Zephyr Bay

Zephyr Bay (1 September 1970 – 15 April 1995)[1] was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion.

Zephyr Bay
SireBiscay
GrandsireStar Kingdom
DamHeavenly Wind
DamsirePan II
SexStallion
Foaled1970
CountryAustralia
ColourBrown
BreederLionel Israel
OwnerMarvel Miller
TrainerBert Lyell, Cyril Kearns
Record22: 9-6-2
EarningsA$67,510
Major wins
Oakleigh Plate (1975)
Challenge Stakes (1975)
Expressway Stakes (1975)

An outstanding sprinter in the mid 1970s, Zephyr Bay retired to stud in 1975 with 9 wins including the VATC Oakleigh Plate, AJC Challenge Stakes and AJC Expressway Stakes. He held the 1000m Randwick course record for 35 years.

Breeding

Zephyr Bay was bred by Lionel Israel at his Segenhoe Stud near Scone in New South Wales. He was born in 1970 from the first crop of the Star Kingdom stallion Biscay, out of the Pan II mare Heavenly Wind.[2]

Zephyr Bay was purchased by horse trainer Bert Lyell on behalf Bob Miller at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in 1972 for $16,000.00.[3]

Racing career

Coal black and brilliantly fast Zephyr Bay became known as the "black flash" winning top sprinting races and setting numerous course records.[4] He was often ridden throughout his career by Grahame Horselman[5] and Roy Higgins.[6]

Zephyr Bay raced as a two-year-old in the 1972/73 season under trainer Bert Lyell. He won twice before coming second to Imagele in the STC Todman Stakes. In the STC Todman Stakes Zephyr Bay suffered from a splint under his knee and was sent out to spell.[7]

After spending almost 12 months spelling, Zephyr Bay came back in the care of trainer Cyril Kearns, Bert Lyell having died.[8] The highlights of his three-year-old career were second placings in the STC George Ryder Stakes and the AJC Galaxy.

Zephyr Bay's four-year-old season during 1974/75 proved to be the peak of his racing career. He achieved victories in the AJC Challenge Stakes, followed by the AJC Expressway Stakes and culminating in the Group 1 VATC Oakleigh Plate. Setting a course record in each win.[9] The course record Zephyr Bay set winning the AJC Challenge Stakes would last 35 years until 2010.[10]

Zephyr Bay's final race was in the AJC Galaxy where he injured a tendon and was retired from racing.[11]

Stud record

In 1975 Zephyr Bay was retired to stud in New Zealand.[12] First standing at Balcarres Stud at Matamata, later Waikato Stud before being repatriated to Australia in 1987 to stand at Carrington Stud in the Hunter Valley and then Great Missenden Stud in Victoria.[13][14] Zephyr Bay, although hampered by poor fertility proved an exceptional sire. He sired only 250 foals over 17 years at stud and produced 141 winners from 181 runners (78%), 22 stakes winners (12%), and 7 Group 1 winners (4%).[15] Among his top performers were:

Pedigree
Pedigree of Zephyr Bay (AUS), brown stallion, 1970
Sire
Biscay
Ch. 1965		 Star Kingdom (IRE)
Ch. 1946		 Stardust Hyperion
Sister Stella
Impromptu Concerto
Thoughtless
Magic Symbol (AUS)
1956		 Makarpura Big Game
Cap d'Or
Magic Wonder Newtown Wonder
Conveyor
Dam
Heavenly Wind (AUS)
B. 1958		 Pan II (FR)
1947		 Atys Asterus
Esclarmonde
Pretty Girl Tourbillon
Princess Wazara
Perilla (FR)
1945		 Ringmaster Colorado
Vervelle
Minga Limond
Motley
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gollark: Yep!
gollark: SO VERY OFTEN I wanted to split a string in some way. But Lua doesn't have the ability to do that. It is very annoying.
gollark: Oh, a big one Lua doesn't have for some stupid reason - SPLITTING STRINGS.
gollark: Might be useful to add that to the potatOS `*` operator support on strings, somehow.

References
  1. Loveracing.nz: Zephyr Bay (AUS) 1970
  2. Lillye, Bert (26 December 1979). "Quality not quantity from Blue-blood mare". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 46.
  3. Speers, Alan (11 March 1973). "Colt will tackle New Gleam". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 43.
  4. Bourke, Tony (5 May 1975). "Yes, it's the "black flash"". The Age. p. 30.
  5. Keep, Gary (18 November 1974). "Zephyr Bay fit for Farm sprint". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 15.
  6. Lillye, Bert (21 February 1975). "'Perfect' draw says Higgins". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 13.
  7. Abbott, Roy (7 March 1974). "Zephyr Bay has potential". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 13.
  8. Abbott, Roy (7 March 1974). "Zephyr Bay has potential". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 13.
  9. "Zephyr Bay's Big Sprint". Sun Herald. 23 February 1975. p. 49.
  10. Presnell, Max (15 March 2010). "Four legged and two-legged bandits get off scot-free, with no satisfaction for punter". Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. "Zephyr Bay calls it a day". The Age. 3 April 1975. p. 26.
  12. Kennedy, Tony (22 April 1975). "$100,000 half-share". The Age. p. 24.
  13. Carlyon, Les (7 September 1987). "Zephy Bay, the stallion who finds it hard to get excited". The Age. p. 40.
  14. Bourke, Tony (20 July 1987). "Zephyr Bay to stand in Victoria". The Age. p. 38.
  15. "Zephyr Bay Progeny Report". Arion Pedigrees. 2015.
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