Shannon (horse)

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Shannon


caption =
sire = Midstream
grandsire = Blandford
dam = Idle Words
damsire = Magpie
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1941
country = Australia
colour = Bay
breeder = St. Albans Stud
owner = Peter Riddle (Australia)
Neil McCarthy (United States)
trainer = Peter Riddle (Australia)
William Molter (United States)
record = 44: 20-8-7
earnings = $18,847 (AUS) + $211,610 (USA)
race = AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1943)
Hobartville Stakes (1944)
Epsom Handicap (1945)
Hill Stakes (1945)
George Main Stakes (1946 & 1947)
Theo Marks Stakes (1947)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1948)
honours = Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2006)
updated= December 13, 2006

Shannon (1941-1955) was an Australian Hall of Fame thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by Midstream from the mare Idle Words, he was owned and trained by Peter Riddle who paid £367 for him as a yearling.

Already a winner of the 1945 AJC Epsom Handicap Shannon is probably best remembered for not winning the same race the next year. A short-priced favourite for the 1946 running Shannon missed the start and did not move from his starting position until the rest of the field had travelled approximately 100 metres. Despite the setback his jockey took off after the field and failed only by half a head to catch the winner Blue Legend.

When his owner-trainer died he was sold to W.J. Smith for £27,300 and only raced four more times in Australia before being sold again, this time to American interest for a reported £52,000.

His last start in Australia ended in defeat finishing second to Russia in the 1947 AJC Craven Plate.

In total he raced 25 times in Australia for 14 wins with other prominent wins including the AJC George Main Stakes and the AJC Sires Produce Stakes.

Following a number of race wins in America, including in the 1948 Hollywood Gold Cup, he was retired to stud and stood alongside another Australian champion Bernborough at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky where he had only a modestly successful career as a sire.

In 1955, Shannon broke a leg and was humanely euthanized. He is buried at Spendthrift Farm.

Shannon was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame on July 4, 2006.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/shannon2 Shannon's pedigree and racing stats]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,799489-1,00.html TIME magazine December 13, 1948 article on Shannon]
* [http://www.racingmuseum.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=177 Shannon at the Australian Racing Museum Hall of Fame]