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Snurge
SireEla-Mana-Mou
GrandsirePitcairn
DamFinlandia
DamsireFaraway Son
SexStallion
Foaled12 March 1987
CountryIreland
ColourChestnut
BreederKilcarn Stud
OwnerMartyn Arbib
TrainerPaul Cole
Record34: 7-10-5
Earnings£1,281,535 (approximate)
Major wins
Critérium de Saint-Cloud(1989) disqualified
St. Leger Stakes(1990)
Aston Park Stakes(1991)
Gran Premio di Milano(1991)
Grand Prix de Deauville(1991, 1993)
Premio Roma Vecchia(1991)
Canadian International Stakes(1992)

Snurge(12 March 1987 – November 2006), was an Irish-bred British-trainedThoroughbredracehorse andsire.In a career which lasted from September 1989 until September 1994, he ran thirty-four times and won seven races. He recorded his most important success when winning theClassicSt. Leger Stakesas a three-year-oldmaidenin 1990. In the following seasons he won major races in France, Italy and Canada, before retiring as a seven-year-old. At the time of his retirement he held the record for prize money won by a European-trained horse,[1]although the precise total of his earnings was difficult to determine because of the number of different currencies involved.[2]

Background

[edit]

Snurge was a chestnut horse with a narrow whiteblazebred at the Kilcarn Stud nearNavaninCounty Meath,[3]Ireland. Before his racing career began he entered the ownership of the British businessmanMartyn Arbib,who named the colt after a nickname he received while in school.[4]Snurge was sired by theKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth StakeswinnerEla-Mana-Mouout of the French-bred mare Finlandia. The horse was trained byPaul Coleat Whatcombe, nearWantageinOxfordshireand ridden in all but two of his races byRichard Quinn.[5]

Racing career

[edit]

1989: two-year-old season

[edit]

Snurge made his first appearance in theHaynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakesover one mile atNewbury Racecourseon 22 September and finished third of the nine runners behind Tanfith. A month later he ran in a tenfurlongmaiden race atNottingham.He took the lead briefly before finishing second toBlue Stag,a horse who went on to be the runner-up in the 1990Epsom Derby.In November, Snurge was sent to France and moved up in class to contest theGroup OneCritérium de Saint-Cloud.He finished first by three lengths from Intimiste, but was "controversially"[2]disqualified and placed second by the racecourse stewards.[6]

1990: three-year-old season

[edit]

Snurge missed the early part of the 1990 season before reappearing at the Ascot Heath meeting afterRoyal Ascotin which he contested theChurchill Stakes,finishing second by a head to Middle Kingdom. After a break of two months, Snurge returned to the racecourse in theGreat Voltigeur StakesatYork.He started the 22/1 outsider of the five horse field, which was headed by theKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth StakeswinnerBelmez.Snurge took the lead in the straight and stayed on strongly before being caught in the last strides and beaten a head by Belmez.[7]

On 15 September atDoncaster,Snurge started second favourite for the St Leger at odds of 7/2, with thefillyHellenic, the winner of theRibblesdale Stakesand theYorkshire Oaksstarting favourite at 2/1. The two leading horses in the betting dominated the closing stages of the race with Snurge taking the lead from Hellenic in the straight and running on strongly to beat the filly by three quarters of a length.[8]He was recording his first ever win, becoming the first maiden to win the St Leger for seventy-seven years.[9]In October, Snurge contested thePrix de l'Arc de TriompheatLongchamp,the most prestigious race of the European flat-racing season. In a finish dominated by three-year-old colts he finished third, beaten three quarters of a length and half a length bySaumarezandEpervier Bleu.[10]

1991: four-year-old season

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Snurge began his four-year-old season by winning theListedAston Park Stakes at Newbury and was then sent to Italy where he won the Group OneGran Premio di Milano.[11]After a mid-summer break, Snurge started favourite for theGrand Prix de Deauvilleand won by a neck.

Snurge's three victories led to his being considered a serious contender for the 1991 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and he started the 8/1 fourth favourite behind the three-year-oldsGenerous,Suave DancerandPistolet Bleu.He failed to produce his best form and finished last of the fourteen runners.[12]Later in October, Snurge was sent to Italy where he finished third in theGran Premio del Jockey Clubin Milan before winning the Premio Roma Vecchia in Rome.

1992: five-year-old season

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Snurge began his five-year-old season by finishing third inYorkshire Cupbefore running unplaced in theCoronation Cupand the Gran Premio di Milano. He then ran second in four successive races, finishing runner-up in theGrosser Preis von Berlin,theAral-Pokal,the Grand Prix de Deauville[13]and theIrish St. Leger.He was then sent to Canada to contest theCanadian International StakesatWoodbine Racetrackon 18 October. Snurge finished second by half a length to the French-trained colt Wiorno, but was awarded the race on a disqualification, after the racecourse stewards' found that Wiorno had repeatedly bumped the third place Ghazi in an "incredibly tight finish".[14]The beaten horses includedUrban SeaandMashaallah.The disqualification was appealed but Snurge's victory was confirmed by theOntario Racing Commissionin November.[15]On his final appearance of the season he returned to Europe and finished unplaced in the Premio Roma Vecchia.

1993–1994: later career

[edit]

Snurge ran six times as a six-year-old in 1993. His progress was hindered by a viral infection in the early part of the season.[2]His only success came in August when he defeated Petit Loup by a short head to win the Grand Prix de Deauville for a second time.[16]He finished sixth behindVintage Cropwhen favourite for the Irish St. Leger three weeks later.

In 1994, Snurge continued to compete in major middle-distance races but failed to win. His best performances came when he finished second in the Gran Premio di Milano and thePrix Maurice de Nieuiland third in the Aral-Pokal. He was injured when finishing last of the six runners in theCumberland Lodge Stakesat Ascot in September and was retired to stud.[1]

Stud career

[edit]

Snurge stood as a stallion in France at the Haras du Val Henry and before being moved to Ireland. He was based at the Arctic Tack Stud inCounty Wexfordand then the Grange Stud inCounty Corkwhere he represented theCoolmore Studas aNational Huntstallion. Snurge sired the winners of more than 300 National Hunt races, but none at the highest level.[17]He died ofcolicat the age of nineteen in November 2006.[18]

Pedigree

[edit]
Pedigree of Snurge (IRE), chestnut stallion, 1987[19]
Sire
Ela-Mana-Mou(IRE)
1976 		Pitcairn(IRE)
1971 		Petingo Petition
Alcazar
Border Bounty Bounteous
B Flat
Rose Bertin (GB)
1970 		High Hat Hyperion
Madonna
Wide Awake Major Portion
Wake Island
Dam
Finlandia (FR)
1977 		Faraway Son(USA)
1967 		Ambiopoise Ambiorix
Bull Poise
Locust Time Spy Song
Snow Goose
Musical (GB)
1961 		Prince Chevalier Prince Rose
Chevalerie
Musidora Nasrullah
Painted Vale (Family:1-m)[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"Snurge is retired".The Independent.19 October 1994.Retrieved22 May2012.
  2. ^abcRICHARD EDMONDSON, Racing Correspondent (30 August 1993)."Snurge's durability earns currency abroad".The Independent.Retrieved22 May2012.{{cite news}}:|author=has generic name (help)
  3. ^"Kilcarn Stud, Stud Farm & Stallions, Co Meath, Ireland".Directory of the Turf.Retrieved22 May2012.
  4. ^Karter, John (16 September 1990). "Snurge a maiden no longer after St Leger triumph".The Sunday Times.
  5. ^"Snurge racing form".Racing Post. 2 June 2011.Retrieved23 May2012.
  6. ^"Critérium de Saint-Cloud".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  7. ^"Great Voltigeur Stakes".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  8. ^"St Leger Stakes".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  9. ^"HORSE RACING: Snurge dies at 19".This Is Oxfordshire. 29 November 2006.Retrieved22 May2012.
  10. ^"Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 1990".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  11. ^"Gran Premio di Milano".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  12. ^"Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 1991".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  13. ^"Racing: Snurge is second again – Sport".The Independent.31 August 1992.Retrieved23 May2012.
  14. ^"Snurge wins; Wiorno is disqualified".Houston Chronicle.19 October 1992.Retrieved22 May2012.
  15. ^"Facts & Figures".Woodbine Entertainment.Retrieved23 May2012.
  16. ^"Grand Prix de Deauville 1993".Racing Post.Retrieved22 May2012.
  17. ^"Snurge Stud Record".Racing Post. 15 February 2012.Retrieved23 May2012.
  18. ^"Colic claims life of St. Leger winner Snurge".Thoroughbred Times.26 November 2006.Retrieved22 May2012.
  19. ^"Snurge".Equineline.8 May 2012.Retrieved5 July2012.
  20. ^"Footlight – Family 1-m".Bloodlines.net.Retrieved22 May2012.
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