Mill Reef was an exceptional middle distance racehorse wining the Derby and the Prix de lArc de Triomphe in an illustrious horse racing career that was ended prematurely by injury after registering a record six successive Group One wins.
American philanthropist Paul Mellon bred and owned Mill Reef, who was sent to England to be trained by the young trainer Ian Balding at Kingsclere in 1970. By the stallion Never Bend out of the Princequillo mare Milan Mill, Mill Reef was judged to be too long in the pastern to race effectively on dirt in America.
Mill Reef soon showed his trainer that he was a remarkable talent and he duly won on his racecourse debut, romping home under jockey Geoff Lewis to win the Salisbury Stakes by an unextended four lengths at an unconsidered price of 8-1.
Mill Reef next ran in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, never coming under pressure as he stretched clear to win by eight lengths in a time only a fraction outside the track record.
Mill Reef was to taste defeat on his next start, when he was sent to Deauville to contest the Prix Robert Papin, where a wide draw and a rough journey worked against him. He was soon showing his form at home again and was sent to Yorks August Ebor meeting for the Gimcrack Stakes. An overnight deluge saw the going change to heavy. Balding and Lewis were reluctant to run, but Paul Mellon, who had come to see Mill Reef in action for the first time, insisted on running.
Mill Reef was quickly away before being asked to quicken after half way. In a breathtaking performance, he forged further and further clear of his rivals, who included subsequent champion sprinter Green God and Classic winner Kings Company, passing the post ten lengths clear in one of the most memorable performances of his career.
At Kempton Mill Reef was only a narrow winner of the Imperial Stakes, before his busy juvenile season concluded with a step up to six furlongs in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. With a Classic campaign in mind, different tactics were employed with Mill Reef racing behind the pace before quickening sharply in the final quarter mile to win by four lengths, going away.
Mill Reef was one of a remarkable generation that also included My Swallow and Brigadier Gerard. The three lined up in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Mill Reef sent off favourite after winning the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. My Swallow had been equally impressive in his trail at Kempton, and Brigadier Gerard had sparkled on the gallops at West Ilsey.
In the event the brilliant miler Brigadier Gerard made full use of his finishing speed, scorching clear on the rail to beat Mill Reef, who had raced with My Swallow in the centre of the track, by three lengths.
Of the three Guineas principals, Mill Reef was the only one with a Derby entry. Balding adopted the practice of Vincent OBrien with US-bred horses of giving him a gallop over a mile and a quarter10 days before the race, leaving the question of Mill Reefs stamina to be answered on Derby day itself. In the race, Mill Reef showed he was a middle distance horse par excellence, turning in in fourth place and quickening clear to beat Linden Tree and the subsequent Irish Derby winner Irish Ball.
Ian Balding decided to bypass the Irish Derby in favour of the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown as a prep for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, races in which Mill Reef would take on his elders for the first time.
In the Eclipse Mill Reef demonstrated the superiority of the Classic generation with a dominant victory over the four-year-old French raider Caro. The pair went well clear of their rival, but Mill Reef found the most under pressure, quickening up the Esher hill to win by four lengths in a course record time.
Mill Reef went on to win in the King George later that month with an even more dominant display, scorching up the short Ascot straight to win by six lengths and prompting jockey Geoff Lewis to say: Daylight was second at Ascot.
The Prix de lArc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October had not fallen to an English-trained horse for 23 years and this was selected as Mill Reefs autumn target. Mill Reef settled in fifth spot under Geoff Lewis before darting through a gap on the rail as the leaders tired in the straight. Mill Reef was soon clear, passing the post three lengths to the good setting yet another new track record in the process.
At the end of the three-year-old season both the official handicapper and Timeform gave Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard equal top. Unfortunately, the two rivals were destined never to meet again.
Mill Reef made his four-year-old debut in the Prix Ganay, where he utterly spreadeagled his rivals, skipping clear in the straight to a 10 length victory. The Coronation Cup at Epsom came next, and although Mill Reef won he failed to quicken in his usual style and had to dig deep to hold on by a neck from Homeric.
It was later discovered that Mill Reef had raced with a virus, and the Coronation Cup was to prove his last race " though his record of six successive Group One wins was to stand unbroken until the remarkable Rock Of Gibraltar won seven in succession in 2001-2002. Plans to meet Brigadier Gerard in the Eclipse were abandoned " the Brigadier won the race " but a return at York in August was possible. As things turned out, Mill Reef had to miss York after encountering two setbacks in training. Brigadier Gerard suffered his only defeat that day, going down to Roberto.
Later in August, disaster struck. Mill Reef broke his near foreleg in a routine canter whilst being prepared for the Arc. Fortunately, Balding, his team and the vets were able to save Mill Reef, who went on to have a successful career at stud. He proved a successful sire, with 1978 a particular banner year when Shirley Heights won the Derby and Acamas won the Prix du Jockey Club. Mill Reef also sired the 1987 Derby winner Reference Point, the 1981 Derby runner-up and Italian Derby winner Glint Of Gold and the 1000 Guineas winner Fairy Footsteps.
American philanthropist Paul Mellon bred and owned Mill Reef, who was sent to England to be trained by the young trainer Ian Balding at Kingsclere in 1970. By the stallion Never Bend out of the Princequillo mare Milan Mill, Mill Reef was judged to be too long in the pastern to race effectively on dirt in America.
Mill Reef soon showed his trainer that he was a remarkable talent and he duly won on his racecourse debut, romping home under jockey Geoff Lewis to win the Salisbury Stakes by an unextended four lengths at an unconsidered price of 8-1.
Mill Reef next ran in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, never coming under pressure as he stretched clear to win by eight lengths in a time only a fraction outside the track record.
Mill Reef was to taste defeat on his next start, when he was sent to Deauville to contest the Prix Robert Papin, where a wide draw and a rough journey worked against him. He was soon showing his form at home again and was sent to Yorks August Ebor meeting for the Gimcrack Stakes. An overnight deluge saw the going change to heavy. Balding and Lewis were reluctant to run, but Paul Mellon, who had come to see Mill Reef in action for the first time, insisted on running.
Mill Reef was quickly away before being asked to quicken after half way. In a breathtaking performance, he forged further and further clear of his rivals, who included subsequent champion sprinter Green God and Classic winner Kings Company, passing the post ten lengths clear in one of the most memorable performances of his career.
At Kempton Mill Reef was only a narrow winner of the Imperial Stakes, before his busy juvenile season concluded with a step up to six furlongs in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. With a Classic campaign in mind, different tactics were employed with Mill Reef racing behind the pace before quickening sharply in the final quarter mile to win by four lengths, going away.
Mill Reef was one of a remarkable generation that also included My Swallow and Brigadier Gerard. The three lined up in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with Mill Reef sent off favourite after winning the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. My Swallow had been equally impressive in his trail at Kempton, and Brigadier Gerard had sparkled on the gallops at West Ilsey.
In the event the brilliant miler Brigadier Gerard made full use of his finishing speed, scorching clear on the rail to beat Mill Reef, who had raced with My Swallow in the centre of the track, by three lengths.
Of the three Guineas principals, Mill Reef was the only one with a Derby entry. Balding adopted the practice of Vincent OBrien with US-bred horses of giving him a gallop over a mile and a quarter10 days before the race, leaving the question of Mill Reefs stamina to be answered on Derby day itself. In the race, Mill Reef showed he was a middle distance horse par excellence, turning in in fourth place and quickening clear to beat Linden Tree and the subsequent Irish Derby winner Irish Ball.
Ian Balding decided to bypass the Irish Derby in favour of the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown as a prep for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, races in which Mill Reef would take on his elders for the first time.
In the Eclipse Mill Reef demonstrated the superiority of the Classic generation with a dominant victory over the four-year-old French raider Caro. The pair went well clear of their rival, but Mill Reef found the most under pressure, quickening up the Esher hill to win by four lengths in a course record time.
Mill Reef went on to win in the King George later that month with an even more dominant display, scorching up the short Ascot straight to win by six lengths and prompting jockey Geoff Lewis to say: Daylight was second at Ascot.
The Prix de lArc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October had not fallen to an English-trained horse for 23 years and this was selected as Mill Reefs autumn target. Mill Reef settled in fifth spot under Geoff Lewis before darting through a gap on the rail as the leaders tired in the straight. Mill Reef was soon clear, passing the post three lengths to the good setting yet another new track record in the process.
At the end of the three-year-old season both the official handicapper and Timeform gave Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard equal top. Unfortunately, the two rivals were destined never to meet again.
Mill Reef made his four-year-old debut in the Prix Ganay, where he utterly spreadeagled his rivals, skipping clear in the straight to a 10 length victory. The Coronation Cup at Epsom came next, and although Mill Reef won he failed to quicken in his usual style and had to dig deep to hold on by a neck from Homeric.
It was later discovered that Mill Reef had raced with a virus, and the Coronation Cup was to prove his last race " though his record of six successive Group One wins was to stand unbroken until the remarkable Rock Of Gibraltar won seven in succession in 2001-2002. Plans to meet Brigadier Gerard in the Eclipse were abandoned " the Brigadier won the race " but a return at York in August was possible. As things turned out, Mill Reef had to miss York after encountering two setbacks in training. Brigadier Gerard suffered his only defeat that day, going down to Roberto.
Later in August, disaster struck. Mill Reef broke his near foreleg in a routine canter whilst being prepared for the Arc. Fortunately, Balding, his team and the vets were able to save Mill Reef, who went on to have a successful career at stud. He proved a successful sire, with 1978 a particular banner year when Shirley Heights won the Derby and Acamas won the Prix du Jockey Club. Mill Reef also sired the 1987 Derby winner Reference Point, the 1981 Derby runner-up and Italian Derby winner Glint Of Gold and the 1000 Guineas winner Fairy Footsteps.
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