Roland Gardens
| Roland Gardens | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Derring-Do |
| Grandsire | Darius |
| Dam | Katricia |
| Damsire | Skymaster |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 9 May 1975 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Mrs. C. A. Ryan |
| Owner | John Hayter |
| Trainer | Robert Armstrong Duncan Sasse |
| Record | 16:4-1-3 |
| Major wins | |
|
Horris Hill Stakes (1977, disqualified) Blue Riband Trial Stakes (1978) 2000 Guineas (1978) Philip Cornes Trophy (1979) |
|
| Awards | |
| Timeform rating 116 (1977), 122 (1978), 122 (1979) | |
Roland Gardens (foaled 9 May 1975 – after 1993) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1978. During a racing career which lasted from 1977 until 1979 he ran sixteen times and won four races. As a two-year-old he showed moderate form in his first three races before being disqualified after passing the post first in the Horris Hill Stakes. In the following spring he won the Blue Riband Trial Stakes before recording a 28/1 upset victory in the 2000 Guineas. He was beaten in his remaining five races that year and won once in four starts as a four-year-old. He later stood as a breeding stallion in South Africa where he had some success as a sire of winners.
Roland Gardens was a tall bay colt with no white markings bred by C. A. Ryan. He was from the ninth crop of foals sired by Derring-Do, a horse whose wins included the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in 1965 and whose other offspring included the 2000 Guineas winners High Top, and the St Leger Stakes winner Peleid. Roland Gardens dam, Katricia was a sprinter who went on the produce Anjuli, the dam of the Cartier Racing Award winner Kooyonga.
As a yearling, Roland Gardens was offered for sale and bought for the modest sum of 3,200 guineas. The colt entered the ownership of John Hayter and was sent into training with Robert Armstrong at Newmarket, Suffolk.
In 1977, Roland Gardens finished unplaced in his first two races and then won the Knole Stakes, a minor event over seven furlongs at Lingfield Park in September, beating Sunday Morning by two lengths. In October, the colt was moved up in class for the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes over seven furlongs at Newbury Racecourse. Ridden by Geoff Baxter, he appeared to relish the soft ground and moved up on the outside in the straight to take the lead from the more fancied runners Derrylin and Persian Bold. In the closing stages, he veered to the left, away from Baxter's whip bumping Derrylin who in turn collided with Persian Bold. He crossed the line half a length ahead of his two rivals who dead-heated for second place. After an inquiry by the racecourse stewards, Roland Gardens was disqualified and placed third.
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