Sherwood Forest (horse)

Sherwood Forest (foaled 1 September 2016)[1] is an Australian-bred racehorse who is owned and trained in New Zealand. In 2020 he won the 145th running of the New Zealand Derby.

Sherwood Forest
SireFastnet Rock
GrandsireDanehill
DamChasing Mammon
DamsireGiant's Causeway
SexGelding
Foaled1 September 2016[1]
CountryAustralia
ColourBay
BreederGoodson & Perron Family Trust
OwnerGoodson & Perron Family Trust, Calder Bloodstock Ltd & Deborah Martin
TrainerTony Pike
Record11:4-0-2
EarningsNZ$737,875
Major wins
New Zealand Derby (2020)

Background

Sherwood Forest was bred in Australia and sold through the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is by Fastnet Rock out of a Giant's Causeway mare. Foaled and raised at Coolmore Australia, he is a full-brother to the stakes winner Royal Ocean.[2]

Racing career

2018/19: two-year-old season

Sherwood Forest raced three times as a two-year-old. He finished fourth on debut at Te Rapa in February, then ran sixth in the Listed Champagne Stakes and seventh in the Listed Auckland Futurity Stakes.

2019/20: three-year-old season

After beginning his season with a maiden win at Ruakaka, Sherwood Forest stepped up to stakes class and finished fifth in the Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas. He then travelled to the South Island, where he won the Group 3 War Decree Stakes before a strong third in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.

Trainer Tony Pike believed Sherwood Forest would come into his own over longer distances through the later part of the season, and so it proved. After a fourth in the Group 2 Auckland Guineas, he defeated older horses over 2200 metres at Te Aroha, then ran third in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas.

Sherwood Forest was slightly overlooked in the lead-up to the New Zealand Derby, with attention dominated by the spectacular Waikato Guineas winner Two Illicit and Avondale Guineas winner Dragon Leap.

But Sherwood Forest's superior stamina shone through, poking through between that pair in the straight and surging clear for an emphatic win ridden by Michael Walker. The time of 2:26.77 was the fastest New Zealand Derby since 1998. [3]

See also

References
  1. https://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=horse&query_type=horse&h=SHERWOOD+FOREST11&g=5&cellpadding=0&small_font=1&l=. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. https://coolmore.com/farms/australia/news/g1-new-zealand-derby-hero-for-fastnet-rock
  3. https://www.racingnews.co.nz/sherwood-forest-outstays-them-in-derby-upset/


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