Mantovani (horse)

Mantovani (foaled 1 February 1994) was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 1996 when he won two of his three races including a 20/1 upset victory in the Phoenix Stakes. After being transferred to Godolphin he was off the racecourse for four years before finishing unplaced in five starts in the United Arab Emirates.

Mantovani
SireTreasure Kay
GrandsireMummy's Pet
DamDream of Spring
DamsireHello Gorgeous
SexStallion
Foaled1 February 1994[1]
CountryIreland
ColourBay
BreederF Salhoub
OwnerJackie Bolger & John Corcoran
Godolphin
TrainerJim Bolger
Saeed bin Suroor
Record8: 2-1-0
Earnings£97,045
Major wins
Phoenix Stakes (1996)

Background

Mantovani was a bay horse bred in Ireland by F Salhoub. He entered the ownership of Jackie Bolger in partnership with John Corcoran and was sent into training with Jim Bolger at Coolcullen, County Carlow.

He was probably the best horse sired by Treasure Kay,[2] a sprinter who recorded his biggest win in the 1987 Temple Stakes.[3] Mantovani's dam Dream of Spring was an unraced mare, but was descended from Legendra (foaled 1944) who was the female-line ancestor of Shareef Dancer and Zenyatta.[4]

Racing career

1996: two-year-old season

Mantovani made his racecourse debut on 12 June in a minor race over six furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse in which he started at odds of 11/4 and finished second of the seven runners, beaten a short head by the Kevin Prendergast-trained favourite Quws. On 6 July the colt started 4/7 favourite for a maiden race over the same course and distance. Ridden as on his debut by Kevin Manning, he recorded his first success as he won by three quarters of a length from the filly Maratana.[5]

Despite suffering from sore shins which disrupted his training, Mantovani was then moved up sharply in class and started a 20/1 outsider for the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes on 11 August. The Coventry Stakes winner Verglas started favourite, while the other seven runners included Ocean Ridge (Prix Robert Papin), Azra (Silver Flash Stakes) and Raphane (Curragh Stakes). Manning was aboard Azra, the Bolger stable's more fancied runner, and so the ride on Mantovani went to Conor Everard. After racing just behind the leaders Mantovani "squeezed" though a gap along the inside rail a furlong out, took the lead and kept on well to win by two lengths from the British challenger Muchea.[6] Jim Bolger commented I knew he would handle the ground. I had planned to run him in the Anglesea Stakes but plans will now have to be changed".[7]

In the autumn of 1996 Mantovani was bought privately by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation and was transferred to the stable of Saeed bin Suroor.

Later career

In the winter of 1996/97 Mantovani was sent to be trained at Godolphin's base in the United Arab Emirates. He appears to have had serious training problems and missed the next four seasons before finally returning to the track as a six-year-old in 2000. He ran twice in that year, finishing unplaced in two handicap races in December at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and Jebel Ali. On 25 January 2001 Mantovani finished fifth of the ten runners behind March Crusader in a handicap race over 1500 metres at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse. In the following month he finished fourth in a handicap over 1400 metres at Ghantoot Racecourse.[8] On his final start he finished sixth at Nad Al Sheba in April.

Mantovani does not appear to have stood as a breeding stallion and has no recorded offspring.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Mantovani (IRE), bay stallion, 1994[1]
Sire
Treasure Kay (GB)
1983		 Mummy's Pet (GB)
1968		 Sing Sing Tudor Minstrel
Agin the Law
Money for Nothing Grey Sovereign
Sweet Nothings
Welsh Blossom (GB)
1975　		 Welsh Saint St Paddy
Welsh Way
Riding High Hard Ridden
Bridge of Stars
Dam
Dream of Spring (IRE)
1983		 Hello Gorgeous (USA)
1977		 Mr Prospector Raise A Native
Gold Digger
Bonny Jet Jet Jewel
Bonny Bush
Bold Sands (USA)
1977		 Wajima Bold Ruler
Iskra
Slapton Sands First Landing
Legendra (Family: 4-r)[4]

References
  1. "Mantovani pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "Treasure Kay - Progeny". Racing Post.
  3. Timeform staff (1988). Racehorses of 1987. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-46-4.
  4. "Cub Mare - Family 4-r". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  5. "Glenalua European Breeders Fund Maiden result". Racing Post. 6 July 1996.
  6. "Phoenix Stakes result". Racing Post. 11 August 1996.
  7. Michael O'Farrell (12 August 1996). "Mantovani and Everard cause major surprise". The Irish Times.
  8. "Al Basti Hartog Handicap result". Racing Post. 18 February 2001.
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