Roderic O'Connor (horse)

Roderic O'Connor
Racing silks of Susan Magnier
Sire	Galileo
Grandsire	Sadler's Wells
Dam	Secret Garden
Damsire	Danehill
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	2008
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Swettenham Stud
Owner	Mrs John Magnier
Trainer	Aidan O'Brien
Record	9: 3-1-1
Earnings	£393,444[1]
Major wins
Criterium International (2010) Irish 2000 Guineas (2011)

Roderic O'Connor (foaled 4 April 2008) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the Criterium International as a two-year-old and the Irish 2000 Guineas as a three-year-old. He is owned by Mrs John Magnier and was trained by Aidan O'Brien. He now stands as a stallion at Ballyhane Stud.

Breeding

Roderic O'Connor is the son of Galileo, who won the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and multiple Champion sire. Galileo's sire was Sadler's Wells, winner of the Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes and multiple Champion sire. Roderic O'Connor's dam, Secret Garden won twice, including a listed race. Secret Garden's sire was Danehill, winner of the Sprint Cup and Champion sire.

Racing career

2010: two-year-old season

Roderic O'Connor finished third on his racecourse debut when starting at 20/1 for a seven furlong maiden at Leopardstown. He then won a maiden race at the Curragh, beating Master of Hounds by 2½ lengths. In the Dewhurst Stakes he took on Frankel and Dream Ahead. Starting as the 25/1 outsider he finished second, 2¼ lengths behind Frankel.^[2] In his final start as a two-year-old he travelled to France for the Criterium International. He started the race the 5/2 second favourite and was ridden by Johnny Murtagh. He was ridden prominently during the early stages of the race and then quickened clear in the finishing straight. In the closing stages he drifted first left and then right, but he ran on again to win by 1½ lengths from Salto.^[3]

2011: three-year-old-season

He started his three-year-old season 2000 Guineas and was amongst the favourites. Dewhurst winner Frankel was the hot favourite at 1/2, then came Roderic O'Connor and National Stakes winner Pathfork at 8/1. Racing Post Trophy winner Casamento started at 11/1. Frankel pulled away in the opening stages of the race and was never caught. Ridden by Ryan Moore, Roderic O'Connor was near the front of the chasing group, but faded with three furlongs still to run. He finished 38 lengths behind the winner in eleventh.^[4] Roderic O'Connor then took on 2000 Guineas runner-up Dubawi Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Under Joseph O'Brien (son of trainer Aidan O'Brien) he led from the start. Dubawi Gold closed in the final stages of the race, but could not catch him and Roderic O'Connor went on to win by ¾ length.^[5] This was Joseph O'Brien's first Group 1 win. He then finished eighth in the Prix du Jockey Club, sixth in the Irish Derby and fifth in the Irish Champion Stakes.^[1]

Assessment

He was officially rated as the 136th best horse in the world in 2011.^[6]

Stud career

At the end of the 2011 season Roderic O'Connor was retired to stud. He stands as a stallion at Ballyhane Stud^[7] and also as a shuttle stallion in Brazil during the 2012 season.^[8] His 2012 stud fee is €9,000.^[9]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Roderic O'Connor, bay colt, 2008^[10]

Sire Galileo (IRE) b. 1998	Sadler's Wells b. 1981	Northern Dancer* b. 1961	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Fairy Bridge b. 1975	Bold Reason
			Special
	Urban Sea ch. 1989	Miswaki ch. 1978	Mr. Prospector
			Hopespringseternal
		Allegretta ch. 1978	Lombard
			Anatevka
Dam Secret Garden (IRE) b. 1999	Danehill b. 1986	Danzig b. 1977	Northern Dancer*
			Pas De Nom
		Razyana b. 1981	His Majesty
			Spring Adieu
	Chalamont ch. 1993	Kris ch. 1976	Sharpen Up
			Doubly Sure
		Durtal b. 1974	Lyphard
			Derna

Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown, ch. = Chestnut

* Roderic O'Connor is inbred 3x4 to Northern Dancer, meaning that the stallion appears once in the third generation and once in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

1. "Roderic O'Connor". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
2. "Dewhurst Stakes result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
3. "Criterium International result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
4. "2000 Guineas result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
5. "Irish 2000 Guineas result". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
6. "The 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
7. "Roderic O'Connor to stand at Ballyhane Stud". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2011-11-12. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
8. "Roderic O'Connor to shuttle to Brazil". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
9. "Roderic O'Connor | Bloodstock Stallion Book". Bloodstock.racingpost.com. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2012-08-26.
10. "Roderic O'Connor pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-10-05.