Park Top
| Park Top | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Kalydon |
| Grandsire | Alycidon |
| Dam | Nellie Park |
| Damsire | Arctic Prince |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | 1964 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Joan Scott, Buttermilk Stud, Oxon |
| Owner | Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire |
| Trainer | Bernard van Cutsem |
| Record | 24: 13-6-2 |
| Earnings | £136,922 |
| Major wins | |
|
Ribblesdale Stakes (1967) Coronation Cup (1969) Hardwicke Stakes (1969) K. George VI & Q. Elizabeth Stakes (1969) Prix Foy (1969) La Coupe (1970) Cumberland Lodge Stakes (1970) |
|
| Last updated on August 25, 2008 | |
Park Top (foaled in May 1964) was a British racehorse. She had an unfashionable pedigree, cost only 500 guineas as a yearling and did not run as a two-year-old. Her Grand-dam Oola Hills was the dam of Pappa Fourway, but unlike him, Park Top was at her best over middle distances. Her career tally was 13 races worth £136,440. She was disappointing as a broodmare and her few foals had shown minimal talent before she was retired in 1979. Park Top was bred by Joan Scott of Buttermilk Stud Farm, South Newington, Oxfordshire.
Being a late foal she was backward as a two year old and also suffered from problems with her fetlock joints and later developed a cough. All of these were factors in the decision not to run Park Top as a two-year-old.
She began her career with an easy win in the Mar Lodge Place (for 3-y-o maidens) at Windsor. A second easy win, in the Twyford Stakes (3-y-o fillies) at Newbury, encouraged her owner to aim higher by tackling the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. Starting second favourite she won smoothly, defeating St Pauli Girl who had earlier finished second in the Epsom Oaks. Six weeks later she won the Brighton Cup (then a good handicap).
Won the Brighton Challenge Cup again, and also took the Prix d'Hedouville at Longchamp.
It was as a five-year-old that she really shone. A victory at Longchamp in May was followed by a success in the Coronation Cup, Hardwicke Stakes and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. She was the victim of alleged poor rides in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Eclipse Stakes.
After a warm up win at Longchamp in May, Park Top was beaten into second when trying to win the Coronation Cup at Epsom for the second time. Jarred up by the firm ground at Epsom she did not race again until the Cumberland Lodge stakes at Ascot in September. She won well, but finished lame. Appearing to have made a full recovery from what was only temporary lameness, she returned to Longchamp, for a seventh time, to bid farewell. Sadly she was well below her best and could only finish third.
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