 The First Success
Troy's very first success as a sire came when his very first runner, a colt named
Trojan Fen, won on his debut at the minor track of Yarmouth in June 1983. However the
style in which he won convinced many observers that he would give his trainer Henry Cecil
and owner Stavros Niarchos a lot more to savour later in the year.
Unbeaten in four runs
These expectations were amply confirmed in Trojan Fen's next three races: the
Donnington Castle Stakes, the Lanson Champagne Stakes (then a listed race and one which
Troy himself had won in 1978) and the Washington Singer Stakes, all of which he won
impressively. These wins made him favourite for the Royal Lodge Stakes, a notable
two-year-old trial race for the following year's classics. Unfortunately the exertions of
the summer had taken their toll on Trojan fen, however, and he finished third, but his
efforts were still enough to earn him a high rating among the two-year-olds of 1983.
The following year Trojan Fen started off as a leading fancy for the Epsom Derby, and
won his first race, the Gerry Fielden Stakes over 9f, very well. However certain
commentators were unsure as to whether, on breeding, Trojan Fen would stay the Derby
distance, because his dam Fenella was by the sprinter/miler Thatch from a very fast
family. This was borne out by Trojan Fen's performance in a Derby trial over 10f, where it
became apparent that he did not truly stay beyond 9f. Henceforth he was not raced further
than a mile.
Final successes
Trojan Fen's finest hour came at Royal Ascot in 1984, where he beat comprehensively
older horses, including Classic winner Wassl, in the Queen Anne Stakes. Unfortunately,
however, this proved to be his last race - pulled back muscles whilst in training for the
Sussex Stakes, a championship-class mile race, put paid to Trojan Fen's racing career and
he was retired with a tally of 8 wins and 2 places from 11 races, the only blot on his
copybook coming when he had unseated his rider in the Lockinge Stakes.
Troy's first son at stud
After his retirement, Trojan Fen went to the Old Connell Stud in Ireland to stand as a
stallion, thereby becoming Troy's first son at stud. While there he sired some good
horses, notably 2,000 Guineas second Lucky Lindy and the useful filly Trojan Crown, but
unfortunately he was not as successful a sire as everyone had hoped. He was exported to
stand at the Manjri Stud in India in 1990 where, as so often happens, his fortunes as a
sire changed somewhat. Although he only stood two and a half seasons there before dying at
the young age of 12, he sired an Indian Oaks winner in Worthwhile and several other useful
performers. His stud careers in Ireland and India are summrised in these pages.
Best Progeny
- Lucky Lindy - Grosser Preis von Dusseldorf 1992, 2nd 2,000
Guineas 1992
- Trojan Crown - Sweet Solera Stakes 1991
- Worthwhile - Indian Oaks 1995
- Others
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