Rainbow Quest (1981–2007) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion broodmare sire.
Background Rainbow Quest was a bay horse with two white socks and a small white star bred in Kentucky by British businessman, Alan Clore. He was sired by Blushing Groom out of the mare I Will Follow. As a yearling, he was purchased by Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms for $950,000 at the 1982 Fasig-Tipton July Sale.
Racing career
1983: two-year-old season Sent into training with Jeremy Tree, Rainbow Quest began his racing career at Newmarket Racecourse in August 1983 when he defeated twenty-nine opponents in the El Capistrano Stakes. In the following month, he beat nineteen rivals in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes over one mile at Newbury Racecourse. In October, Rainbow Quest was matched against El Gran Senor, Siberian Express (winner of the Prix Morny), and Superlative (July Stakes) in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. El Gran Senor took a lead in the closing stages, but Rainbow Quest cut his advantage back to half a length at the line. In the 1983 International Classification, Rainbow Quest was rated the second best two-year-old in Europe, one pound behind El Gran Senor.
1984: three-year-old season On his three-year-old debut Rainbow Quest was beaten a short-head by Lear Fan in the Craven Stakes and then finished fourth behind El Gran Senor, Chief Singer, and Lear Fan in the 2000 Guineas. He was then diverted from The Derby to the Prix du Jockey Club, in which he finished third behind Darshaan and Sadler's Wells. He was then sent to Ireland, where he finished second in the Irish Derby, beaten a length by El Gran Senor. In August, Rainbow Quest returned to England and recorded a victory in the Great Voltigeur Stakes. On his final appearance of the season, he contested the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longcamp in October. He was made favourite for the race by British bookmakers but finished eighteenth of the twenty-two runners behind Sagace.
1985: four-year-old season Rainbow Quest began his third season with an easy win in the Clive Graham Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in May. He then ran in the Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs Racecourse and recorded a win from Old Country. In July, Rainbow Quest finished second to Pebbles in the Eclipse Stakes and third behind Petoski and Oh So Sharp in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. On his final appearance, he ran for the second time in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He finished a neck behind Sagace but was awarded the race when the French horse was disqualified for causing interference.
Stud record Rainbow Quest entered stud at his owner's farm in Berkshire, England in 1986. He was moved to the same operation's Banstead Manor Stud near Newmarket in 1986. The horse proved to be an excellent sire.
As a result of irreparable complications following surgery for colic, Rainbow Quest was euthanised on 7 July 2007 at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud near the village of Cheveley in East Cambridgeshire.Burnet, Rob, "Rainbow Quest dies after colic complications", thoroughbrednews.com.au, 11 Jul 2007.
Major winners c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Foaled Name Sex Major wins 1987 Knight's Baroness f Irish Oaks 1987 Quest for Fame c Epsom Derby, Hollywood Turf Cup 1987 Saumarez c Grand Prix de Paris, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 1988 Sought Out f Prix du Cadran 1990 Armiger c Racing Post Trophy 1990 Raintrap c Prix Royal-Oak, Canadian International Stakes 1990 Urgent Request c Santa Anita Handicap 1991 Rainbow Dancer c Hollywood Invitational Turf Handicap, Oak Tree Turf Championship Stakes 1991 Sakura Laurel c Tenno Sho, Arima Kinen 1991 Sunshack c Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Prix Royal-Oak, Coronation Cup 1992 Spectrum c Irish 2,000 Guineas, Champion Stakes 1994 Fiji f Yellow Ribbon Stakes, Gamely Stakes 1995 Croco Rouge c Prix Lupin, Prix d'Ispahan 1995 Nedawi c St Leger 1996 Edabiya f Moyglare Stud Stakes 1997 Millenary c St Leger 2006 Crowded House c Racing Post Trophy 2008 Colour Vision g Ascot Gold Cup
Broodmare sire Rainbow Quest was the Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 2003 and 2004. Among his daughters' top runners were:
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
Foaled Name Sex Major wins 1998 Rebelline f Tattersalls Gold Cup 1999 Marotta f Prix Saint-Alary 1999 Rakti c Derby Italiano, Premio Presidente della Repubblica, Champion Stakes, Prince of Wales Stakes, Lockinge Stakes 2000 Kris Kin c Epsom Derby 2000 Powerscourt c Tattersalls Gold Cup, Arlington Million 2001 North Light c Epsom Derby 2002 Auroras Encore g Grand National 2002 Footstepsinthesand c 2000 Guineas Stakes 2005 Look Here f Epsom Oaks 2006 Elusive Wave f Poule d'Essai des Poulains 2013 Qemah f Coronation Stakes, Prix Rothschild 2019 Ask Victor More c Kikuka-shō
Pedigree
References
Rainbow Quest's pedigree and partial racing stats Rainbow Quest in Designing Speed in the Racehorse (p. 176, 177) by Ken McLean at Google Books