Tyrnavos (17 February 1977 – 30 August 2003) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for his win in the 1980 Irish Derby. As a two-year-old he showed promise by winning one of his three races and finishing second in the Dewhurst Stakes. In the following year he won the Craven Stakes, but was well-beaten in the 2000 Guineas, Dante Stakes and Epsom Derby, before recording a 25/1 upset victory the Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecourse. He was retired to stud at the end of the year and had limited success as a sire of winners.
Background
Tyrnavos was a "very impressive looking" dark-coated bay horse with no white markings, bred in England by his owner George Cambanis. His dam Stilvi was bought by Cambanis as a yearling and became a top-class racehorse, winning the King George Stakes and Duke of York Stakes and an outstanding broodmare. Before Tyranvos, she had produced Tachypous (Middle Park Stakes) and Tromos (Dewhurst Stakes) and she went on to produce the Coronation Stakes winner Tolmi. He was from the sixth crop of foals sired by Blakeney the winner of the 1969 Epsom Derby, who stood as a breeding stallion at the National Stud. Cambanis named his colt after a town in Thessaly and sent him into training with Bruce Hobbs at the Palace House stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Racing career
1979: two-year-old season
Tyrnavos made his racecourse debut in the Ribero Stakes over six furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse in September. According to Timeform he appeared to have "little idea of what was required" but showed promise in finishing a close third behind Thousandfold and Dalsaan. Later in the month, the colt was moved up in distance for the Roverre Trophy Stakes over seven furlongs at Ascot. He won by a length from Eyelight but was not particularly impressive. In October, Tyrnavos was moved up in class to contest the Group One Dewhurst Stakes, the most important race for two-year-olds run in the United Kingdom, in which he faced a strong field including Monteverdi, Henbit, Romeo Romani (Norfolk Stakes), Marathon Gold (Lanson Champagne Stakes) and Final Straw (Champagne Stakes). He disputed the early lead with Henbit and after looking to be struggling three furlongs from the finish he stayed on strongly to take second place, two lengths behind Monteverdi.
1980: three-year-old season
Tyrnavos began his second season in April at Newmarket where he contested the Craven Stakes, a trial race for the 2000 Guineas. Ridden by Eddie Hide, he started at odds of 5/1 and won by a neck from Star Way with World Leader in third place. In the 2000 Guineas over the same course and distance on 3 May he raced prominently for most of the race but was unable to quicken in the last quarter mile and finished seventh, eight lengths behind the subsequently disqualified Nureyev. At York Racecourse later that month, Tyrnavos was moved up in distance to ten and a half furlongs for the Dante Stakes, a trial for The Derby. He finished strongly, but was beaten into fourth place behind Hello Gorgeous, Master Willie and Water Mill.