Mon Tresor

Mon Tresor
Sire	Longleat
Grandsire	The Minstrel
Dam	La Lutine
Damsire	My Swallow
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	8 May 1986[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Bay
Breeder	A B Phipps
Owner	Pam Fitsall
Trainer	Ron Boss
Record	13: 4-2-1
Major wins
Moet & Chandon Rennen (1988) Middle Park Stakes (1988)

Mon Tresor (8 May 1986 – after 2001) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed by far his best form as a two-year-old in 1988. After winning two minor races in summer he reached his peak in autumn, winning the Moet & Chandon Rennen in Germany and then recording his biggest win in the Middle Park Stakes. In the following year he finished third in the European Free Handicap on his debut, but his form deteriorated thereafter. He was retired from racing at the end of the year and stood as a breeding stallion with limited success.

Background

Mon Tresor was a bay horse bred in England by A B Phipps. He was from the third crop of foals sired by Longleat, an American-bred sprinter whose wins included the Ballyogan Stakes in 1982.^[2] Mon Tresor's dam La Lutine won four races at distances from five to ten furlongs^[3] before being retired to become a broodmare. Her other foals included Mon Tresor's full-brother Montendre, a durable sprinter who won eleven races including the Cammidge Trophy.^[4] She was a descendant of the French broodmare La Futaie, the ancestor of many major winners including Sagamix, Nasram and Lope de Vega.^[5]

Mon Tresor was acquired by Mrs Pam Fitsall and was sent into training with Ron Boss who operated from the Phoenix Lodge stable in Newmarket, Suffolk. Boss had ridden for Noel Murless in the 1950s and then worked as head lad for his fellow Welshman Ifor Lewis before taking out a trainer's license in 1972.^[6]

Racing career

1988: two-year-old season

Mon Tresor began his racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Hamilton Park Racecourse on 16 June and finished second, beaten a head by Ipo. He recorded his first success in a similar event at Lingfield Park three weeks later winning by two lengths from nineteen opponents at odds of 4/1.^[7] Eight days later he returned to the same track for a graduation race (for horses with no more than one previous win) and started 5/2 favourite in an eleven-runner field. Ridden by Willie Carson he led from the start and won by two and a half lengths from Thornfield Boy.^[8] In the Glyfada Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on 30 July he was beaten a head by the Henry Cecil-trained Citidancer. Mon Treor was then sent to Germany to contest the Group Two Moet & Chandon Rennen over 1200 metres on heavy ground at Baden-Baden on 2 September. He was ridden by Richard Quinn and scored his first important victory, defeating Money Matters by half a length.^[9]

On his return to England, Mon Tresor was stepped up in class for the Group One Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket on 28 September. The previously undefeated Pure Genius started favourite ahead of Northen Tryst and Sharp Justice (winner of the Sirenia Stakes) with Mon Tresor next in the betting on 8/1,^[10] whilst the two outsiders were Wonder Dancer and Terimon. Ridden by the South African jockey Michael Roberts he was sent into the lead from the start and stayed there, holding off the challenge of the favourite to win by three quarters of a length with the same distance back to Northern Tryst in third.^[11] On his final appearance of the season, Mon Tresor was stepped up in distance for the William Hill Futurity over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse on 22 October. He led until the last three furlongs but then faded badly and tailed-off last of the eight runners behind Al Hareb.

1989: three-year-old season

Mon Tresor began his three-year-old season in the European Free Handicap over seven furlongs at Newmarket on 19 April. Carrying top weight of 133 pounds he led for most of the way but was overtaken inside the final furlong and finished third behind Danehill and Folly Foot.^[12] In the 2000 Guineas seventeen days later he started a 40/1 outsider and finished unplaced behind Nashwan. Mon Tresor never recovered his form and ran unplaced in his remaining four races: he finished fifth in the Diomed Stakes, eighth in the July Cup, eighth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and seventh in the Flying Five.

Stud record

At the end of his racing career Mon Tresor was retired to become a breeding stallion. He stood at the Fearnall Stud in Cheshire before being reportedly exported to Italy. The best of his offspring included Rushcutter Bay (Palace House Stakes) and Nigrasine (John of Gaunt Stakes).^[13]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Mon Tresor (GB), bay stallion, 1986^[1]

Sire Longleat (USA) 1979	The Minstrel (CAN) 1974	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Fleur	Victoria Park
			Flaming Page
	Fair Arrow (USA) 1960	Turn-To	Royal Charger
			Source Sucree
		Omelia	Owen Tudor
			Dodoma
Dam La Lutine (GB) 1980	My Swallow (GB) 1968	Le Levanstell	Le Lavandou
			Stella's Sister
		Darrigle	Vilmoray
			Dollar Help
	La Mome (GB) 1965	Princely Gift	Nasrullah
			Blue Gem
		La Parisienne	Pardal
			La Baille (Family:11-d)[5]

References

1. "Mon Tresor pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
2. Timeform staff (1983). Racehorses of 1982. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-35-9.
3. Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
4. "Montendre - Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
5. "Flight - Family 11-d". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
6. "Where are they now? - Ron Boss". Daily Record (Scotland). 26 April 2006.
7. "Honeywood Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 8 July 1988.
8. "Findon Graduation Stakes result". Racing Post. 16 July 1988.
9. "Moet & Chandon Rennen result". Racing Post. 2 September 1988.
10. Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
11. "Middle Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 28 September 1988.
12. "European Free Handicap result". Racing Post. 19 April 1989.
13. "Mon Tresor - Stud Record". Racing Post.