Petrushka is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in Ireland and trained in the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from October 1999 to June 2001.
Petrushka, a dark chestnut filly with a small white star[1] was bred at the Airlie Stud, near Maynooth, County Kildare, sired by the Northern Dancer stallion Unfuwain out of the mare Ballet Shoes.
[3] Ballet Shoes, who won two minor races, was a product of the Ballymacoll Stud and a half sister to the Champion Stakes winner Spectrum.
[5] Petrushka was sent as a yearling to the Goffs sales in October 1998 where she was bought for IR£110,000 by John Warren, the director[6] of the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing group.
She started slowly and took time to reach her full speed, but then made rapid progress to take the lead inside the final furlong and win "cleverly" by three quarters of a length.
[8] Despite the race's modest status, Petrushka's win attracted attention, and she went into the winter break regarded as "a serious filly" and a possible contender for the following year's Classics.
Held up in the early stages by Kieren Fallon, Petrushka moved up to take the lead a furlong out and pulled clear to beat Seazun by four lengths.
In July she was sent to The Curragh for the Irish Oaks, where she was ridden for the first time by Johnny Murtagh, Fallon having suffered a serious shoulder injury at Royal Ascot.
Petrushka produced an impressive "burst of speed" to catch Love Divine a furlong out and stayed on well to beat the Oaks winner by one and a quarter lengths.
Petrushka produced a sustained run to take the lead inside the final 200m and win by three quarters of a length from the Prix Saint-Alary winner Reve d'Oscar.
"[23] Although Petrushka has been bred to many leading stallions including Rainbow Quest and Gone West, she has yet to produce a top class flat runner.