Dark Angel (horse)

Dark Angel
Sire	Acclamation
Grandsire	Royal Applause
Dam	Midnight Angel
Damsire	Machiavellian
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	4 April 2005[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Grey
Breeder	Yeomanstown Stud
Owner	Mrs J M Corbett & Chris Wright
Trainer	Barry Hills
Record	9: 4-1-0
Earnings	£341,306
Major wins
St Leger Yearling Stakes (2007) Mill Reef Stakes (2007) Middle Park Stakes (2007)

Dark Angel (foaled 4 April 2005) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He raced only as a two-year-old, winning four of his nine races including the St Leger Yearling Stakes, Mill Reef Stakes and Middle Park Stakes. He was retired to stud as a three-year-old and became a very successful breeding stallion.

Background

Dark Angel is a grey horse bred in Ireland by the County Kildare based Yeomanstown Stud. He was from the first crop of foals sired by Acclamation, a high-class sprinter who won the Diadem Stakes in 2003. The best of his other progeny was Equiano, a dual winner of the King's Stand Stakes.^[2] Dark Angel's dam Midnight Angel was an unraced daughter of Machiavellian. She was a female-line descendant of the Irish Oaks winner Agars Plough, the ancestor of many other major winners including Halling, Mastery and Balla Cove.^[3]

During his racing career Dark Angel was owned by Mrs J M Corbett & Chris Wright and was trained by Barry Hills at Lambourn in Berkshire. He was ridden in all of his races by his trainer's son Michael.

Racing career

2007: two-year-old career

Dark Angel began his racing career by finishing second to Spirit of Sharjah in a race over five furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 18 April. Three weeks later at Chester Racecourse he started 2/5 favourite for a maiden race over the same distance and recorded his first success, taking the lead a furlong out and winning by two lengths from Eileen's Violet.^[4] The colt was then stepped up in class for the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and finished unplaced behind Drawnfromthepast. On 12 July Dark Angel started a 20/1 outsider for the July Stakes at Newmarket. He led until the final furlong before finishing fourth behind Winker Watson, River Proud and Swiss Franc, beaten just over two lengths by the winner. On his next appearance the colt started 5/2 favourite in a twenty-runner field for the £300,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes at York Racecourse on 23 August. He tracked the leaders before going to the front two furlongs out and won by two lengths from the Richard Hannon, Sr.-trained Gypsy Baby with Drawnfromthepast unplaced.^[5]

Dark Angel was moved up in class on 14 September for the Group Two Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse. He started the 5/1 third favourite in an eight-runner field but finished seventh behind the filly Fleeting Spirit. Eight days after his defeat at Donacster, Dark Angel started the 9/4 favourite for the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes over six furlongs at Newbury in which his opponents included the Richmond Stakes winner Strike The Deal and the Sirenia Stakes winner Philario. He led from the start and fought off several challenges in the closing stages to win by a neck, three quarters of a length and a head from Strike The Deal, Berbice and Philario.^[6][7]

On 5 October, Dark Angel was stepped up to Group One class for the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. The Gimcrack Stakes winner Sir Gerry was made the 2/1 favourite with Dark Angel on 8/1 whilst the other runners included Tajdeef (also trained by Barry Hiils), Strike The Deal, Dream Eater and Achilles of Troy. Dark Angel took the early lead before settling in second behind the outsider Proud Linus. He regained the advantage at half way and ran on well despite hanging to the right and won by half a length from Strike The Deal with Tajdeef a neck away in third.^[8] After the race Barry Hills said "I think he'll be a sprinter next year. I can't see him getting a mile but who knows".^[9] On his final appearance, Dark Angel was moved up in distance for the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs two weeks later. He led for the first half mile but then dropped away quickly to finish ninth of the ten runners behind New Approach.

Stud record

At the age of three, Dark Angel was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion at the Morristown Lattin Stud in County Kildare. He made an immediate impact at stud, and sired many good winners including Lethal Force, Mecca's Angel (Nunthorpe Stakes), Estidhkaar (Superlative Stakes, Champagne Stakes), Gabrial (Lincoln Handicap), Sovereign Debt (Concorde Stakes), Bronze Angel (Cambridgeshire Handicap), Gabriel's Lad (Victoria Cup), Gutaifan (Prix Robert Papin, Flying Childers Stakes) Alhebayeb (July Stakes) and Birchwood (Superlative Stakes).^[10]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Dark Angel (IRE), grey stallion, 2005^[1]

Sire Acclamation (GB) 1999	Royal Applause (GB) 1993	Waajib	Try My Best
			Corvana
		Flying Melody	Auction Ring
			Whispering Star
	Princess Athena (IRE) 1985	Ahonoora	Lorenzaccio
			Helen Nichols
		Shopping Wise	Floribunda
			Sea Melody
Dam Midnight Angel (GB) 1994	Machiavellian (USA) 1987	Mr Prospector	Raise A Native
			Gold Digger
		Coup de Folie	Halo
			Raise the Standard
	Night At Sea (GB) 1987	Night Shift	Northern Dancer
			Ciboulette
		Into Harbour	Right Tack
			Headland (Family: 10-c)[3]

References

1. "Dark Angel pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
2. "Acclamation - Stud Record". Racing Post.
3. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Bonnie Doon - Family 10-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
4. "Turf.tv.co.uk EBF Maiden Stakes result". Racing Post. 9 May 2007.
5. "St Leger Yearling Stakes result". Racing Post. 23 August 2007.
6. "Mill Reef Stakes result". Racing Post. 22 September 2007.
7. Mary Schweitzer (22 September 2007). "Dark Angel Soars to Victory in Mill Reef". The Blood-Horse.
8. "MIddle Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 5 October 2007.
9. Dan Liebman (5 October 2007). "Dark Angel Soars to Win Middle Park". The Blood-Horse.
10. "Dark Angel - Stud Record". Racing Post.