Artaius (26 February 1974 – 17 June 1998) was an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from the autumn of 1976 until August 1977, he ran seven times and won three races. In 1977 he was one of the leading three-year-old colts in Europe, recording Group One successes in the Eclipse Stakes and Sussex Stakes. He was retired to stud at the end of the season and had limited success as a breeding stallion.

Artaius
SireRound Table
GrandsirePrincequillo
DamStylish Pattern
DamsireMy Babu
SexStallion
Foaled26 February 1974[1]
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederJohn Wesley Hanes II
OwnerMrs George Getty II
TrainerVincent O'Brien
Record7: 3-3-0
Earnings£91,308 , F360,000[2]
Major wins
Classic Trial Stakes (1977)
Eclipse Stakes (1977)
Sussex Stakes (1977)
Awards
Timeform rating: 129
Last updated on 18 June 2022

Background

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Artaius was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by John Wesley Hanes II. His sire, Round Table was one of the most successful grass specialists in American racing history, winning forty-three races and being named American Horse of the Year in 1958.[3] He became a highly successful breeding stallion, being the Leading sire in North America in 1972.[4] His dam, Stylish Pattern was descended from the influential broodmare Molly Adare, whose others descendants included Brigadier Gerard and Vintage Crop.[5]

As a yearling, Artaius was offered for sale and bought for $110,000 by representatives of Mrs George Getty II. The colt was sent to Europe to be trained by Vincent O'Brien at Ballydoyle. He was ridden in most of his races by Lester Piggott.[6]

Racing career

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Artaius did not run until the autumn of 1976 when he finished second to Orchestra in the Group Two Beresford Stakes over one mile at the Curragh.[6]

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Artaius was sent to England to contest the Group Three Classic Trial Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse. He started the evens favourite and won comfortably from Night Before. The colt returned to Ireland and was brought back in distance for the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh and finished unplaced behind Pampapaul and The Minstrel.[6]

Artaius was then sent to France to contest the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly Racecourse where he finished second, half a length behind Crystal Palace.[7] In July Artaius was sent off at odds of 9/2 for the Group One Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park. He led from the start and won in a race record time[7] of 2:05.30[8] from Lucky Wednesday and Arctic Tern.[9] A month later Artaius started the 6/4 favourite for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood where his opponents included the classic winners Nebbiolo and Mrs McArdy.[7] He led from the start again and won easily from Free State with Relkino in third place. At York Racecourse in August, Artaius started odds-on favourite for the sixth running of the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup. In a major upset he was beaten four lengths into second place by Relkino.[10]

Assessment

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In 1977, Artaius was given a rating of 129 by the independent Timeform organisation,[11] eight pounds behind his stable companion Alleged.[12]

Stud record

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Artaius was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion in Ireland. He was exported to Japan in 1984. He was not a successful sire of winners. The best of his offspring was probably the filly Flame of Tara, who won the Coronation Stakes and produced the outstanding racemare Salsabil and the St James's Palace Stakes winner Marju.[13] In Japan he sired Osumi Roch, who won the Kyoto Daishoten and the Kyoto Kinen in 1992 as well as finishing third in the Takarazuka Kinen. He was also the damsire of the Prix de Diane winner Rafha, who produced the successful sire Invincible Spirit.[14] He was "put out of stud" in Japan in November 1997.[15]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Artaius (USA), bay stallion, 1974[1]
Sire
Round Table (USA)
1954
Princequillo (IRE)
1940
Prince Rose Rose Prince
Indolence
Cosquilla Papyrus
Quick Thought
Knight's Daughter (GB)
1941
Sir Cosmo The Boss
Ayn Hali
Feola Friar Marcus
Aloe
Dam
Stylish Pattern (USA)
1961
My Babu (FR)
1945
Djebel Tourbillon
Loika
Perfume Badruddin
Lavendula
Sunset Gun (GB)
1955
Hyperion Gainsborough
Selene
Ace of Spades Atout Maitre
Brave Empress (Family:14-c)[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Artaius pedigree". equineline.com. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  2. ^ 日本の種牡馬録6(Stallions in Japan volume 6), ja:白井透(Toru Sirai),サラブレッド血統センター(Thoroughbred Pedigree Center ltd.),1991,ISBN 4-87900-004-3,p34-35
  3. ^ "Round Table profile". Racingmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Leading Sires of America". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Pretty Polly - Family 14-c". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  6. ^ a b c Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  7. ^ a b c "Artaius to score for the Irish". Evening Times. 25 July 1977. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  8. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
  9. ^ "Racing results". Evening Times. 2 July 1977. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  10. ^ "Octavo in tune for Gimcrack". Evening Times. 17 August 1977. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  11. ^ Timeform (1986). Racehorses of 1985. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-42-1.
  12. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
  13. ^ "Flame of Tara, Dam of Champion Salsabil, Dead". BloodHorse.com. 9 September 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  14. ^ "Invincible Spirit pedigree". equineline.com. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  15. ^ Staff. "Artaius(USA)". Japan Race Horse Registry. Retrieved 22 November 2013.