Istabraq
| Istabraq | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Sadler's Wells |
| Dam | Betty's Secret |
| Damsire | Secretariat |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1992 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Shadwell Estate Co. |
| Owner |
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum John P. McManus |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Record | 40: 25-7-0 11: 2-4-0 (Flat) 29: 23-3-0 (Hurdle) |
| Earnings | £1,053,385 |
| Major wins | |
|
Champion Hurdle (1998, 1999, 2000) Irish Champion Hurdle (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) Future Champions Novice Hurdle (1996) Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1996) Deloitte Novice Hurdle (1997) Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle (1997) Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle (1997) Hatton's Grace Hurdle (1997, 1998) December Festival Hurdle (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001) Aintree Hurdle (1999) Punchestown Champion Hurdle (1999) John James McManus Memorial Hurdle (1997, 1998, 1999) |
|
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating: 180 | |
| Honours | |
| Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown | |
| Last updated on December 18, 2006 | |
Istabraq (born 23 May 1992) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who was most famous for his hurdling. He won the Champion Hurdle on three occasions. He was trained by Aidan O'Brien and owned by John Patrick McManus. Jockey Charlie Swan rode him in all of his 29 races over jumps.
Istabraq was bred for the flat, being by Sadler's Wells, who won the Irish 2,000 Guineas over 1 mile. Istabraq was tried unsuccessfully over a mile and failed to please his handlers and owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Shadwell Racing and a partner in his family's Godolphin Stables.
The horse was sold to John Durkan who had been an assistant to John Gosden with the Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle as the target for the Cheltenham Festival. Durkan started training the horse but was diagnosed with leukemia and suggested that Aidan O'Brien train Istabraq while he was ill. The agreement was that when Durkan recovered, he would take over the training. However, he died just before Istabraq won the 1998 Irish Champion Hurdle. O'Brien continued to train the horse afterwards, and Durkan remained in the thoughts of the horse's connections. When riding the horse back after his 1998 Champion Hurdle win, jockey Charlie Swan said, 'This one's for John,' in an interview with Channel 4's Lesley Graham.
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