Atlantic Jewel

Atlantic Jewel (foaled 26 December 2008 at Vinery Stud in Australia) is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by champion sire Fastnet Rock, and raced by Coolmore, Atlantic Jewel was trained by Melbourne's Mark Kavanagh. She has currently won nine of her ten starts, including three Group One races. Her dominant victory at her eighth start in the Memsie Stakes, after a long injury break, confirmed her standing as Australia's best racehorse.

Racing career

Background

Purchased by Coolmore for $320,000 at the Gold Coast yearling sale, Atlantic Jewel is sired by Coolmore's champion sire Fastnet Rock and by the Zabeel mare Regard. Fastnet Rock himself was a great racehorse, winning the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate, winning over $1.7 million. As well as being a success in his racing, Fastnet Rock has sired many winners including Mosheen, Lone Rock, Wanted, Sea Siren, Foxwedge, and many others. Atlantic Jewels' dam Regard, was an un-raced mare by the Great Zabeel. Atlantic Jewel is her first foal to race. Her second was the group one filly Commanding Jewel by Commands, making her 3/4 sister to Atlantic Jewel. Commanding Jewel herself won the 1000 Guineas a year later, giving her dam Regard back-to-back wins in the 1000 Guineas.^[1]

She was considered as a top contender in the 2011 Spring Carnival, when she defeated her rivals in the 1000 Guineas at Caulfield by three lengths, beating home four-time group one winner Mosheen.

2011-2012: Three-year-old season

She made her racing début as a three-year-old at Geelong on 23 August 2011. Running over 1,100 metres (1,200 yd), with Stephen Baster, Atlantic Jewel won easily by 1.3 lengths. At her next start, she stepped up to Saturday class and won by just under a length with jockey Michael Rodd easing her up. Winning another race over 1,400 metres (1,500 yd) by 2.8 lengths, Atlantic Jewel's next start would be a test for her, stepping up to group one level. The 1000 Guineas over 1,600 metres would see her against multiple group one winner Mosheen, and stakes winners Hallowell Belle and others. Ridden by Michael Rodd, Atlantic Jewel proved she was a serious contender in the spring, by winning her first Group One by three lengths, winning at a price of $1.70. Atlantic jewel continued onto the Wakeful Stakes, a lead up to the VRC Oaks. Starting at a price of $1.26, Atlantic Jewel seemed to relish the step up to 2,000 metres (2,200 yd), and surpassed her rivals by seven lengths. Atlantic Jewel would start a short priced favourite in the Oaks, but injury ruled her out of the rest of the spring.

Atlantic Jewel returned from her injury in the autumn, only running in two races. Atlantic Jewel made her first start of her preparation in the group two Sapphire stakes. Ridden by her regular jockey, she won the race by 3.8 lengths beating home group one Stradbroke winner Mid Summer Music. Atlantic Jewel's next start was her first test at weight for age. In the All Aged Stakes, Atlantic Jewel started $1.12 favourite. She did not disappoint her punters and won the race by 1.3 lengths beating home the fast sprinter Rain Affair. Atlantic Jewel was to be sent for a spell and saved to race in the spring. Sadly Atlantic Jewel suffered a tendon injury which ruled out racing as a four-year-old.^[2]

2013-2014: Five-year-old season

Atlantic Jewel's first start of her spring campaign as a five-year-old, and first start for 16 months, came in the Memsie Stakes on August 31, 2013. Despite the long layoff, and a high quality field featuring many of Australasia's best horses, she took her unbeaten run to eight wins with a dominant 2.3 length win without being fully extended. This performance made her a dominant favorite for the Cox Plate. A win against mares in the Stocks Stakes took her winning streak to nine. She then contested the Underwood Stakes against a high-quality field. In the race, she led most of the way; however, she suffered defeat for the first time as It's A Dundeel, the Sydney Triple Crown winner, sat outside her and beat her by a short half-head. The result saw her remain the Cox Plate favourite, albeit with It's A Dundeel close in the markets.

Overall race record

References