Weapon's Amnesty (foaled on 17 February 2003 in Ireland) is an Irish thoroughbred racehorse. He retired in January 2013.[1]
| Weapon’s Amnesty | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sire | Presenting |
| Grandsire | Mtoto |
| Dam | Victoria Theatre |
| Damsire | Old Vic |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 2003 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Gigginstown House Stud |
| Owner | Aaron Metcalfe |
| Trainer | Charles Byrnes |
| Record | 5-4-1 |
| Earnings | £216,848 |
| Major wins | |
| Spa Novices' Hurdle (2009) RSA Chase (2010) | |
Background
editHe was sired by Presenting out of the mare, Victoria Theatre.[2] He is owned by Aaron Metcalfe and is trained by Charles Byrnes. Weapon's Amnesty was bred by Gigginstown House Stud, a horse breeding outfit owned by Michael O'Leary, the CEO of the Ryanair. Throughout his time as a racehorse, his primary jockey has been Davy Russell.[3] As of May 2010, Weapon's Amnesty has amassed a career record of 5 wins, 4 places and 1 show while accumulating £216,848 in lifetime earnings in just 14 races.[3]
Racing career
editHurdling
editWeapon's Amnesty started racing as a four-year-old in January 2008 when he was entered into the Templemore I.N.H. Flat Race, finishing in 2nd place out of 17 entries – losing to Oscar Time by just a half of a length. He made his hurdling debut later that year in November[4] during the I.N.H. Stallion Owners European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle, a race in which he finished well off the lead runner. He won his first race, the Gowran Park Racing Club 2009 Maiden Hurdle, in December 2008 at Gowran Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland. In that race, he beat a field of 20 horses to earn his first victory.
His first notable win came in the 2009 Spa Novices' Hurdle, a Grade 1 National Hunt race held at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire during the Cheltenham Festival. In that race, Weapon's Amnesty held off 17 other competitors, including jockey Ruby Walsh on Pride of Dulcote, whom he narrowly beat by a half of a length.[5][6] After the win, Davy Russell said of Weapon's Amnesty: I was definitely on the best horse in the race and didn't want to hit the front too soon. Charles has done a fantastic job with this horse, because he is not the easiest to train. He's a big-framed horse and a chaser in the making.[7]
Steeplechasing
editWeapon's Amnesty's other Grade 1 win came in the 2010 RSA Chase, also held during the Cheltenham Festival. There, he entered the race at 10-1 and dominated the field of nine to win by 7 lengths over Burton Port.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Injury Plagued Weapons Amnesty Retires - SportsNewsIRELAND". www.sportsnewsireland.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013.
- ^ Weapon’s Amnesty Pedigree, pedigreequery.com, accessed 10 May 2010.
- ^ a b Weapon’s Amnesty History, racingpost.com, accessed 10 May 2010
- ^ Cooldine set for chasing bow, rte.ie, 20 November 2008, accessed 10 May 2010.
- ^ Geraghty is all ears at Cheltenham, belfasttelegraph.co.uk, 14 March 2009, accessed 10 May 2010.
- ^ Nicky Henderson triumphs again with game Zaynar[dead link], timesonline.co.uk, 13 March 2009, accessed 10 May 2010.
- ^ Russell bides his time in win, thisisgloucestershire.co.uk, 14 March 2009, accessed 10 May 2010.
- ^ Cheltenham Festival: Weapon's Amnesty romps to victory in RSA Chase, dialyrecord.co.uk, 17 March 2010, accessed 10 May 2010.