Volksraad (horse)
{{Short description|British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox racehorse
| horsename = Volksraad
| sire = Green Desert (USA)
| grandsire = Danzig (USA)
| dam = Celtic Assembly
| damsire = Secretariat
| sex = Stallion
| foaled = 1988
| country = United Kingdom
| colour = Bay
| breeder = Windsor Park Stud
| owner = Windsor Park Stud
| earnings= £20,291
| record= 3 starts, 2 wins, 1 third
| awards= Champion New Zealand sire (2001–2007)
| updated= April 2009
}}
Volksraad (5 February 1988 – 28 December 2011) was a British-bred thoroughbred horse who when standing at stud in New Zealand was a champion sire.{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/162289/Volksraad-GB-1988.aspx#bm-overview|title=Volksraad (GB) 1988 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}} He dominated the New Zealand sires lists, with six consecutive titles from 2001 to 2007.
Racing career
Volksraad was bred by the Darley Stud and his name is allied with an old Afrikaans parliamentary assembly. He was trained by Henry Cecil and won as a two-year-old at Newmarket. He had two starts as a three-year-old, winning at Royal Ascot and then finished third in the Group Two Newmarket Challenge Stakes. A training accident led to his premature retirement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thoroughbrednews.com.au/News/Story/5610|title=2002 Champion sire Volksraad: Rags to riches > Australia and International Horse Racing news updated daily|website=www.thoroughbrednews.com.au}}
Stud career
He was purchased for 21,000 guineas at auction from the 1992 December sales in England by Nelson Schick and Steve Till, Pat Connell and the Davison family and moved to New Zealand. He began his stud career at Mapperley Stud, near Matamata, standing for a $2500 service fee, before transferring to Windsor Park Stud. His service fee peaked at $27,500.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/racing/6198494/Super-stallion-Volksraad-leaves-a-legacy|title=Super stallion Volksraad leaves a legacy|first=Aidan|last=Rodley|date=28 December 2011|website=Stuff }}
Volksraad was euthanased after fracturing a shoulder in a paddock accident on 28 December 2011. He was 23 years old.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing-top-stallion-volksraad-put-down-after-injury/SVWRBIVBLAA3PKXS3NEKRGPJFI/|title=Racing: Top stallion Volksraad put down after injury|date=19 November 2023|website=The New Zealand Herald }} {{Cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/racing/champion-stallion-dies|title=Champion stallion dies|date=29 December 2011|website=Otago Daily Times }}
=Notable progeny=
His progeny includes:
- Bahnhof Zoo, winner of 8 races in New Zealand{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/178365/Bahnhof-Zoo-NZ-1994.aspx#bm-pedigree/#bm-breeding|title=Bahnhof Zoo (NZ) 1994 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Clifton King, winner of the South African Guineas (G1) and Gosforth Park Centenary November Handicap (G1)
- Clifton Prince, winner of 11 races in New Zealand including the Wellesley Stakes and the 2005 & 2006 Stewards Stakes Handicap (G3 1200m Riccarton) {{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/222140/Clifton-Prince-NZ-2001.aspx#bm-pedigree/#bm-breeding|title=Clifton Prince (NZ) 2001 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Dantelah, winner of the 1999 Oakleigh Plate
- Dezigna, winner of 11 races in New Zealand including the 2007 Rich Hill Mile (G2 1600m, Ellerslie) and 2008 Captain Cook Stakes{{cite web | url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/207195/Dezigna-NZ-1999.aspx#bm-overview | title=Dezigna (NZ) 1999 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ }}
- Distill, winner of the 2011 Levin Classic
- Fiscal Madness, winner of 12 races, including the Group 2 2008 Rich Hill Mile{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/220583/Fiscal-Madness-NZ-2001.aspx#bm-overview|title=Fiscal Madness (NZ) 2001 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Katana, winner of Group 2 BNZ Breeders Stakes and 2nd in 2003 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/216457/Katana-NZ-2000.aspx#bm-overview|title=Katana (NZ) 2000 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Military Move, the 2010 New Zealand Derby winner{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/252304/Military-Move-NZ-2006.aspx#bm-overview|title=Military Move (NZ) 2006 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- One Under, winner of the 1999 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes and Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/191029/One-Under-NZ-1996.aspx#bm-overview|title=One Under (NZ) 1996 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Orange County, winner of the Group 1 2008 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://www.racing.com/horses/orange-county-nz-2002|title=Racing.com - Profile|website=www.racing.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/228774/aus-Orange-County-NZ-2002.aspx#bm-overview|title=[aus] Orange County (NZ) 2002 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Sir Slick, six-time Group 1 winner
- Star Satire, winner of the 2001 Otaki-Maori Weight for Age and runner up in the Phar Lap Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/196863/Star-Satire-NZ-1997.aspx#bm-overview|title=Star Satire (NZ) 1997 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Thriller, winner of the 1997 Group 3 Eclipse Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/175649/Thriller-NZ-1994.aspx#bm-overview|title=Thriller (NZ) 1994 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Torlesse, winner of the 2003 New Zealand Cup
- Tusker, winner of the 2005 Championship Stakes and 2006 Awapuni Gold Cup
- Veloce Bella, winner of 12 races including the 2006 Avondale Guineas (G2) & Eight Carat Classic (G2), 2007 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (G2), 2009 Travis Stakes (G2), 2010 New Zealand International Stakes (G1) and 2011 Trentham Stakes (G3){{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/235113/Veloce-Bella-NZ-2003.aspx#bm-overview|title=Veloce Bella (NZ) 2003 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Velocitea{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/245656/Velocitea-NZ-2005.aspx#bm-overview|title=Velocitea (NZ) 2005 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Vinaka, winner of the Telegraph Handicap (G1 1200m) as a 3-year old, 2001 Hawke's Bay Guineas. Also first past the post before being relegated in the 2001 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.
- Volkaire, winner of 9 races including the 2001 Churchill Stakes (G3, Riccarton){{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/177158/Volkaire-NZ-1994.aspx#bm-overview|title=Volkaire (NZ) 1994 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Willy Smith, winner of the 2007 Wellington Cup{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/224142/Willy-Smith-NZ-2001.aspx#bm-overview|title=Willy Smith (NZ) 2001 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
- Zola, winner of the 1998 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/184248/Zola-NZ-1995.aspx#bm-overview|title=Zola (NZ) 1995 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}
==Dam sire==
He is the dam sire of:
- Beauty Flash,{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/246721/Beauty-Flash-NZ-2005.aspx#bm-pedigree/#bm-breeding|title=Beauty Flash (NZ) 2005 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/750396/beauty-flash/form|title=Beauty Flash | Race Record & Form | Racing Post|website=www.racingpost.com}} winner of the 2010 Hong Kong Mile{{Cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/416/sha-tin/2010-12-12/520229|title=Full Result 7.50 Sha Tin (HK) | 12 December 2010 | Racing Post|website=www.racingpost.com}} and 2011 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup{{Cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/416/sha-tin/2011-03-06/526145|title=Full Result 8.35 Sha Tin (HK) | 6 March 2011 | Racing Post|website=www.racingpost.com}}
- Kawi, winner of the 2015 Makfi Challenge Stakes and Zabeel Classic, 2016 Thorndon Mile, Makfi Challenge Stakes and Windsor Park Plate and the 2017 Captain Cook Stakes
- Lights Of Heaven{{Cite web|url=https://loveracing.nz/Breeding/258307/aus-Lights-Of-Heaven-NZ-2007.aspx#bm-pedigree|title=[aus] Lights Of Heaven (NZ) 2007 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ|website=loveracing.nz}} winner of the 2011 Schweppes Oaks and 2012 Brisbane Cup{{Cite web|url=https://www.racing.com/horses/lights-of-heaven-nz-2007|title=Lights of Heaven (NZ) - Race Horse Profile RACING.COM|website=RACING.COM}}