Snurge

Snurge (1987–2006), was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from September 1989 until September 1994, he ran thirty-four times and won seven races. He recorded his most important success when winning the Classic St. Leger Stakes as a three-year-old maiden in 1990. In the following seasons he won major races in France, Italy and Canada, before retiring as a seven-year-old. At the time of his retirement he held the record for prize money won by a European-trained horse, although the precise total of his earnings was difficult to determine because of the number of different currencies involved.

Background

Snurge was a chestnut horse with a narrow white blaze bred at the Kilcarn Stud near Navan in County Meath, Ireland. Before his racing career began he entered the ownership of the British businessman Martyn Arbib, who named the colt after a nickname he received while in school. Snurge was sired by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Ela-Mana-Mou out of the French-bred mare Finlandia. The horse was trained by Paul Cole at Whatcombe, near Wantage in Oxfordshire and ridden in all but two of his races by Richard Quinn.