Buoy

A buoy (/ˈbɔɪ/, also /ˈbwɔɪ/ or US /ˈbuːiː/) is a floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with the sea wave. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is (in British English) now most commonly pronounced /ˈbɔɪ/ (identical with boy, as in buoyant). In American English the pronunciation is closer to "boo-ee."

Types

Buoy (horse)

Buoy (7 April 1970 – 1984) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Unraced as a two-year-old, he proved himself one of the best middle-distance colts of his generation in 1973 when he won the Predominate Stakes and the Great Voltigeur Stakes and finished placed in both the Irish Derby and the St Leger. He was even better as a four-year-old, winning the Yorkshire Cup before beating the outstanding French filly Dahlia in the Coronation Cup and taking the Princess of Wales's Stakes. His career was ended by injury in August 1974 and he was exported to stand as a breeding stallion where he had limited success as a sire of winners.

Background

Buoy was a "big, robust, long-striding" chestnut horse with three white socks and a white star and snip bred by his owner Richard Dunbavin "Dick" Hollingsworth at his Arches Hall Stud in Hertfordshire. He was sired by Aureole who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the ownership of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954: Aureole's other successful progeny included St. Paddy, Provoke, Aurelius and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Saint Crespin. Buoy's dam Ripeck was a highly successful broodmare whose other offspring included the Queen Alexandra Stakes winner Balinger and the Oaks Stakes winner Bireme. Ripeck was a granddaughter of the Hollingsworth family's influential broodmare Felucca, whose other descendants included Cut Above, Longboat, Sharp Edge (Irish 2000 Guineas), Bolas (Irish Oaks), Dash for Cash (Australian Guineas) and Daffodil (AJC Oaks).