Montaval
Montaval | |
---|---|
Sire | Norseman |
Grandsire | Umidwar |
Dam | Ballynash |
Damsire | Nasrullah |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | April 1953 |
Country | France |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Ralph B. Strassburger |
Owner | Ralph B. Strassburger |
Trainer | George Bridgland |
Record | 17: 5–3–1 |
Major wins | |
Prix Gontaut-Biron (1956) Prix Dollar (1957) King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1957) |
Montaval (foaled 1953) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Although trained in France throughout his career, his most notable achievements came in Britain: he was narrowly beaten in the 1956 Epsom Derby and won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the following year. In total he won five times in a career of at least seventeen races which lasted from 1955 until November 1957. He was retired to stand as a stallion in Ireland and was exported to Japan in 1961.
Background
Montaval was a bay horse with a narrow white blaze and three white socks[1] bred in France by this owner, the American businessman Ralph B. Strassburger. Montaval's dam, the British-bred mare Ballynash was bought by Strassburger for £2000 in December 1949.[2] Apart from Montaval, Ballynash produced the successful racehorse and sire Mourne and the filly Petite Sanguenay, the grand-dam of Pawneese.[3] The colt was trained in France by George Bridgland and ridden in most of his races by Freddie Palmer.
Racing career
Montaval's early career was not particularly notable, as he won one minor race in five starts as a two-year-old in 1955.[2]
In the following spring he was beaten in his first three races, but showed some potential when finishing second to Ambiax in the Prix Daru. He was then sent to Britain to contest The Derby in which he started a 40/1 outsider in a field of twenty-seven runners. Despite driving rain, the race attracted an estimated crowd of 250,000, including the Queen Mother.[4] Ridden by Freddie Palmer, Montaval was well back in the field for most of the way before making progress in the straight. Still fifth with a hundred yards to run he finished strongly but failed by a neck to catch Lavandin.[5] The fact that the first two horses were trained in France, following on from the victory of Phil Drake in the previous year, led some commentators to state that British racing had "hit rock bottom.".[6]
Montaval ran poorly in the Grand Prix de Paris a month later but showed better form in his two remaining races that year, both of which came at Deauville Racecourse in August. He won his first important race when winning the Prix Gontaut-Biron[7] over 2000 metres and then finished second to Tall Chief in the Grand Prix de Deauville.
As a four-year-old in 1957, Montaval won his first two races including the Prix Dollar at Longchamp Racecourse.[8] He then finished third to the three-year-old Arctic Explorer when strongly fancied to win the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park on 13 July[9] and returned to England a week later for Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Montaval started a 20/1 outsider in a field of twelve runners, only three of which were trained in Britain following the withdrawal of the Epsom Derby winner Crepello.[10] The "thrilling"[11] finish was dominated by French challengers, with Montaval finishing strongly to win by a short head from Al Mabsoot, with Tribord third and Saint Raphael fourth. His starting price remains, as of 2012, the longest for any King George winner.[12]
Montaval did not appear again until November, when he was sent to the United States to contest the Washington, D.C. International Stakes. He finished unplaced behind Mahan and was subsequently retired to stud.
Assessment
In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Montaval a "poor" winner of the King George.[12]
Stud record
At the end of his racing career, Montaval was bought by Lord Harrington and sent to stand as a breeding stallion in Ireland. In 1961 he was sold again and exported to Japan.[2] His progeny included Nihon Pillow Ace who won the Satsuki Shō in 1966.
Pedigree
Sire Norseman (FR) 1940 | Umidwar 1931 | Blandford | Swynford |
---|---|---|---|
Blanche | |||
Uganda | Bridaine | ||
Hush | |||
Tara 1932 | Teddy | Ajax | |
Rondeau | |||
Jean Gow | Neil Gow | ||
Jane Shore | |||
Dam Ballynash (GB) 1946 | Nasrullah 1940 | Nearco | Pharos |
Nogara | |||
Mumtaz Begum | Blenheim | ||
Mumtaz Mahal | |||
Ballywellbroke 1933 | Ballyferis | Apron | |
Gilford | |||
The Beggar | Le Souvenir | ||
Avonbeg (Family:9)[3] |
References
- ^ "Montaval image". sporthorse-data. Archived from the original on 2013-02-03. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ a b c Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1999). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- ^ a b "Vintner Mare – Family 9". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ "Lavandin wins Epsom Derby as forecast". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ^ "French horses in close Derby finish". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ^ "British racing has hit rock bottom". The Bulletin. Retrieved 2011-11-07.
- ^ "Prix Gontaut-Biron". France-galop.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ "Prix Dollar". France-galop.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ "Pirate King can beat Montaval". The Bulletin. 8 July 1957. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ "Europe's top midsummer show with a proud roll-call of superstars". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ "U.S.-OWNED COLT SCORES AT ASCOT". New York Times. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- ^ a b Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
- ^ "Montaval pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
- v
- t
- e
- 1951 Supreme Court
- 1952 Tulyar
- 1953 Pinza
- 1954 Aureole
- 1955 Vimy
- 1956 Ribot
- 1957 Montaval
- 1958 Ballymoss
- 1959 Alcide
- 1960 Aggressor
- 1961 Right Royal
- 1962 Match
- 1963 Ragusa
- 1964 Nasram
- 1965 Meadow Court
- 1966 Aunt Edith ♥
- 1967 Busted
- 1968 Royal Palace
- 1969 Park Top ♥
- 1970 Nijinsky
- 1971 Mill Reef
- 1972 Brigadier Gerard
- 1973 Dahlia ♥
- 1974 Dahlia ♥
- 1975 Grundy
- 1976 Pawneese
- 1977 The Minstrel
- 1978 Ile de Bourbon
- 1979 Troy
- 1980 Ela-Mana-Mou
- 1981 Shergar
- 1982 Kalaglow
- 1983 Time Charter ♥
- 1984 Teenoso
- 1985 Petoski
- 1986 Dancing Brave
- 1987 Reference Point
- 1988 Mtoto
- 1989 Nashwan
- 1990 Belmez
- 1991 Generous
- 1992 St Jovite
- 1993 Opera House
- 1994 King's Theatre
- 1995 Lammtarra
- 1996 Pentire
- 1997 Swain
- 1998 Swain
- 1999 Daylami
- 2000 Montjeu
- 2001 Galileo
- 2002 Golan
- 2003 Alamshar
- 2004 Doyen
- 2005 Azamour
- 2006 Hurricane Run
- 2007 Dylan Thomas
- 2008 Duke of Marmalade
- 2009 Conduit
- 2010 Harbinger
- 2011 Nathaniel
- 2012 Danedream ♥
- 2013 Novellist
- 2014 Taghrooda ♥
- 2015 Postponed
- 2016 Highland Reel
- 2017 Enable ♥
- 2018 Poet's Word
- 2019 Enable ♥
- 2020 Enable ♥
- 2021 Adayar
- 2022 Pyledriver
- 2023 Hukum