Star Kingdom (formerly known as Star King) (1946–1967) was a Thoroughbred race horse bred in Ireland in 1946. Exported to Australia, he was an outstanding sire, being the leading sire for five seasons, the leading sire of two-year-olds seven times as well as heading the broodmare sires' list three times.
Foaled on 30 April 1946, Star Kingdom was bred by Richard Ball, master of Cloghran Stud, in County Dublin, Ireland. Star Kingdom was a son of Stardust and out of the unraced mare, Impromptu by Concerto. He was inbred to Sunstar (who won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes and The Derby), in the fourth generation (4m x 4f). Wilfred Harvey purchased him at the Doncaster sales for 3,100 guineas.
Racing record Star Kingdom was registered and raced under the name of Star King in England. Conditioned for racing by John Waugh, in his two-year-old racing season he was rated second (to Abernant) among English sprinters. He was beaten by Abernant by the shortest of short heads in the National Breeders' Produce Stakes at Sandown Park and his jockey 'Sam Wragg thought he had won.The Bloodstock Breeders Review 1948 Out of 16 starts he recorded nine wins and was unplaced only four times collecting £12,352 in stakes. His wins included the York Gimcrack Stakes and the Sandown Park Produce Stakes. All of his wins, with the exception of one, were by long margins of up to ten lengths.Ulbrich, Richard, See How They Ran, Libra Books, Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia, 1981, He was rated 131 by Timeform in their first ever Annual of 1948Timeform Annual 1948
In 1949 Star King won the Greenham Stakes over 7 furlongs and the then 7.7 furlong Jersey Stakes at Ascot but ran disappointingly in the 2,000 Guineas and July Cup of 1949. Timeform's assessment of him was that he possessed a fine turn of speed and was at his best when opponents did not take him off his feet too early in the race. They rated him 128 in 1949.Racehorses of 1949
Stud record Star Kingdom was purchased by Alf Ellison, Reg Moses and Stanley Wootton at a cost of £4,000 and sent to Australia in 1951. Upon arrival it was obvious that he had not travelled well, and he stood only 15 hands and inch high, leaving his purchasers with serious doubts about the wisdom of their choice. As there was already a Star King in Australia, he was re-registered as Star Kingdom and installed at Baramul Stud in New South Wales. His influence was not immediately felt, but eventually he became Australia's leading sire for the first time in the 1958–59 season when his fifth crop began racing although he was the leading sire of two-year-olds in his first season and the first sire whose earners were to reach the equivalent of $2 million. Star Kingdom was the leading sire five times, leading sire of two-year-olds seven times as well as leading the broodmare sires' list thrice.
One of his achievements was to sire the winner of the first five Golden Slipper Stakes. Primarily a speed sire his influence is still seen in the bloodlines of Australian Thoroughbreds today. His progeny held Australian records for 4 furlongs, 5 furlongs, furlongs, 8 furlongs and 10 furlongs at various times.
Among his offspring were 52 stakeswinners, including the outstanding horses Biscay, Citius, Concert Star, Todman, Fine and Dandy, Noholme, Reveille, Time And Tide, Sky High, Skyline, King Star, Kingster, Star Affair, Planet Kingdom, Kaoru Star (sire of Luskin Star, a Triple Crown winner), Mighty Kingdom, Gold Stakes, Magic Night, Starlit, Cymbal, Courteous, Sunset Hue (sire of Gunsynd) and Ritmar. The top racehorse Sky High was his most prolific winner, recording 29 wins.
Star Kingdom was also a noted broodmare sire, with the likes of his daughter Dark Jewel producing Baguette, a Golden Slipper Stakes winner who was unbeaten in his two-year-old season and future sire of note.
Standing at Barramul Stud for 16 successive seasons (1951–1966), he died from a bowel blockage, at the age of 21, on 21 April 1967.de Bourg, Ross, “The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred”, Nelson, West Melbourne, 1980, A headstone at Baramul Stud commemorates him and his son, Todman.
In 1978, more than 11 years after Star Kingdom's death, he had at least 42 sons standing at studs in Australia and New Zealand, including the very successful Kaoru Star. At the same time he also had over 100 grandsons standing at stud.
Sire line tree
Star KingdomJumpers: Darley Arabian Sire Line Darley Arabian Sire Line: Newminster BranchPortrait: Star KingdomRemembering Star KingdomThe Star Kingdom Dynasty KingsterPortrait: Kingster Star Realm Gold Stakes TodmanPortrait: TodmanAustralian Racing Museum: TodmanScone Vet Dynasty: Todman Cambaman Eskimo Prince Prince Of Baden Joking Crewman Ricochet Beaches New Gleam Blazing Saddles Mr Brooks Bootee Imposing Importune Imprimatur Super ImposeAustralian Horse Museum: Super Impose Mighty Kingdom Skyline Sky Sailor Fine and Dandy NoholmePortrait: NoholmeAmerican Classic Pedigree: Noholme II NodoubleAmerican Classic Pedigree: Nodouble Double Discount OverskateCanadian Hall of Fame: Overskate SemipalatinskSemipalatinsk Passes Away Shecky GreeneAmerican Classic Pedigree: Shecky Greene Green ForestAmerican Classic Pedigree: Green Forest Green Line Express Somethingdifferent Made Of Gold Prime Glade Forest Wind Bonzer Antequera Royal Russian Singh Brigand Cole Diesel General Holme Fools Holme Royal Artist Secret Kingdom Sky HighPortrait: Sky HighAustralian Racing Museum: Sky High Captain Kirk Skyperion AutobiographyAmerican Classic Pedigree: Autobiography Sky Cast's Double Sky High's Son Take Off Columbia Star Shifnal Sun Monarch Sunset Hue GunsyndAustralian Racing Museum5 SHADES OF GREY RACEHORSES – GUNSYND Bensynd Tsunami Midnight Gun Domino Time And Tide Faringdon Navajo Brave Sabron Star Of Heaven Star Shower Drawn King Star Star Affair BiscayPortrait: BiscayScone Vet Dynasty: Biscay BletchinglyScone Vet Dynasty: Bletchingly Kingston TownAustralian Racing Museum: Kingston Town Best Western Lord BallinaRacing: End of an era for Central Districts stud Bureaucracy Carsons Cash Lord Tridan Count Chivas Lord Ted Cent Home AskimAskim Wins the Maryland Hunt CupAskim wins Maryland Hunt Cup Bocelli Balmuse True Version Star Watch Canny LadCanny Lad Accomplice Dodge Allez Suez He's No Pie Eater Coronation Day Kennys Best Pal Zephyr Bay Zephyr Zip Elounda Bay Broad Reach Full And By MarscayScone Vet Dynasty: Marscay Jetball March Hare Kaoru Star Aurealis Luskin StarScone Vet Dynasty: Luskin StarThe ‘Colt from the Coalfields’ who remains a cult hero in his home town Pag Asa BonecrusherRemembering Bonecrusher the Great: Bonecrusher Stakes Day Full On Aces Old Spice Rogan Josh Rajah Coalcliff Osmunda Planet Kingdom Just Ideal Ming Dynasty Mighty Kingdom Cosmic Planet Ideal Planet Our Planet Leica Planet Red God Pacifica Tattenham
Pedigree
Star Kingdom is inbred 4S x 4D to the stallion Sunstar, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree, and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
References
External links Star Kingdom – Profile of a Champion Star Kingdom's complete profile at Thoroughbred Heritage