Pivotal (19 January 1993 – 19 November 2021) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career restricted to six races between October 1995 and August 1996 he established himself as one of the leading sprinters in Europe. His most important wins came in the King's Stand Stakes and the Nunthorpe Stakes as a three-year-old in the summer of 1996. He was then retired to stud where he became an exceptionally successful breeding stallion.

Background Pivotal was a chestnut horse bred and owned by the Cheveley Park Stud. He was the first foal sired by Polar Falcon, an American-bred horse who won the Lockinge Stakes and the Haydock Sprint Cup in England in 1991. The stud's foaling record described him as "a strong, well-made colt of good bone and substance. He is possibly a little light in colour, but he has a good head and plenty of quality". The colt was sent into training with Sir Mark Prescott at the Heath House stable in Newmarket. He was ridden in all but the first of his races by the British jockey George Duffield.

Racing career

1995: two-year-old season Pivotal did not appear on the racecourse until the late autumn of 1995. At Newbury Racecourse on 19 October he started a 16/1 outsider for a six furlong maiden race and finished ninth of the twenty runners behind the Barry Hills-trained Fly Tip. Eleven days later, Pivotal recorded his first success in a six furlong maiden race at Newcastle Racecourse. Ridden for the first time by George Duffield he took the lead inside the final furlong and won by two and a half lengths from Domak Amaam. In November, Pivotal was brought back in distance for a five furlong race at Folkestone Racecourse. He took the lead approaching the final furlong and accelerated clear of the field to win by four lengths in "impressive" style.

1996: three-year-old season Pivotal did not appear as a three-year-old until June when he was sent to Royal Ascot to contest the all-aged King's Stand Stakes over five furlongs. He started at odds of 13/2 in a seventeen-runner field which included Royal Applause and Hever Golf Rose. Duffield positioned the colt among the leaders from the start before producing a strong late run to take the lead in the last strides to win by half a length from Mind Games. On his next appearance, Pivotal started favourite for the July Cup over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse but finished sixth of the ten runners behind Anabaa. At York on 22 August, Pivotal was brought back to five furlongs for the Nunthorpe Stakes. He started poorly and was "pushed along" by Duffield in the early stages but finished strongly to catch the front-running Eveningperformance in the last stride and won by a short head.

Stud record Pivotal was retired to stand at his owners' Cheveley Park Stud at Newmarket. He has proved to be an "excellent" breeding stallion, siring winners of major races over a wide range of distances. He was retired from stud duties in February 2021. He died on 19 November 2021.

Major winners c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins 1998 Kyllachy c Nunthorpe Stakes 1998 Golden Apples f Del Mar Oaks, Beverly D. Stakes, Yellow Ribbon Stakes 1999 Chorist f Pretty Polly Stakes 1999 Megahertz f John C. Mabee Handicap, Yellow Ribbon Stakes 2000 Somnus g Haydock Sprint Cup, Prix Maurice de Gheest, Prix de la Forêt 2001 Peeress f Sun Chariot Stakes, Lockinge Stakes 2002 Saoire f Irish 1000 Guineas 2004 Excellent Art c St. James's Palace Stakes 2004 Regal Parade g Haydock Sprint Cup, Prix Maurice de Gheest 2005 Falco c Poule d'Essai des Poulains 2005 Virtual c Lockinge Stakes 2005 Halfway to Heaven f Irish 1000 Guineas, Nassau Stakes, Sun Chariot Stakes 2006 Sariska f Oaks Stakes, Irish Oaks 2007 Siyouni c Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère 2007 Buzzword c Deutsches Derby 2007 Maarek g Prix de l'Abbaye 2007 African Story g Dubai World Cup 2008 Izzi Top f Pretty Polly Stakes, Prix Jean Romanet 2008 Farhh c Lockinge Stakes, Champion Stakes 2008 Immortal Verse f Coronation Stakes, Prix Jacques Le Marois 2011 Lightning Spear c Sussex Stakes 2011 Talco c Shoemaker Mile Stakes 2012 Brando g Prix Maurice de Gheest 2012 Queen's Jewel f Prix Saint-Alary 2013 Blair House g Jebel Hatta 2014 Addeybb g Ranvet Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2), Champion Stakes 2014 Avilius g Ranvet Stakes, Tancred Stakes, George Main Stakes 2014 Glen Shiel g British Champions Sprint Stakes 2016 Siyarafina f Prix Saint-Alary

Pedigree

References