Transworld (horse)

Transworld was unraced as juvenile in 1976 and made his debut in the Group 2 Gallinule Stakes over one and a half miles at the Curragh in May 1977. He showed some promise but finished unplaced behind his stablemate Alleged. In June he was sent to Ascot Racecourse in England for the Churchill Stakes, which was run over one and a half miles on the Saturday following the Royal Ascot meeting. He started favourite and overcame some difficulties in running before pulling away and winning by four lengths from the Guy Harwood-trained Mallard Song. Later that month he was sent to Down Royal in Northern Ireland and recorded a very easy wi in the Ulster Derby. In August at the Curragh he attempted to win his third consecutive race in the Blandford Stakes but was beaten a length into second by the Dermot Weld-trained Panamint with the filly Sassabunda in third.[2]

In the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh on 17 September Transworld was partnered by Tommy Murphy after Lester Piggott opted to ride the O'Brien stables main hope Valinsky, the winner of the Geoffrey Freer Stakes. Despite being rejected by the stable's top jockey, the colt was strongly supported in the betting market and started the 13/2 third choice behind Valinsky and Panamint. The other six runners included Sassabunda, Orchestra (Nijinsky Stakes) and Aristocracy (Whitehall Stakes). Murphy sent Tranworld into the lead from the start and was never seriously challenged, shaking off his closest pursuer Valinsky early in the straight and drawing clear of the field to win by four lengths from Orchestra. His victory gave Vincent O'Brien a third consecutive win in the contest after Caucasus in 1975 and Meneval in 1976.[2]

At the end of the year the independent Timeform organisation gave Transworld a rating of 121, sixteen pounds behind their Horse of the Year Alleged.[2]