Colorspin

Colorspin was a "tall, lengthy"[2] bay mare bred in France by Egon Weinfeld's Hampshire-based Meon Valley Stud. Like the other horses raced by the Meon Valley Stud, Colorspin competed in the black and white colours of Helena Springfield Ltd a company owned by Weinfeld.[3] She was trained by Michael Stoute at his Beech Hurst stables in Newmarket, Suffolk, where she was one of an outstanding group of fillies which also included Sonic Lady and Untold.[4]

She was sired by High Top, who won the 2000 Guineas in 1972[5] and later became a successful breeding stallion whose other progeny included Top Ville, Circus Plume and Cut Above. Her dam Reprocolor won the Lancashire Oaks in 1979[6] and went on to become one of Meon Valley's three foundation mares alongside One in a Million and Odeon.[7] Apart from Colorspin she produced Cezanne and the Prix de l'Opéra winner Bella Colora and she was also the female-line ancestor of Lyric of Light.[8]

In 1985, the independent Timeform organisation gave Colorspin a rating of 117 p (the "p" indicating that she was expected to make more than usual improvement), making her seven pounds inferior to their best two-year-old filly Femme Elite. In the official International Classification she was rated twelve pounds behind the top-rated Bakharoff and nine pounds behind the leading filly Baiser Vole.[2] In the following year Colorspin was rated 118 by Timeform, eleven pound behind their best three-year-old fillies Sonic Lady and Darara. She was rated nine pounds behind the top-rated Sonic Lady in the International Classififcation and was the sixth-best three-year-old filly in the 11 furlong plus division.[4]

Colorspin was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the Meon Valley Stud. She produced at least sixteen foals between 1988 and 2008:

• Opera House, a bay colt, foaled in 1988, sired by Sadler's Wells. Won eight races including Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup, Coronation Cup, Eclipse Stakes, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
• Highland Dress, bay colt, 1989, by Lomond. Won four races.[9]
• Polanski, bay colt, 1991, by Polish Precedent. Failed to win in two races.
• Stencil, chestnut colt (later gelded), 1992, by Nashwan
• Color Precedent, bay filly, 1993, by Polish Precedent
• Kayf Tara, bay colt, 1994, by Sadler's Wells. Won ten races including Ascot Gold Cup, Irish St Leger, Goodwood Cup.
• Spinning the Yarn, bay filly, 1996, by Barathea. Unplaced on only start. Dam of Necklace (Moyglare Stud Stakes).
• Mafnood, bay colt, 1997, by Rainbow Quest. Unraced.
• Turn of a Century, bay filly, 1998, by Halling. Won one race.[10]
• Zee Zee Top, bay filly, 1999, by Zafonic. Won three races including Middleton Stakes and Prix de l'Opéra.[11] Dam of Izzi Top (Pretty Polly Stakes, Prix Jean Romanet) and Jazzi Top (Prix de la Nonette).
• Feel Good Factor, bay colt (gelded), 2000, by Singspiel. Won two races under National Hunt rules.[12]
• Team Player, bay colt, 2001, by Mark of Esteem.Failed to win in two races.
• Galaxy Highflyer, bay filly, 2004, by Galileo. Unraced. Dam of Oklahoma City (Tattersalls Millions 2-y-o Trophy)
• Chioroscuro, grey colt (gelded), 2005, by Act One. Failed to win in three races.
• Colorado Dawn, chestnut filly, 2006, by Fantastic Light. Unraced.
• Justification, dark bay or brown colt (gelded), 2008, by Montjeu. on one flat race and two races over hurdles.[13]

In 2003 Colorspin was named British Broodmare of the Year by the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.[14]

Colorspin was retired from breeding in 2008 and died at the Meon Valley Stud from a suspected heart attack on 14 August 2012 at the age of 29.[15][16]