Commanche Run (1981–2005) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a versatile top-class colt who won a number of Group One races at from one and a quarter to one and three-quarter miles in the 1980s.

Commanche Run
Racing silks of Mr Ivan Allan
SireRun the Gantlet
GrandsireTom Rolfe
DamVolley
DamsireRatification
SexStallion
Foaled1981
CountryGreat Britain
ColourBay
BreederMajors Racing International
OwnerIvan Allan
TrainerLuca Cumani
Record14: 7-2-3
Major wins
March Stakes (1984)
Gordon Stakes (1984)
St. Leger Stakes (1984)
Brigadier Gerard Stakes (1985)
Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (1985)
Irish Champion Stakes (1985)
Awards
Timeform rating: 133

Background

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Bred in England, he was out of the mare, Volley. His sire was Run the Gantlet, an American multiple Grade I winner and successful sire. He was purchased and raced by Ivan Allan, an owner and preeminent trainer in Asian horse racing for many years. He was trained at Bedford House Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk by Luca Cumani.

Racing career

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Commanche Run made his racing debut on 13 October 1983 with second-place finish at Newmarket Racecourse. He next started at age three in May 1984 at York Racecourse, in the Group 2 Dante Stakes, a major trial for the Derby, finishing tenth. He then got his first win twelve days later on 28 May at Doncaster Racecourse. Moving up in company, the colt ran third in the 1984 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket’s July Meeting. Commanche Run then was aimed at the Gordon at Goodwood racecourse. Luca Cumani’s stable jockey Darrell McHargue was suspended and was replaced by Lester Piggott. Ridden positively close to the leaders for the first time, Commanche Run took the lead three furlongs out and won impressively from Shernazar. With McHargue back in the saddle he won the March Stakes also at Goodwood later that month. Shortly before the St. Leger at Doncaster, McHargue was replaced by Piggott at the owner Ivan Allen’s instigation. The horse also suffered an injury scare in the days running up to the race. Always close up, Commanche Run took the lead four furlongs from home and won by a neck from Baynoun with Alphabatim in third.

At four Commanche Run was always ridden by Piggott and he went on to win two Group One races, capturing the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Stakes, making three in total with the Classic, the St. Leger Stakes. He had also been a runaway winner of the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park on his first run of the year. He was then third in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes after a duel with the top-class filly Pebbles which saw them beaten by an outsider Bob Back. Commanche Run was withdrawn before the start of the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in early July, and the injury he had sustained there prevented him from running in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in late July.

In the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup at York he was ridden from the front by Piggott and beat a strong field, including the fillies Triple Crown winner Oh So Sharp and multiple Group 1 winning filly Triptych, with Palace Music the winner of the previous year’s Champion Stakes, and Bob Back well behind.[1]

Stud career

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Retired to stud duty at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, Commanche Run met with limited success. In 1999 he was transferred to Astley Grange Stud in Leicestershire where he died in March 2005.[2] The sire of a number of steeplechase runners, he got fifteen stakes winners in all. His best flat racing runner was Lord Weinstock's colt Bonny Scot whose wins included the Great Voltigeur Stakes and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood.

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Commanche Run (GB), bay stallion, 1981[3]
Sire
Run the Gantlet (USA)
1968
Tom Rolfe
1962
Ribot Tenerani
Romanella
Pocahontas Roman
How
First Feather
1963
First Landing Turn-To
Hildene
Quill Princequillo
Quick Touch
Dam
Volley (GB)
1965
Ratification
1953
Court Martial Fair Trial
Instantaneous
Solesa Solario
Mesa
Mitrailleuse
1944
Mieuxce Massine
L'Olivete
French Kin Brantome
Keener (Family:16-h)[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Royal Ascot Winner For Ivan Allan". Racingandsports.com.au. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Commanche Run dies at Astley Grange Stud". Thoroughbredtimes.com. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Commanche Run pedigree". equineline.com. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Lily Agnes - Family 16-h". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 27 May 2013.