillo (Ire)
			Imperatrice (USA)
	Attica (USA) 1953	Mr.Trouble (USA) 1947	Mahmoud (Fr)
			Motto (USA)
		Athenia (USA) 1943	Pharamond (GB)
			Salaminia (USA)
Dam Isolt (USA) 1961	Round Table (USA) 1954	Princequillo (Ire) 1940	Prince Rose (GB)
			Cosquilla (GB)
		Knight's Daughter (GB) 1941	Sir Cosmo (Ire)
			Feola (GB)
	All My Eye (GB) 1954	My Babu (Fr) 1945	Djebel (Fr)
			Perfume (GB)
		All Moonshine (GB) 1941	Bobsleigh (GB)
			Selene (GB) (Family: 6-e)

External links

• Cambridge Stud