Shogun Lodge

Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge by Pride of Tahnee) was a brilliant middle distance racehorse in Australia. He raced in the best races from his first two-year-old race and never ran in races with less than listed group status. His best wins were his Epsom Handicap, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, his win over champion mare Sunline in the George Main Stakes. He amassed $4,539,190, 3 Group One wins and an incredible 12 Group One second placings in his 56 start career. These seconds included Doncaster Handicaps, the Victoria and AJC Derby and a Doomben Cup. Possibly his best ever performance was a very narrow second to Sunline in the 2002 Doncaster where both carried the equal topweight of 58kg, conceding 6.5kg to the brilliant Defier. 'Shogun' also came third in his year's edition of the Golden Slipper as the favourite.

Shogun Lodge was unlucky to meet champions, Sunline, Northerly and Lonhro, at their peaks as well as other multiple Group One winners such as Sky Heights, Tie the Knot, Defier, Testa Rossa and Fairway. While running in the 2003 Emirate Stakes suffered a fatal heart attack. His very upset trainer, Bob Thomsen, said "Oh God... I've probably handled the best horse this country's ever had. The best horse ever to put his head through a bridle was Tulloch and I handled him... his heart weighed 14-and-a-half (pounds)... I'll tell you what, Shogun wasn't far behind him..."

ee also

* Millionaire Racehorses in Australia

References

* http://www.expertfrom.com
* http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/08/1068243307569.html
* http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/13/1068674316738.html?from=storyrhs
* http://www.ausracing.net.au/images/newpics/pagehtml/shogun%20lodge.htm] (includes photographs)