Sherwood Forest (foaled 1 September 2016) is an Australian-bred racehorse who is owned and trained in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. In 2020 he won the 145th running of the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

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.

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 The Hawke's Bay Guineas is a major Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand for three-year-old horses. In 2003 the stake was boosted to $100,000 and the race was moved to the first Saturday in October, meaning that it is run on the same day as the S ...

. 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 The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

. 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

, 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. After the Derby win Sherwood Forest went to Australia to compete. In March he was 7th behind Castelvecchio in the 2000m

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

and in April 8th to

Quick Thinker Quick Thinker (foaled 7 September 2016) is a Group 1 winning Australian bred, New Zealand trained thoroughbred racehorse. Background Quick Thinker was a A$100,000 Inglis Easter purchase and was bred by Bowcock Bloodstock. He is a half-brothe ...

in the 2400m

Australian Derby Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

Randwick Racecourse Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing located in the Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse is Crown Land leased to the Australian Turf Club and known to many Sydney ra ...

Subsequent seasons

In September 2020 Sherwood Forest dropped out of the 1400m JRA Trophy at Ellerslie with lameness, the race won by Two Illicit who had been runner up to it in the New Zealand Derby. However Sherwood Forest returned to the track with a late finishing 5th at Hastings in March 2021, behind Vigor Winner. In April 2021 he was 4th in the Hawkes Bay Cup behind Big Mike. In September 2021 Sherwood Forest was taken to Victoria, Australia, and competed without success in three races. He returned to some form when placed 3rd to Hunta Pence in the Taupo Cup on 30 December 2021 and 5th in the 2022

Trentham Stakes The Trentham Stakes is a Group 3 weight-for-age race held for thoroughbred racehorses at Trentham Racecourse near Wellington, New Zealand conducted by the Wellington Racing Club. Held over 2100 metres in January, it is seen as the main lead-up ...

behind Waisake. In mid 2022 Sherwood Forest was transferred to the stable of Bill Thurlow at Waverley.

References