Classic Cliche (foaled 13 March 1992), is a retired

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse and active sire who was bred in Ireland and trained in Britain and the United Arab Emirates. In a career which lasted from August 1994 until September 1997, he ran sixteen times and won six races. He recorded his most important success when winning the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

as a three-year-old in 1995, the same year in which he won the

Dante Stakes The Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at ...

. In the following season he became the first Classic winner in fifty years to win the Ascot Gold Cup.

Background

Classic Cliche is a bay horse with a white star sired by the

Prix de la Forêt The Prix de la Forêt is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it i ...

winner Salse, whose progeny also included the

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is s ...

winner

Air Express Air Express (26 April 1994 – 2000) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was highly tried as a juvenile in 1996, winning one minor race and being placed in the July Stakes, Solario Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes. In ...

and the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes winner Timboroa. Classic Cliche's dam Pato also produced the

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 ...

winner

My Emma My Emma (foaled 19 March 1993) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was lightly campaigned, making only eight racecourse appearances in three seasons. After finishing unplaced on her only start as a two-year-old she began her ...

and was a member of the same Thoroughbred family which produced The Derby winners Blakeney and Morston. Classic Cliche was consigned by the Nidd Park Stud to the Tattersalls sales as a foal in November 1992 where he was sold for 13,500

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...

by N. Magill. In October 1993 the yearling was sent to the Goffs sales in Ireland and was bought for IR£85,000 by the Malaysian businessman Ivan Allan. Allan sent the colt into training with Henry Cecil at Warren Place stables at Newmarket.

Racing career

1994: two-year-old season

Classic Cliche made his racecourse debut in a seven

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...

maiden race at Newmarket on 26 August. Ridden by

Pat Eddery Patrick James John Eddery (18 March 1952 – 10 November 2015) was an Irish flat racing jockey and trainer. He rode three winners of the Derby and was Champion Jockey on eleven occasions. He rode the winners of 4,632 British flat races, a f ...

he started 6/5 favourite and "held on well" in the closing stages to win by a head from Okavango. A month later, he started favourite for a minor stakes race at Ascot in which he was beaten a short head by Wijara, with the future multiple Group One winner Luso finishing fourth. At the end of the year, Classic Cliche was sold to Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin organisation and transferred to the stable of

Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor (born 16 November 1968 in Dubai) is a horse racing trainer in Great Britain. He took out his training licence in 1993 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation. He has been ...

1995: three-year-old season

Classic Cliche made his first appearance for Godolphin in the Dante Stakes at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

, a recognised trial for The Derby. Ridden by

Walter Swinburn Walter Robert John Swinburn (7 August 1961 – 12 December 2016) was a flat racing jockey and trainer who competed in Great Britain and internationally. Biography Swinburn was born in Oxford. He was the son of Wally Swinburn, who won ...

he took the lead two furlongs from the finish and stayed on gamely in the straight to win by half a length from Annus Mirabilis, with the favourite Presenting four lengths back in third. Classic Cliche ran next in the

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over ...

Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city located in the Oise department **US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly, a historic château located in the town of Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missou ...

on 4 June. He stayed on in the closing stages to finish fourth behind

Celtic Swing Celtic Swing (21 February 1992 – 4 September 2010) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He won the French Derby in 1995 and was also known for his performances in the autumn of the previous year, when his wins at Ascot and at Doncaster ...

, Poliglote and Winged Love. Six days later Presenting was beaten less than two lengths by

Lammtarra Lammtarra (2 February 1992 7 July 2014) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated in his career and won three Group One races in 1995, in which year he was voted the Cartier Three-Year-Old European Champi ...

in the Epsom Derby. On 2 July Classic Cliche finished fifth behind Winged Love in the

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance ...

. After a break of two months, Classic Cliche reappeared in the St. Leger at

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

for which he started 100/30 favourite. Dettori tracked the leader, Jural, before moving into the lead four furlongs from the finish. Classic Cliche quickly went clear of the field and won by three and a half lengths from Minds Music. The win gave Dettori the 1,000th win of his career.

1996: four-year-old season

As a four-year-old, Classic Cliche was campaigned over extended distances. On his seasonal debut, he was pitted against the Irish St. Leger winner Strategic Choice and the

Gran Premio del Jockey Club The Gran Premio del Jockey Club is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Milan over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October. ...

winner Court of Honour in the Yorkshire Cup at York. Ridden by

Mick Kinane Michael J. Kinane (born 22 June 1959, Killenaule, County Tipperary) is an Irish former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009. A prolific winner of the Irish, English and French Classic race ...

, Classic Cliche took the lead in the straight and stayed on strongly to beat Strategic Choice by one and a half lengths. Classic Cliche was then moved up in distance and class to contest the two and a half mile Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, a race which no Classic winner had won since

Ocean Swell A swell, also sometimes referred to as ground swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series of mechanical waves that propagate along the interface between water and air under the predominating influence of gravity, and thus are ofte ...

in 1945. The Godolphin colt started 3/1 second choice in the betting behind the 1/2 favourite Double Trigger. Mick Kinane restrained Classic Cliche for much of the race before moving him up to challenge in the straight. Classic Cliche took the lead in the closing stages and was driven out by Kinane to win from Double Trigger and Nononito. A month later, Classic Cliche returned to Ascot for Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

over one and a half miles. He was always prominent and took the lead in the straight but was overtaken by Pentire and finished second, beaten one and three quarter lengths, a neck ahead of the Derby winner Shaamit. On his final appearance of the year, Classic Cliche was sent to Longchamp for the

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

. He made little impression, and was eased down by Frankie Dettori in the straight, finishing fifteenth of the sixteen runners behind

Helissio Helissio (1993–2013) was a Thoroughbred racehorse sired by Fairy King and a grandson of Northern Dancer. Owned by the Spanish businessman Enrique Sarasola, he was voted the European Horse of the Year for 1996 His career highlight was win ...

1997: five-year-old season

On his five-year-old debut, Classic Cliche attempted to win the Yorkshire Cup for the second successive year, but ran unaccountably badly, finishing last of the nine runners behind Celeric. In the Ascot Gold Cup, Classic Cliche faced an exceptionally strong field which included Celeric, Double Trigger, Nononito, Moonax and Persian Punch. Ridden by Dettori, he was held up in the closing stages before moving up to take the lead in the straight. Inside the final furlong he was overtaken by Celeric and finished second, beaten three quarters of a length. In July, Classic Cliche started favourite for the Goodwood Cup, but was beaten one and a half lengths by Double Trigger. On 24 August, Classic Cliche was sent to France to contest the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville, in which he was ridden by John Reid. Starting the 7/10 favourite, he took the lead in the straight and won by two lengths from Orchestra Stall. Classic Cliche's final race was the Irish St. Leger at the

Curragh The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...

in September. He started 2/1 joint favourite but was never a threat and finished tailed-off last of the seven runners behind Oscar Schindler.

Stud career

Classic Cliche stood at the Wood Farm stud in

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...

before moving to the Kilbarry Lodge Stud in Ireland. His best flat racing performer was the filly Macadamia who won the

Falmouth Stakes The Falmouth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,6 ...

in 2003 He is currently marketed as a

National Hunt In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...

sire.

Pedigree

References

{{St Leger Winners 1992 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Arab Emirates Thoroughbred family 20-c St Leger winners