Ahonoora

Ahonoora (1975–1989) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1977 to 1979 he ran twenty times and won seven races. Ahonoora was a sprinter who specialised in races over five and six furlongs, with his most important wins coming in the Stewards's Cup at Goodwood and the Group Two William Hill Sprint Championship (now a Group One race) at York. He is primarily notable for his achievements at stud, where his progeny, including Dr Devious, Park Express and Indian Ridge, made him one of the most significant modern representatives of the Byerley Turk sire line.[1]

Ahonoora
SireLorenzaccio
GrandsireKlairon
DamHelen Nichols
DamsireMartial
SexStallion
Foaled1975
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourChestnut
BreederWyld Court Stud
OwnerEssa Alkhalifa
TrainerBrian Swift
Frankie Durr
Record16:7-7-0
Earnings£86,587
Major wins
Stewards's Cup (1978)
King George Stakes (1979)
William Hill Sprint Championship (1979)

Background
The entrance to Wyld Court Stud, where Ahonoora was foaled.

Ahonoora was bred in England by the Wyld Court Stud near the village of Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire[2] and sold as a yearling for 7,600 guineas to Essa Alkhalifa.

His sire, Lorenzaccio was a high-class racehorse who won the July Stakes and the Prix Jean Prat in his early career, but was principally famous for his defeat of the Triple Crown winner Nijinsky as a five-year-old in the 1970 Champion Stakes.[3]

Racing career

Ahonoora was sent into training with Brian Swift at Loretta Lodge, Epsom. As a three-year-old, Ahonoora recorded his first major win when he took the Strewards' Cup as a 50/1 outsider.

As a four-year-old, Ahonoora moved to the Fitzroy stable of Frankie Durr at Newmarket, Suffolk[4] and made a successful transition from handicaps to Conditions races. In spring he finished second to Double Form in the Temple Stakes at Sandown and in June he was second again to the same horse in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. He returned to Goodwood to win the Group Three King George Stakes in July. In August he recorded his most important success when he was awarded the William Hill Sprint Championship at York on the disqualification of Thatching. In September he finished second to Double Form for the third time in the Vernons Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Stud career

Ahonoora was retired to the Irish National Stud in 1980 at a fee of £2,250.[4] He soon exceeded all expectations,[5] and, despite his racing career as a pure sprinter, he proved capable of siring top class performers at a wide range of distances.[6] Ahonoora proved to be one of the most successful and important representatives of the Byerley Turk line in the modern era.[7] His notable winners include:[8]

He is the damsire of:

In 1989, Ahonoora was bought by the Coolmore Stud. He was shuttled to stand in Australia for the southern hemisphere breeding season. He died after sustaining a broken hind leg in a paddock accident at Segenhoe Stud in the upper Hunter Region,[10] Australia in September 1989.[6]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Ahonoora (GB), chestnut stallion, 1975
Sire
Lorenzaccio (GB)
1965		 Klairon
1952		 Clarion III Djebel
Columba
Kalmia Kantar
Sweet Lavender
Phoenissa
1951		 The Phoenix Chateau Bouscaut
Fille de Poete
Erica Fragrans Big Game
Jennydang
Dam
Helen Nichols(GB)
1966		 Martial
1957		 Hill Gail Bull Lea
Jane Gail
Discipliner Court Martial
Edvina
Quaker Girl
1961		 Whistler Panorama
Farthing Damages
Mayflower Borealis
Foliage (Family:1-m)
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References
  1. "The Five-Cross Files | Modern Thoroughbred Sire Lines | BloodHorse.com Blog Stable". Cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  2. "Hampstead Norreys History". Hampsteadnorreys.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  3. "Nijinsky beaten". The Age. 19 October 1970. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  4. "Ahonoora's influence still so prevalent". Thoroughbredinternet.com. 2008-06-08. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  5. "The weird and the wonderful". Thoroughbred Times. 2002-06-01. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  6. "Another Indian Summer". Thoroughbredinternet.com. 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  7. "Nicobar's cup runneth over". Thoroughbredinternet.com. 2011-11-15. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  8. "Ahonoora". Reines-de-course.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  9. "New Chef-de-Race: Indian Ridge". Chef-de-race.com. 2003-06-01. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  10. "Segenhoe Stud". Retrieved 2012-01-12.
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