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#1
09-17-2007, 01:20 PM
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A nice piece from the Racing Post......
by Lee Mottershead . "THE best I have trained, and the best by a good margin." That was the astonishing tribute paid to Manduro on Monday by Andre Fabre, who marked the retirement of the world's joint top-rated racehorse by ranking him above all his former stable stars. On the day that Manduro's racing career was confirmed to be over, Fabre heaped the highest possible accolade on the triple Group 1 winner by describing him as superior to every one of his past champions, headed by Peintre Celebre, officially the joint-best horse in Europe since Dancing Brave. Sheikh Mohammed, who this summer acquired from Baron Georg von Ullmann the breeding rights to Manduro at areported price of €23 million, on Monday dispatched leading Newmarket-based veterinary surgeon Ian Wright to operate on the horse, who suffered a fracture to his off-hind cannonbone during an imperious defeat of Mandesha in Sunday's Prix Foy. That injury - sustained in Manduro's first race over 1m4f - robbed the 131-rated performer of his chance to tackle first the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and then the Breeders' Cup Classic. Fabre had already saddled Manduro to win five times under Stephane Pasquier this year, including in Group 1 company over 1m in the Prix Jacques le Marois, 1m1f in the Prix d'Ispahan and 1m2f in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, in which he outclassed subsequent King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Dylan Thomas. A"devastated" Fabre, usually reluctant to compare past and present inmates, said: "It is a common thing for trainers to talk about the best horse they have trained, but Manduro was the best horse I have trained, and the best by a good margin. "With him, nothing seemed impossible. He was a very touching animal. His attitude, his conformation, everything about him was exceptional. I even suggested to Baron von Ullmann that we should consider the Breeders' Cup Classic as an option - I was confident aboutthe Arc, and I was sure he was going to win in America as well. "He was a horse with fantastic ability, and also a very easy ride, although I must compliment Stephane Pasquier, who had a very good relationship with the horse. "For me his best performance was at Ascot. The style and the ease of his victory that day was superb and he easily beat Dylan Thomas, and Dylan Thomas is Dylan Thomas, so it was a great performance." Fabre, champion trainer in France for the last 20 years, added: "I am not a historian, so I cannot say how many horses have been top class over the different distances, but to come back from a top race over a mile to win in the way he did over a mile and a half was amazing." Like Fabre, von Ullmann was said to be "absolutely devastated" by his racing manager Paul Harley, who said: "When I first started to work for the Baron six years ago, he told me that it was his one dream to win the Arc, and we went so close. He is absolutely gutted. He hasn't made it to the office this morning. He's absolutely devastated and cannot put it into words." Harley added: "Manduro came into his own this year and I would put that down to maturity. He goes off to stud now, and I'm sure he'll be as great a success as a stallionas he was as a racehorse." Paying his own tribute, Pasquier, who was unbeaten in six races on Manduro, said: "Manduro is the best horse I've ever sat on and there are not a lot like him." In total, Manduro won ten of his 18 races - including seven at Group level - and amassed total prize-money of £1,037,461. He achieved a career-high Racing Post Rating of 131 when beating Dylan Thomas, Notnowcato and Red Rocks at Royal Ascot in June. ************* A very sad day to find out the best horse in the world won't ever been seen on a racetrack again 
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan  and now we murderers because we kill time 
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#2
09-18-2007, 01:01 AM
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Manduro To Stand At Dalham Hall
(no author listed) Tuesday, 18 September 2007: French champion Manduro will stand at Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall Stud in England following his enforced retirement due to a leg fracture. Trainer Andre Fabre confirmed Manduro's retirement after the five-year-old suffered a fracture to his off-hind cannon bone in winning the Prix Foy at Longchamp last Sunday. "He will have an operation. It is not life-threatening, but he will not run again," Fabre reported. Paul Harley, racing manager to owner Baron Georg Von Ullman, said the German owner and breeder was devastated by the injury to the horse rated the best in Europe this year. "It's desperately sad and we are all devastated," Harley said. "The Baron is absolutely gutted. He is concerned about the horse's welfare and he is happy that the horse's life is not in any danger. "Mr Fabre has done a fantastic job with him, especially this year. "He goes off to Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall Stud now and I'm sure he'll be as great a success as a stallion as he was as a racehorse." Sheikh Mohammed acquired the breeding rights to Manduro earlier this year for a reported 23 million euros. Fabre paid Manduro the ultimate compliment by rating the son of champion German sire Monsun "the best I have trained, and the best by a good margin." "With him, nothing seemed impossible. His attitude, his conformation, everything about him was exceptional," Fabre said. Manduro was unbeaten in five starts this year including three Group One victories in the Prix d'Ispahan, Prince Of Wales's Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois. Manduro's 10 wins and seven placings from 18 starts included seven wins at Group level. Manduro is out of the Irish bred mare Mandellicht, a daughter of Be My Guest and dam of one other winner from four foals to race. He retires with Timeform's highest rating among all age groups this year with a figure of 134. http://www.racingandsports.com.au/br...D=112267&id=FP By the way sorry No Chance.... I know you were a big fan.
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#5
09-18-2007, 03:37 AM
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Quote:
He was a proper horse, one in a million. We don't always see superstars like him. I'm just glad i got to see him in the flesh.
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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#6
09-18-2007, 03:44 AM
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The more I read about it, the more disappointed I get.
First it was Invasor this year now Manduro. He was just scary good and the way he put Dylan Thomas (on his favoured ground!!) et al to bed at Ascot was brilliant. Then to drop down to a mile and win a G1 and then go up to 12f to win the premier older Arc trial was the sign of a brilliantly adapable horse. I thought Falbrav was a brilliant horse for those reasons but this guys was better! I just wish we could have seen the best of him!
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#7
09-18-2007, 04:07 AM
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For a horse be just as good over a mile as he is over 12 furlongs, and all the trips inbetween is just amazing in the present day of racing. Lets hope his progeny can turn out to be half as good, evan half as good as Manduro was they would still win a Gr1 in any country.
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Avatar ~ Nicky Whelan and now we murderers because we kill time
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