Conduit (17 June 2005 – 17 June 2020) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from August 2007 to November 2009 he won seven of his fifteen starts, including four at Group One/Grade I level.
In Europe, he won the St. Leger Stakes in 2008 and Britain's most prestigious weight-for-age race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2009. He is known internationally for being the only horse to record two outright wins in the Breeders' Cup Turf. In each of his Breeders' Cup wins, he ran under 2:24.00, recording the two fastest times in the race's history up to that time. Conduit stood as a breeding stallion in Japan and Ireland.
Background
Bred and raced by Ballymacoll Stud of County Meath, Conduit was sired by 2003 European Horse of the Year Dalakhani out of the mare, Well Head, a daughter of fourteen-time Champion Sire Sadler's Wells. Dalakhani has proved to be a successful sire, especially of middle and long distance performers. Apart from Conduit, his best runners have included Reliable Man (Prix du Jockey Club), Duncan (Irish St. Leger), Moonstone (Irish Oaks) and Integral (Falmouth Stakes). Well Head was unraced half sister to the Champion Stakes winner Spectrum. Apart from Conduit, her best foal was the Great Voltigeur Stakes winner, Hard Top.
Well Head died shortly after Conduit's birth, and the colt foal was bottle-fed by the Ballymacoll staff before being fostered by a Vanner mare. As a yearling, he was "bullied" by the other colts at the stud and was separated for his own safety. The yearling who was mainly responsible for the attacks was later named Tartan Bearer.
Conduit was sent into training with Michael Stoute at the Freemason Lodge stables at Newmarket, Suffolk. He was ridden in all but two of his races by Ryan Moore.
Racing career
2007: two-year-old season
Conduit began his racing career by running unplaced in a maiden race on the July Course at Newmarket in August 2007. Later in the same month, he finished third as 6/4 favourite in a similar race at Kempton staying on under pressure, but apparently lacking the pace to reach the leaders.
A month later, he recorded his first win in a maiden at Wolverhampton, coming from off the pace to win by three quarters of a length on the polytrack surface. The fact that his five rivals went on to win a total of three minor races in their combined careers gives an indication of the level of the competition, and Conduit's end of season rating of 79 suggested that he was far below top class.
2008: three-year-old season
Conduit's three-year-old season was one of notable progress, with his official rating improving by 46lbs.
He began by finishing third in a minor handicap at Sandown in April. In his next start, he was made 11/8 favourite for a much more valuable handicap at the Derby meeting at Epsom. Held up in last place by Ryan Moore, Conduit was switched to the outside in the straight and, in the words of the Racing Post "stormed clear" to win by six lengths. Although no firm plans for Conduit were announced, the bookmaking firm Ladbrokes immediately offered him at odds of 14/1 for the St Leger. On the same course just over two hours later, the stable's "best" colt Tartan Bearer finished second to New Approach in the Derby.
Although the bare form of the race (he was rated 98 for his win) indicated that he was still well below top class, he was sent to Royal Ascot for the King Edward VII Stakes and made 11/4 favourite. Conduit appeared to be traveling well when he was hampered entering the straight and was unable to catch the leader, Campanologist, finishing second by three quarters of a length. The Guardian's correspondent called him "one of the unluckiest losers" at the meeting.
The performance was enough to establish Conduit as a contender for the St Leger, and he was next sent to Goodwood for the Gordon Stakes. He won at odds of 1/2, hanging to the left under pressure as he beat outsider Donegal by a head. Stoute described the performance as "workmanlike", but pointed out that the small field and "muddling" pace did not suit his colt. Conduit's price for the St Leger was unchanged at 7/1.