Horse Racing: 2005-06 Review Trivia Quiz

Answer: Spark of Life

Spark of Life joined some of the greats of racing by winning his second Manikato Stakes, with his first being in 2004. It was his third win a G1 level. He was ridden perfectly by top jockey Glen Boss. Spark of Life was a bargain buy from the Magic Millions Premier Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast.

Answer: David Hayes

After spending a successful 10 years in Hong Kong, David Hayes returned with a bang. Teamed up with Craig Williams, David trained Barely a Moment to win the Dubai Racing Club Cup, the second G1 race of the season. He had not registered a G1 win in Australia since champion stallion Jeune won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1995.

Answer: Mummify

Mummify will forever be a name remembered in the hearts of those watching the 2005 Caufield Cup. The corageous 6-year old came 3rd in the race, however he was soon put down. The champion smashed both sesamoid bones in his near fore fetlock and could not be saved. The 5-time G1 winner was laid to rest next to another of Freedman's old champions.

Answer: False

The great mare was asked to carry a crushing 58kg in the race, becoming the first mare to carry such a weight to win the race. She became the 19th in the history of the Melbourne Cup to carry 58kg or more to victory. Shortly after the race, owner Tony Santic announced that she had done enough and was retired. Makybe Diva's first foal is to be out of English Derby winner Galileo.

Answer: Jeune, Danzig and Semipalatinsk

Jeune died at the young age of 16 on January 4th of heart failure. The stallion won 10 races, including the 1994 Melbourne cup. He was also named horse of the year in 1994-95. Jeune was the sire to over 210 winners, 14 of which won in stakes races. Some of his more notable foals were Mummify, True Steel (WA G1 winner) and On a Jeune (runner up in the 2005 Melbourne Cup). Danzig was best known as the sire of Danehill, and lived to the tender old age of 29 as the sire of almost 200 stakes winners, including Cheif's Crown, Lure, War Chant and Dance Smartly. Semipalatinsk died at the age of 28 as the sire of more then 500 winners, with 21 of those stakes winners.

Some of his more notable winners were Just Now (AJC Oaks) and Skalato.

Answer: Redoute's Choice

Redoute's Choice proved to everyone that he deserved to be included as a sire of champions in the 2005/06 season. By the end of the season, the stallion had sired 89 winners out of 177 runners for a win ratio of 50.8%. Redoute's Choice was from another champion stud, Danehill, who has clearly passed on his winning genes to the next generation.

Answer: Legs

The NZL Oaks was Legs' first win in G1 company. The filly was owned by Kevin Gray, and it was the 2nd G1 race victory that the owner has celebrated. His first came five seasons earlier in the 2000 Guineas with Master Belt. Legs was out of Waikato Stud's newest star stallion, Pins, who has also sired El Segundo and Econsul.

Answer: Aqua d'Amore

Aqua d'Amore, by Danehill and out of Romantic River, came second by 1/2 length in the 2000m race, 3/4 of a length ahead of Ike's Dream. The overall winner of the race, Eremein, was ridden by Glen Boss, giving the star jockey 10 G1 wins in the season.

Answer: Damien Oliver

Damien Oliver, best known for riding the 2002 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle, returned to the saddle after 15 months on the sidelines. Oliver had endured fractured bones in his back after falling at Moonee Valley in March, 2005. His return came in the same month that Media Puzzle was sadly put down after shattering a sesamoid bone during the Ascot Gold Cup.

Answer: Railings

Railings had to settle for second place behind the legendary mare. Miss Finland was next, followed by Eremein, and then Racing to Win.

Answer: Makybe Diva

Makybe Diva, legendary mare out of Desert King, topped the time-form rating's list with a rating of 129 ahead of Racing to Win (126), Paratroopers (125), Takeover Target (125), El Segundo (124), and Eremein (124).

Answer: 8

Freedman's eight victories were the Victoria Derby (Benicio), Robert Sangster Stakes (Ellicorsam), Melbourne Cup (Makybe Diva), WS Cox Plate (Makybe Diva), C.F. Orr Stakes (Perfect Promise), AJC Australian Oaks (Serenade Rose), Arrowfield Stud Stakes (Serenade Rose), and the VRC Oaks (Serenade Rose).

Answer: Eremein

Glen Boss and Eremein won the 2006 BMW ahead of star galloper Railings, with Our Smoking Joe a close third. Boss also rode Eremein to victories in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Ranvet Stakes. He took out the top jockey award with 10 G1 victories for the season with his rides in the Caufield Guineas (God's Own), the Melbourne Cup (Makybe Diva), the WS Cox Plate (Makybe Diva), Doncaster Handicapp (Racing to Win), the George Ryder (Racing to Win), the AJC Australian Oaks (Serenade Rose) and the Manikato Stakes (Spark of Life).

Answer: Takeover Target

Takeover Target, winner of 2006 Newmarket Handicap and the 2006 Lightning Stakes, joined the ranks of past winners such as Fastnet Rock (2004-05), and Exceed and Excel (2003-04).

Answer: Xcellent

Xcellent, also the winner of the 2004-05 Horse of the Year title, joined other New Zealand greats such as King's Chapel (2003-04), and Sunline (2000-01, 2001-02).