Princely Heir
Princely Heir (20 April 1995 – December 2013) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed his best form as a two-year-old in 1997 when he won three of his four races including the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes in Ireland. He remained in training for a further two seasons but never won again and never even contested another Group 1 race. He retired to become a breeding stallion in Ireland and was later exported to India. Background Princely Heir was a bay horse with a white blaze and four white socks bred in Ireland by his owner Maktoum Al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud. As a yearling at Tattersalls in September 1996 he was sold for 40,000 guineas but returned to the ownership of Maktoum Al Maktoum. During his racing career he was trained by Mark Johnston at Middleham in North Yorkshire. His sire Fairy King, who was full-brother to Sadler's Wells, failed to win a race after being injured on his debut, but sired the winners of over five-hundred races, including Helissio, Falbrav, Turtle Island and Oath. Princely Heir's dam Meis El-Reem was a top-class racemate who won the Prix d'Astarte and the Child Stakes as well as finishing second to Pebbles in the 1000 Guineas. Meis El-Reem was descended from the Italian broodmare Tresa (foaled 1946) whose most notable offspring was the Prix du Jockey Club winner Tamanar. Racing career 1997: two-year-old season Princely Heir made his debut in a maiden race over five furlongs at Ripon Racecourse on 28 May in which he was ridden by Jason Weaver. Starting the 11/4 favourite in an eighteen-runner field, he recovered from a slow start to take the lead inside the final furlong and won by two lengths from Batswing. On 4 July with Weaver again in the saddle, Princely Heir started 5/4 favourite for a novice race (for horses with no more than one previous win) over the same distance at Beverley Racecourse. Racing on heavy ground he took the lead from the start, opened up a clear advantage approaching the final furlong and came home nine lengths ahead of his three opponents. Nine days after his win at Beverley, the colt was moved up in class and distance when he was sent to Ireland to contest the Group 3 Curragh Stakes over six and a half furlongs. He was partnered by Darryll Holland and finished third of the five runners behind Lady Alexander and King of Kings. Jason Weaver resumed his partnership with Princely Heir when the colt was stepped up to Group 1 class for the Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on 10 August. He started a 12/1 outsider in a nine-runner field which saw the betting market headed by the Godolphin filly Asfurah who had won the Windsor Castle Stakes and the Cherry Hinton Stakes on her last two starts. The other runners included Harbour Master (Coventry Stakes), Tarascon, Pool Music (National Stakes), Hopping Higgins (Cork Stakes) and Flame Violet (Rochestown Stakes). Princely Heir tracked the