Michael Church Racing Books

248                               CHRISTMAS DAY                          2026

Run on Saturday, 7 June, 2026 as the Betfred Derby over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-olds; entire colts 9st 2lb, fillies 8st 13lb. 90 entries. Going SOFT. Value to winner £1,000,000.

1^st     CHRISTMAS DAY            Ronan Whelan     7-1*

2^nd    MALTESE CROSS           Tom Marquand   12-1*                 2¾ lengths

3^rd   JAMES J BRADDOCK    Dylan Browne McMonagle   9-1*    2½ lengths

 Also ran: 4^th  Bay Of Brilliance (Hector Crouch) 9-1*; Alderman (Pat Dobbs) 100-1*; Rebel Rocker (Rob Hornby) 66-1*; Pierre Bonnard (Christophe Soumillon) 7-2*; Ancient Egypt (David Egan) 28-1*; Item (Colin Keane) 11-2* (tailed off); A Taste Of Glory (Jamie Spencer) 100-1* (tailed off) ; Balzak (Silvestre de Sousa) 66-1 (tailed off) ; Action (Wayne Lordan) 16-1* (tailed off); Poker (Rowan Scott) 80-1* (tailed off  last 43½ lengths behind the winner).

Non Runner: Benvenuto Cellini (awkward start, towards rear, headway over 2f out, soon short of room, weakened over 1f out, declared a non-runner by the stewards, leg caught in the stalls). Rule 4* applies to all bets, was 3-1 fav, deduction 25p in the pound.

 Commentary: On a day of continuous rain in which the going changed before the Derby to SOFT, two overhead cameras were placed in the stalls, one above the 3-1 favourite, Benvenuto Cellini in stall 12 (which was to play a significant part in the result), the other above Item, in stall 3.

Aidan O’Brien ran four from which Ryan Moore chose Benvenuto Cellini, the winner of the Chester Vase on good ground, but previously disappointing when only third on heavy ground in the Doncaster Futurity. Well backed into 7-2 second favourite,  Pierre Bonnard, had won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on very soft ground, while Item, winner of the Dante Stakes ahead of O’Brien’s Action and Christmas Day, weakened to 11-2.

As the rain persisted, Action, Ancient Egypt and Christmas Day broke well from the stalls, while Benvenuto Cellini and Taste Of Glory were slowly away. On settling down, and to the top of the hill, there was little change in the order, where 15 lengths would cover the field.

Down to Tattenham Corner, Wayne Lordan kept Action leading to three furlongs out, from where Christmas Day, forged ahead.

Now pushed out with Ronan Whelan aboard, Christmas Day, drifting right stayed on well, revelling in the soggy ground to win by 2¾ lengths from the running on Maltese Cross.

James J Braddock finished third a further 2½ lengths away, with Bay Of Brilliance fourth.

The alarm for a stewards’ enquiry quickly followed from which Benvenuto Cellini was declared a non-runner.

13 ran    Time 2min 43.75 sec; the slowest since Teenoso’s 2 min 49.07 secs in 1983.

This was Aidan O’Brien’s record 12^th Derby winner (with nine different jockeys) and Mrs John (Sue) Magnier and Michael Tabor’s 11^th in partnership.

The winner was BRED by Framont Ltd, OWNED by Mrs John (Sue) Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Peter Brant and TRAINED by A.P. O’Brien at Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

The winner, CHRISTMAS DAY, has won 4 races from 7 starts incl. Eyrefield Stakes and Ballysax Stakes, Leopardstown, Betfred Derby Stakes. Third behind Item and Action in Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, York

The sire, CAMELOT (b.c. 2009), won 6 races from 10 starts incl. Racing Post Trophy, Qicpo 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Investec Derby Stakes, Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. Second in Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes

The dam, BEAULY (ch.f. 2013) by SEA THE STARS ex PICKLE, won 3 races from 16 starts incl. Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes, Indiana. She also bred MISSED THE CUT b.c.2019 by QUALITY ROAD won 7 races from 20 starts incl. Churchill Stakes, Lingfield (AW), Tokyo City Cup, San Luis Rey Stakes and San Marco Stakes, Santa Anita.

__________________________________________________________________________________

THE 200th running of the Derby Stakes was celebrated throughout the media, and the crowd at Epsom was enormous.

Appropriately the winner, Troy, illuminated the occasion with a stunning victory after being in a seemingly hopeless position.

A handsome, powerful, good-moving bay, Troy was by Petingo out of La Milo, by Hornbeam. Unfortunately the year Troy was born both his sire and dam died.

Owned by Sir Michael Sobell and his son-in-law Sir Arnold Weinstock, Troy was bred at their Ballymacoll Stud in Co. Meath and sent into training with Dick Hern at West Ilsley in Berkshire.

In four starts as a juvenile Troy won the Plantation Maiden Stakes at Newmarket and the Lanson Champagne Stakes at Goodwood, before finishing second to Ela-Mana-Mou in the Royal Lodge Stakes on his finale.

Reappearing in Sandown’s Classic Trial Stakes,Troy was hard ridden to beat Two of Diamonds by a neck, but he followed up by winning the Predominate Stakes at Goodwood by seven lengths.

Ridden by Willie Carson, Troy started 6-1 second favourite for the Derby, behind Ela-Mana-Mou at 9-2, the recent winner of the nine-furlong Heath Stakes by four lengths. Other fancies were Tap On Wood, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas, and the Queen’s Lingfield Derby Trial winner Milford, who was also trained by Hern.

The field of 23 went to post on good ground on a warm, sunny day. Lyphard’s Wish set a strong pace from the start, with Accomplice and Laska Floko in close attendance. Turning into the straight Lyphard’s Wish continued to lead from Milford, Accomplice, Noelino and Man of Vision.

At this stage Troy was not in the first dozen, but moving from the rails to the outside, he began his run. Two furlongs out he was still only ninth, but like the release of a coiled spring, he accelerated at such a rate that by the furlong marker he led by a length and a half, and the race was effectively over.

The winning distance was seven lengths, with Dickens Hill second and Northern Baby third, a further three lengths away.

Troy went on to beat Dickens Hill by four lengths in the Irish Sweeps Derby and followed up by winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup.

However, by the time the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe arrived, Troy was past his best and could finish only third of 22 behind Three Troikas and Le Marmot.

Retired to Highclere Stud at Newbury,Troy was valued at £7.2 million. Sadly, after a moderate start he died of acute peritonitis from a ruptured caecum on 12 May, 1983. Two years later his daughter Helen Street won the Irish Oaks.

When asked for the best Derby winner on the day, Troy’s performance certainly elevates him to one of the best post-war winners.

The subsequent form of his rivals confirms his outstanding merit: Dickens Hill won the Eclipse Stakes, Northern Baby the Champion Stakes, Ela-Mana-Mou the Eclipse Stakes and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Niniski the Irish St Leger and Prix Royal-Oak, and Son of Love the St Leger.

Conquering Heroes

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

The History of Epsom’s Prince’s Stand, their spring handicaps and Virago

The Prince’s Stand dates in its present form from 1879, when the original Regency stand, built c1784, was altered and enlarged. Used by the Prince of Wales, later King George IV, it housed the royal party celebrations when the Prince won the Derby with Sir Thomas in 1788. Up until 1829, it was the only permanent building on the Downs, although by 1831, when the Princess Victoria visited Epsom, it was struggling to keep the royal entourage comfortably ensconced.

In 1940, soon after the outbreak of war, racing at Epsom was abandoned for the duration and given over to the military; the Prince’s Stand was then commandeered as the Officers Mess.

In 1979, as part of the celebrations for Derby 200, the Prince’s Stand was extensively refurbished and, it’s continued use links together more than 22 decades of history.

The Great Metropolitan and City and Suburban Handicaps, now run at the one-day, Spring Meeting, were the very first two races to be sponsored.

While the Epsom management struggled to put up enough prizemoney, Samuel Beeton, a publican in Milk Street, opened a subscription for the first handicap and then, persuaded his fellow publicans in Fleet Street to follow suit.

At that time, many London pubs served both as betting shops and ale-houses.

“The Great Met,” as it became known, was first run in 1846, and won by Chamois (3y-5st-7lb), 29 ran.

The distance was 2m 2f, until 1985, when it was changed to 1m 4f.

The City and Suburban, run over 1m 2f, followed in 1851, and was first won by Elthiron (5y-8st-5lb), 16 ran.

Subscriptions for the race were raised from pubs in the City of London, stretching out to the suburbs – hence its name.

Virago, with J Wells up
and trainer John Day

In 1854, Virago (ch.f.1851 by Pyrrhus The First), completed the outstanding achievement of winning both “The Great Met” and the City and Suburban on the same afternoon, a month before she won the 1000 Guineas.

Incidentally, the first occasion the photo-finish camera was used in Great Britain, was at Epsom, on 22 April 1947, to determine the placings for The Great Metropolitan Handicap. Star Song (Doug Smith), winning by a length, with Parhelion (Eph Smith), second, beating Salubrious (Bill Rickaby), by a head.

Sceptre – Racing’s Sweetheart

Sceptre with her owner/trainer Bob Sievier

Sceptre is the only outright winner of four British Classics, so becoming Racing’s Sweetheart.

Bred by the 1st Duke of Westminster at Eaton in 1899, Sceptre was a bay filly by the Derby and St Leger winner Persimmon, out of  Ornament, a sister to the great Triple Crown winner, Ormonde.

Later that year, on the death of the Duke, his bloodstock were sold by public auction, with Sceptre going to Robert Sievier, an infamous gambler, for 10,000 guineas, then a record for a yearling at auction.

Sceptre was initially trained by Charles Morton at Wantage, winning the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom and the July Stakes at Newmarket as a juvenile. However, when Morton became a private trainer to Jack Joel, Sievier decided to train the filly himself, at his recently acquired stables at Shrewton, in Wiltshire.

The following year, in an unorthodox preparation for the Classics, Sceptre was entered in the Lincolnshire Handicap purely for gambling purposes, and allotted only 6 st 7 lb was backed by Sievier to win £30,000. Dramatically, she was beaten a head, carrying 1 lb overweight.

Sievier, remarkably, then trained her to win both the Two Thousand and One Thousand Guineas.

In the lead up to the Derby, Sceptre bruised a foot, so disrupting her preparation. Then on the day after long spells of torrential rain, thought to improve her chance, she went off the even money favourite. Following Sievier’s instructions, her jockey, Bert Randall, took her the reverse way to the start, walking the last mile and so creating tension amongst the awaiting 17 runners and, the starter.

Randall’s nervousness seemed to peak at the off causing her to get away badly. Rushed through the field she was in contention two furlongs out, but could give no more and finished fourth behind Ard Patrick.

Two days later as the 1-2 favourite, she beat 14 rivals to win the Oaks.

Racing’s Sweetheart

Sceptre’s busy schedule continued with a further four races before the St Leger, where she appeared as “all skin and bone,” on arrival at Doncaster. Nevertheless, her class saw her through, when winning by three lengths from Rising Glass.

The following year, after another failed gamble on Sceptre to win the Lincoln, Sievier, short of money, sold Sceptre to William Bass of the 10th Hussars for £25,000.

Sent to Alec Taylor’s yard at Manton, she recovered her strength to win Ascot’s Hardwicke Stakes, then in the Eclipse Stakes, billed as “The Race of the Century”, she was beaten a neck by her old advisory Ard Patrick,  with the previous year’s Triple Crown winner, Rock Sand, a distant third.

Ard Patrick (Near side) wins by a neck

Sceptre continued her busy programme winning another four races including the Jockey Club Stakes, beating Rock Sand by four lengths and finally, winning the Champion Stakes by 10 lengths.

As a five-year old Sceptre ran three times without success; second in the Coronation Cup, third to Rock Sand in the Hardwick Stakes, then third of four in the Ascot Gold Cup.

At stud, she produced seven fillies, including four winners and one colt. Her first foal, Maid of the Mist, bred two Classic winners – Sunny Jane (1917 Oaks) and Craig an Eran (1921 Two Thousand Guineas), both by Sunstar (1911 Derby).

Sceptre continued to change hands until finally in 1923, Lord Glanely, after promising she would remain in his care for the rest of her life, sold her to a Brazilian breeder. However, following a great public outcry he was forced to cancel the sale, allowing Sceptre to stay in England until her death in February, 1926.

Bob Sievier died after a checkered life on the Turf in relative poverty on October 8^th 1939.

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

OH SO SHARP, is the most recent winner of the Fillies Triple Crown, comprising  the 1985 One Thousand Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger.

Born on 1^st January, 1982, Oh So Sharp was from the first crop of Kris, a top miler and winner of 14 of his 16 races, including the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Her dam, Oh So Fair was by Graustark.

An attractive chestnut filly, with powerful shoulders and a long raking stride, she was bred by Dalham Stud Farms Ltd, owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained by Henry (later Sir) Cecil at Newmarket.

Oh So Sharp won her three races as a juvenile over six, seven and eight furlongs, culminating in the Hoover Fillies’ Mile, with Lester Piggott aboard, beating Helen Street and Morning Devotion.

The following year, after taking the Nell Gwyn and now ridden by Steve Cauthen (13), she got up in the last stride to win the One Thousand Guineas in a battle of short-heads, with Albahathri (2nd middle) and Bella Colora (3rd rails).

However, her progress on the home gallops led Cecil to consider running her in the Derby (she had been entered in all five Classics), until finally deciding to run in the Oaks, which she won by six lengths, clearing away from two furlongs out.

She then continued with two seconds – firstly in the ‘King George,’ when beaten a neck by Petoski, and then in the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup, as the 2-5 favourite, when succumbing to Lester Piggott on Commanche Run, by three-quarters of a length.

In her final run, the St Leger, she put things right, running on to beat Phardante and Lanfranco, to complete the Fillies’ Triple Crown, the first to do so since Meld in 1955.

At stud, she bred seven winners, including, Shaima (b.f. 1988), whose first foal, Shantou won the 1996 St Leger.

Oh So Sharp was put down in late October 2001, aged 19, due to complications from laminitis.

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

FIFINELLA, was one of the best fillies in the 20th century and with her Derby victory in 1916, is the most recent filly to do so.  She also joins her three predecessors,

Eleanor (1801), Blink Bonny (1857) and Signorinetta (1908), as winners of both the Derby and Oaks.

Fifinella was bred and owned by Sir Edward Hulton, 1st Baronet (1869-1925), who in his early years assisted his father in publishing the Sporting Chronicle. Later he founded the Manchester Evening Chronicle, launched the Daily Sketch and acquired the Evening Standard.

His sporting interests were twofold. In coursing he won the Waterloo Cup in 1908 with Hallow Eve and again in 1916 (the year of Fifinella’s Derby) with Harmonicon, while on the racing front, in late-autumn 1906 he purchased the Curragh National Produce Stakes winner Silver Fowl, who, after an accident, was put to stud and in 1913 produced Fifinella (by Polymelus).

Sir Edward’s other Classic winners were Roseway (1919 One Thousand Guineas) and Straitlace (1924 Oaks).

Fifinella ran her three races as a juvenile at Newmarket, winning the Fulbourne Stakes, finishing second to Jack Joel’s Telephone Girl in the Bibury Club Stakes and then running away with the Cheveley Park Stakes by eight lengths; Champion Jockey, Steve Donoghue being aboard each time.

The following year, Fifinella, who by now, had a reputation for being, “catty, peevish and unreliable,” reappeared in the One Thousand Guineas ridden by Joe Childs. Playing up at the start, she received a no-nonsense reminder from Childs, but got her own back by sulking throughout the race and losing to Canyon by three-quarters of a length.

Due to the First World War, the Derby and Oaks were run at Newmarket. And as the colts entered in the Derby appeared to be below standard, she was allowed to take her chance.

Although agitated and waspish in the paddock, she started 11-2 joint-second favourite with Nassovian (third in the Guineas), while Kwang-Su, (second in the Guineas), went off the 3-1 favourite.
After a lengthy delay at the start, Fifinella was slowly away, then badly bumped, and appeared to take no interest until, taking hold of the bit close home, she sped through a narrow gap and with Child’s assistance won by a neck from Kwang-Su, with Nassovian, a head away, third.

Joe Childs takes up the story, “In the Derby she was inclined to be fretful and nervous, but two days later when the Oaks was run, she was almost a different animal. No nervousness, no fretfulness and she appeared as though she was looking forward to the event.” And so, starting at odds of 8-13, Fifinella won in a canter by five lengths from Salamandra.

Her final race came in September 1917, and proved a dismal display, as she finished last of three behind Phalaris in the Bury St Edmunds Plate at Newmarket.
Dick Dawson, her trainer, was said to be glad to see her go – “a bite or a kick being her usual greeting.”

At stud Fifinella bred 12 foals, eight of which were winners, including Press Gang (ch.c. 1927), winner of the Middle Park Stakes and Princess of Wales’s Stakes.

Fifinella died in 1931

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

Grey is the colour, Racing is the Game

**  1  **

The Grey Gene 

WITH the exception of a tiny minority, who trace to a grey son of the Brownlow Turk, every grey thoroughbred we see today derives his greyness, generation by generation without a single break, from the Alcock Arabian (gr.c. 1704), who was also known as Pelham’s Grey Arabian.

The colour of the Alcock Arabian was, as it is with all other grey thoroughbreds, not a true colour. The greyness is a deficiency that causes the coat to ‘silver’ with age, until a foal with a ‘gun metal’ colouring slowly turns white in appearance.

The greyness in fact, has only a masking effect which, when transmitted, dominates the basic colours of bay and chestnut. It is therefore inherited together with the basic colour genes, not instead of them.

No grey horse has ever been born without one of its parents being grey, the deficiency being transmitted only from the parents to the foal.

It follows that bays or chestnuts mated together have never produced a grey, even though their parents might all have been greys. It must also be noted that two grey parents will not necessarily produce a grey foal, unless one of them has inherited the greyness from both of its parents.

Having set out the rules of nature, the percentage of grey racehorses has generally hovered around 3%.

This figure is backed up by taking an extract from all the Classic races and Champion Sires. Even so, in the decades before The Tetrarch, it was predicted in time there would be no grey racehorses.

As with other forms of predictability, this low percentage indicates that success is generally unpredictable.  For example, in more than two centuries only four winners of the Derby and four winners of the Oaks have been grey.  The latest Derby winner being Airborne in 1946 and the latest Oaks winner, Sleeping Partner in 1969.

This set against the One Thousand Guineas, first run in 1814 with 13 grey winners, the first, Tagalie not appearing until 1912. And the St Leger with 11, yet none between 1798 and 1920.

There can be reasons for this. In some cases where an exceptional grey horse, such as The Tetrarch, will go on influencing pedigrees for generations.

**  2  **

Alcock Arabian (gr.c. 1704)

Returning to the Alcock Arabian, although said to have been imported via Constantinople by Sir Robert Sutton, evidence now exists that the Alcock Arabian may have been sired by the Curwen Bay Barb out of Sir John Parson’s Old Wen grey mare, a sister to Clumsey.

In 1722, the Alcock Arabian was purchased by the 2nd Duke of Ancaster, and progressed to be Champion Sire in 1728 .

His most Notable Progeny was  CRAB gr.c. 1722 (below) ex sister to SOREHEELS by BASTO.

CRAB was bred by Charles Pelham of Lincolnshire and later purchased by Mr Cotton.

He was “a horse of size and strength”. He ran only as a six and seven-year-old and won five races, including a King’s Plate at Newmarket.
After retiring to Thomas Panton’s stud, Crab became the Champion Sire for three consecutive years; 1748, 1749 and 1750.

Among his best progeny was Spectator (b.c. 1749), who won the 1756 Jockey Club Plate, beating Brilliant and Matchem, and later became the broodmare sire of the first two Derby winners – Diomed in 1780 and Young Eclipse in 1781 – and the grandsire of the 1785 Derby winner Aimwell.

Crab died on Christmas day 1750, aged 28 years.

**  3  **

The Tetrarch (gr.c. 1911)

The unpredictability of the grey gene referred to earlier, is no more evident than with the emergence of The Tetrarch.

Bred by Mr Edward Kennedy at the Straffan Stud in County Kildare, The Tetrarch was born in 1911, sired by the grey French bred stayer Roi Herode. Mated to Vahren, a 14-year-old mare that had won three small races, it was noted that she was a shy breeder – a trait to be inherited by The Tetrarch.

THE TETRARCH was born a chestnut with black splodges, however, by the time trainer Atty Persse had bought him for 1,300 guineas at Doncaster’s Yearling Sales, the chestnut pigment had turned to gun-metal grey and the random egg-shaped splodges to white.

STEVE DONOGHUE (seen aboard) said of The Tetrarch, “He was without doubt the fastest horse that I ever rode, and probably, the fastest horse that ever ran on the Turf.”

Having passed on The Tetrarch to his cousin Dermot McCalmont at cost price, Persse set about training the colt on his Stockbridge gallops in Hampshire. The results were spectacular, and so must have been the stable security, for when The Tetrarch won his maiden at the Newmarket Craven by four lengths in a canter, he did so at generous odds of 5-1.

The Tetrarch (above) winning the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom and setting a new six furlong course record of 1 minute 7.6 seconds, beating Parhelion by three lengths.

Then at Ascot, in the Coventry Stakes, he annihilated six rivals to win by ten lengths.

To the sporting press, who had dubbed him as “The Rocking Horse”, he now became “The Spotted Wonder”.

Crowds flocked to Sandown to see his next race – the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes. But anticipating the start, he caught the tapes in his mouth, reared up and came down on his knees.

At half-way, his task looked impossible, but Donoghue got him balanced and won the race by a neck. For historians, however, it was his next race – the six-furlong Rous Memorial Stakes at Goodwood – that stands out. Conceding 13lb to the future One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Princess Dorrie, he won “in runaway style”, beating her by six lengths.

Further convincing victories followed in the Champion Breeders’ Foal Stakes at Derby, by four lengths, and in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, beating Stornaway (winner of the Prince of Wales’s Plate and Gimcrack Stakes at York), by three lengths. Soon after this, he rapped his off-fore fetlock in a home gallop and after treatment, was put away for the winter.

Rated at 9st 10lb in the Free Handicap, The Tetrarch was made winter favourite for both the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby.

Early in March, it was admitted that his injury was greater than thought at first, and eventually he was withdrawn from the Guineas. Finally, after rapping his off-fore again in early May, he was taken out of the Derby.

For the record, The Tetrarch ran only at 2 years and won all his 7 races incl. Woodcote Stakes, Coventry Stakes, National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Sandown, Rous Memorial Stakes, Goodwood, and the Champagne Stakes, Doncaster.

The question raised was, could a horse with such speed have stayed the Derby distance? His trainer Atty Persse said, “There was no three-year-old in 1914, who would have been capable of extending him over any distance.”

At his owners Ballylinch Stud in Co. Kilkenny, The Tetrarch showed little interest in mating and sired only 130 foals in about 20 years. However, his 80 winners included the 1920 Two Thousand Guineas winner Tetratema; three St Leger winners: Caligula, Polemarch and Salmon-Trout,  ‘The Flying Filly’ Mumtaz Mahal, (Champion 2-y-o filly in 1923) and grandam of Mahmoud (1936 Derby).

The Tetrarch was Champion Sire in 1919, and between 1918 and 1927 he figured in the top dozen sires’ eight times.

The enigma of The Tetrarch was the extremes of his progeny, from the speed of Tetratema and Mumtaz Mahal to his three St Leger winners. For breeders, however, the mere presence of his grey gene in the pedigree was one of improvement.

Later in life his strange spots completely disappeared as he became entirely white. He was infertile for the last ten years of his life, and died on 8 August, 1935. Aged 24, he was buried at the Ballylinch Stud,  County Kilkenny.

In the excellent book, “A Century of Champions” by John Randall and Tony Morris, The Tetrarch was rated the “Best Two-Year-Old of the Century”, ahead of Tudor Minstrel and Tetratema.

**  4  **

Tetratema (gr.c. 1917)

Following The Tetrarch, his son Tetratema was a worthy successor.

TETRATEMA, the best and fastest son of The Tetrarch, inherited all that was to be admired in “The Spotted Wonder”, but, with soundness and an on-going ability at stud.
His dam, Scotch Gift (b.f. 1907) by Symington, had been a useful two-year-old, winning four races. Later she bred seven winners, including a full brother to Tetratema – The Satrap – a winner of the July Stakes and the Richmond Stakes.

A grey colt born in 1917, Tetratema, was bred by Major Dermot McCalmont, trained at Stockbridge by Atty Persse and ridden by Brownie Carslake. Unbeaten in five starts as a juvenile, he won the first three of these – the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, the Molecomb Stakes and Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes – by a distance of four lengths. And by now noted by every tout in the country, he took the Imperial Produce Plate at Kempton, conceding weight to two rivals, at odds of 7-100. Finally that year, he won the Middle Park Plate, beating Southern and three others by six lengths. At the end of the year, he was rated 12lb clear at the top of the Juvenile Free Handicap and turfites questioned whether he was a better colt than his illustrious sire.

The following year, after a surprise half-length defeat in the Greenham Stakes by Silvern (a full brother to Fifinella), he justified public support by winning the Two Thousand Guineas as the 2-1 favourite, leading from start to finish to beat Allenby and 15 other rivals.

Nevertheless, in spite of his sprint-bred pedigree, Tetratema started favourite for the Derby. However, soon after entering the straight, he was done for, finishing down the field behind Spion Kop, who benefiting from the early pace set a new course record.

That year, Tetratema went on to win a further three races from four starts: the five-furlong Fern Hill Stakes at Ascot, the six-furlong King George at Goodwood, beating the famous Diadem, then closing with an easy match victory over Britomart (rec. 21lb) in the Kennet Stakes (5f.) at Newmarket. His defeat came in the Eclipse Stakes when finishing unplaced to Buchan over a distance beyond his ability.
With lessons learned, Tetratema’s connections confined him to sprints for his final season and, running in four races, he won them all – the King’s Stand Stakes, the July Cup, another King George at Goodwood and finally the Snailwell Stakes at Newmarket.

Over his three seasons, he won 13 races and was never beaten in 12 starts over five and six furlongs.

At Stud he was Champion Sire in 1929, when Mr Jinks won the Two Thousand Guineas and Royal Minstrel won the Eclipse. These were his best two sons and both were greys. He also finished second in the Sires list three times: 1929, 1934 and 1936.

Tetratema died on 16 July, 1939 aged 22 years, and was buried at the Ballylinch Stud.

**  5  **

Le Sancy (gr.c. 1884)

ROI HERODE (gr.c. 1904), sire of The Tetrarch, was bred in France by Maurice Caillaut.

He won only 3 races from 24 starts: Prix de la Neva, Grand Prix de la Ville de Vichy, Prix de la Table, and was second in Doncaster Cup.

But, in an attempt to revive the HEROD male line he was bought by Edward Kennedy for £2,000.

**  6  **

Tagalie (gr.f. 1909)

In 1912, TAGALIE was only the second grey to win the Derby and the fifth filly to do so.

 

Mr Walter Raphael leads in his Derby winner Tagalie

Tagalie’s sire Cyllene, had three previous Derby winners Cicero (1905), Minoru (1909) and Lemberg (1910).

Her dam, Tagale, was bred in France and won two races before breeding seven winners from nine foals.

Walter Raphael (1862-1938), the owner/breeder of Tagalie, was a rich London financier, whose Louviers was beaten a short head by Minoru in the 1909 Derby.

Raphael had a private stable at Somerville Lodge, Newmarket, where he employed the trainer Dawson Waugh.

Tagalie made a winning debut in the Boscawen (Post) Stakes at Newmarket. Two weeks later she finished third to Belleisle in the Cheveley Park Stakes, before disappointing in a Maiden at Sandown.

On her three-year-old debut, however, Tagalie won the One Thousand Guineas at odds of 20-1, with the favourite Belleisle third.

Although her second in the Newmarket Stakes kept her in the Derby picture, the Two Thousand Guineas form dominated the betting, with the American-bred winner Sweeper 2-1 favourite and second placed Jaeger on 8-1. Tagalie was a popular each way bet at 100-8.

Tagalie was ridden by the American lightweight Johnny Reiff, who had won the 1907 Derby on Orby. Reiff gave a brilliant display of ‘waiting in front’ as Tagalie won by four lengths from Jaeger, with Tracery a further two lengths away third.

Two days later Tagalie returned for the Oaks as 1-2 favourite but, with George Stern now in the saddle, she was held back until Tattenham Corner and was soon beaten in the straight, finishing sixth to the 33-1 outsider Mirska. Further defeats followed when she ran unplaced behind Prince Palatine in the Eclipse Stakes and Tracery in the St Leger.

Retired to stud, Tagalie produced four winners of 12 races and died after foaling in 1920.

**  7  **

Mahmoud (gr.c. 1933)

Mumtaz Mahal (gr.f. 1921)

**  8  **

Addenda

Of the 11 grey winners of the St Leger, none produced a Classic winner.

Although Airborne, who also won the 1946 Derby, sired Silken Glider to win the 1957 Irish Oaks and finish second in the Oaks at Epsom.

The seventh and and only grey Champion Sire of G.B. & Ireland, since Tatratema, was Dark Angel (gr.c. 2005), who traces back in unbroken line 11 generations to The Tetrarch.

Of the eight grey Kentucky Derby winners, six trace back to Mahmoud and the other two to The Tetrarch by  a different rout. 

If there is to be a resergence of the grey gene in our Classic winners you can be sure that either Mahmoud or The Tetrarch will figure in their pedigrees.

For those who like to leave with a smile, the grey gene of the famous chaser, Desert Orchid, goes back 300 years without a break, to our start with the Alcock Arabian.

Thus concludes our journey with the grey gene through the Thoroughbred racehorse

(2820 words)

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

Bay Middleton – Derby winner & Champion Sire

Bay Middleton with Jem Robinson aboard

BRED BY 5th Earl of Jersey. CHAMPION SIRE 1844, 1849.

WON 7 races incl. Riddlesworth Stakes,Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, Derby Stakes, Buckhurst Stakes, Grand Duke Michael Stakes (never beaten).

A bay colt born in 1833, Bay Middleton’s excellence lay in his pedigree.

His sire was William Crockford’s Sultan, a Champion Sire six times and the sire of eight Classic winners; his dam was Cobweb, winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks and breeder of three Classic winners. With such references, Bay Middleton was a hot property and was backed at 8-1 for the Derby before he even set a foot on the gallops.

Bay Middleton’s first race was at the Craven Meeting in 1836, where he won the Riddlesworth Stakes, then on the last day of the same meeting, he walked over for the Bruton Street Stakes.

Two weeks later, Bay Middleton won the Two Thousand Guineas as 4-6 favourite from the future St Leger winner Elis and four others.

On Derby day, rumours abounded about Bay Middleton’s doubtful leg and bad temper, but despite the latter made worse by countless deliberate false starts – he held fast in the market going off the 7-4 favourite. And, after shaking off the late challenge of Gladiator, he won easily by two lengths.

Although the judge placed only two, Venison was third and Slane fourth, both  future Champion Sires.

Such was the pace of the race and the class of the winner that many of the field tailed in nearly two furlongs behind.

At Ascot, Bay Middleton won the Buckhurst Stakes at odds of 1-20 from Lord Exeter’s Derby runner Muezzin and followed this up by beating Elis again in the Grand Duke Michael Stakes at Newmarket in October.

His final race was a match at the Houghton Meeting, in which he conceded 13lb to Muezzin over the Ditch Mile and landed odds of 1-8.

Bay Middleton, unbeaten in his seven races, was promptly retired to the Turf Tavern, Doncaster, at a fee of 30 guineas. He sired four Classic winners, including Derby heroes The Flying Dutchman (1849) and Andover (1854) and was Champion Sire in 1844 and 1849. Altogether, he sired the winners of 487 races, and died at Danebury in 1857.

HIS NOTABLE PROGENY

ALL ROUND MY HAT br.f. 1841 ex CHAPEAU D’ESPAGNE by DOCTOR SYNTAX.

WON Nassau Stakes, Goodwood.

ELLEN MIDDLETON br.f. 1846 ex MYRRHA by MALEK.

WON Yorkshire Oaks. Dam of WILD DAYRELL br.c. 1852 by ION, won Derby Stakes.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN br.c. 1846 ex BARBELLE by SANDBECK

WON 14 races (from 15 starts) incl. July Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, Derby Stakes, St Leger Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Match for £1,000 against VOLTIGEUR over 2 miles, York.

SUNFLOWER b.f. 1847 ex IO by TAURUS.

Dam of SUNBEAM b.f. 1855 by CHANTICLEER, won St Leger Stakes, Coronation Cup.

APHRODITE br.f. 1848 ex VENUS by SIR HERCULES.

WON Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, One Thousand Guineas Stakes, Park Hill Stakes. Second in St Leger Stakes. Dam of SIDEROLITE b.c. 1866 by ASTEROID, won Ascot Gold Vase, Goodwood Cup.

ANDOVER b.c. 1851 ex daughter (1844) of DEFENCE.

WON Molecomb Stakes, Brighton Club Plate, Derby Stakes, Stockbridge Triennial Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Brighton, Don Stakes, Doncaster.

THE HERMIT br.c. 1851 ex JENNY LIND by TOUCHSTONE.

WON Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, Ascot Gold Vase, Stewards Plate, Stockbridge, Queen’s Plate, York. Third in Derby Stakes.

ANTON b.c. 1854 ex daughter (1844) of DEFENCE.

WON St James’s Palace Stakes. Second in Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

The Romance of

Wild Dayrell

WILD DAYRELL was bred by Francis Popham at Littlecote House, Littlecote Park in Wiltshire, and named after the notorious, 16th century owner of the place – a man described as a ‘wildshaver’ who, by good fortune escaped the gallows, only to be killed by a fall from his horse. Soon after, the estate came into the possession of the Popham family, who it was said, witnessed the ghost of Dayrell on more than one occasion.

Popham, a hunting man, cautiously began to breed thoroughbreds and after agreeing to £50 for Ellen Middleton, a daughter of the 1836 Derby winner, Bay Middleton, he mated her to Ion, the runner-up in both the 1838 Derby and St Leger.

The arrival of Ellen Middleton’s first foal  – caused  great excitement within the household. Edward Moorhouse relates “The Druid’s” account:

“When the colt appeared between midnight and one o’clock in the morning the butler was rung up and rushed on the scene with his nightcap on his head and a bottle of wine in  his hand; and, as it was necessary to remove the little stranger into a warmer box, he got a wheelbarrow and insisted on  “’wheeling the winner of the Derby once in my life.’” Further. when Rickaby (the stud-groom), got to his cottage at five  o‘clock  that  April morning, he told his wife that there must be  something remarkable for good or evil about the colt, because he had  just seen the  strange sight of a  wild duck and a  wild  drake sitting on a quickset hedge close to the high road!”

The colt that the omen applied to was named, “for good or evil”, Wild Dayrell and was sold without sentiment to the Duke of Richmond’s son, Lord Henry Lennox, for 100 guineas, with a 500-guinea contingency if he won the Derby.

Packed off to Goodwood to be trained by John Kent, Wild Dayrell was slow to mature and at the Duke of Richmond’s dispersal sale he was sent with others to Tattersall’s. One account relates there was no bid for him and that Mr Popham bought him back privately for 180 guineas, allowing his neighbour, Lord Craven a share.

With stud groom John Rickaby appointed trainer, a primitive training gallop was laid out at Littlecote Park and together with a three-year-old filly and a five-year-old gelding, Wild Dayrell continued his career until May 1854, when all three were sent over to Lord Craven’s Ashdown Park, in the care of John Rickaby.

A big, strong horse, Wild Dayrell eventually came to hand and made a winning debut in late September, starting favourite in a three-horse-race over the Newmarket’s Two-Year-Course (five furlongs, 140 yards). That was to be his only run as a two-year-old and he never ran again before the Derby.

In order to give Wild Dayrell a serious preparation for the Derby many horses were bought or borrowed to trial him, but none were up to the task. A recent Chester winner, Jack Shepherd, was therefore bought for £1,600. Ten days before the race, giving Jack Sheppard a year and 8lb and another four-year-old 2 stone, he cruised past them with ease, prompting Charlton, the rider of Jack Sheppard, to exclaim: “I thought King Tom’s trial a good one last year, but I never rode against such a horse as this before.”

Wild Dayrell was not, however, ‘clear of the wood’ yet. When news of the trial leaked out, the colt’s chances sparked a rush of bets for the Derby, although strangely, his price never shortened.

In a fiendish attempt to stop him reaching Epsom, nobblers removed the linchpins from the wheels of his horsebox but Popham and his trainer Rickaby were forewarned and substituted a bullock for the Derby favourite – the horse box came crashing down and the bullock broke a leg.. Then, in one last desperate attempt, bookmakers’ ‘agents’ offered Popham £5,000 cash not to run Wild Dayrell.

After all the trials, schemes, plots and hedging of bets, Derby Day arrived and so did Wild Dayrell. Those who had tried to stop him were now forced to back him, so sending his price down from 3-1 to even-money. Meanwhile, the Two Thousand Guineas winner, Lord of the Isles, remained steady at 7-4, while Kingstown, third in the Guineas, drifted alarmingly from 9-2 to 12-1.

This year, however, the attendance was down and the normal razzamatazz of Derby Day, somewhat subdued. England was in the throes of the Crimean war and effects of the revealing aftermath of the ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’.

On a dull and cold day, the field of 12 first made their way from the Paddock to Tattenham Corner, where they waited for the course to be cleared, before running  ‘The Preliminary Canter’ past the grandstands and on to the starting post.

Off and running, Lord of the Isles, having pulled very hard for the first two furlongs, was allowed by Tom Aldcroft to make the running to the top of the hill. There, joined by Kingstown, the pair raced down to Tattenham Corner, with Wild Dayrell moving in just behind them..The three principals then raced together to the furlong pole, where Robert Sherwood let Wild Dayrell have his head, and as Lord of the Isles and Kingstown had little more to give, he swept past to win by two lengths. Kingstown held on to be second by a head with Lord of the Isles third, Flatterer fourth and Courtenay fifth.

The crowd resolutely cheered home Wild Dayrell and most of the bookmakers lost money. ‘Leviathan’ Davis took £50,000 but paid out £70,000. Francis Popham, who said he was not a betting man, won a brilliant wager of £l0,000 to £150, which he shared with his friends. He later made it known, that nothing ever again would induce him to own another Derby horse.

Wild Dayrell ran twice more. He won the Ebor St Leger at York, beating the Ascot Gold Vase winner Oulston, but broke down in the Doncaster Cup won by Rataplan. He went to stud at Chilton Folliat, near Hungerford, at a fee of 30 guineas. A magnificent brown horse standing 16.1 hands, he looked even bigger, with “immense arms, gaskins, knees and hocks”.

He proved popular with breeders, siring many good winners including, Buccaneer (Royal Hunt Cup), who went on to be Champion Sire in 1868, when his filly Formosa won four Classics. He also sired Hurricane, who took the One Thousand Guineas and later produced the Two Thousand Guineas winner Atlantic.

Wild Dayrell died in his stall at Littlecote in November 1879, aged 27 years.

The picture, thought to be taken by Robert Howlett in 1855, is the oldest known photograph of a Thoroughbred racehorse.

Wild Dayrell’s Derby jockey, Robert Sherwood (1835-1894), when 18 years old, won both the Prix du Jockey-Club and the Prix de Diane on M. Lupin’s Jouvence. However, two years after his Derby victory, he steadily gained in weight until, in 1863, he went to Hong Kong to manage the racing stables of some British merchants. A few years after returning to England, he trained from Exeter House, Newmarket, where he sent out Jack Hammond’s St Gatien to dead-heat with Harvester in the 1884 Derby. Sherwood also won the 1889 Oaks with L’Abbesse de Jouarre for Lord Randolph Churchill.

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.

Although never a Champion Sire,

Owen Tudor was the sire of Champions.

“A short-coupled colt of rare quality,” he was bred by Mrs Catherine (later Lady) MacDonald-Buchanan, the daughter of Lord Woolavington.

A brown colt of 16.1 hands by Hyperion out of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner, Mary Tudor II, he was sent to Fred Darling at Beckhampton in Wiltshire, for training.

Ridden by Gordon Richards on his debut, he won the 10-runner, five furlong, Salisbury Stakes by four lengths from Excursionist. Much was expected from him when odds-on in the Criterion Stakes. However, he surprisingly failed to stay the extra furlong and finished fifth to Starwort. Returning to Newmarket for the six-furlong Boscawen Stakes, he challenged close home to be beaten a head by City of Flint.

The following year, he won the one-mile Column Stakes by three lengths, before disappointing in the Two Thousand Guineas when favourite and only fifth to Lambert Simnel.

His pre-Derby race was the Salisbury Trial Stakes, and starting at 4-7 he was beaten two lengths by Fairy Prince. Owen Tudor’s Derby chance now seemed remote and with Gordon Richards recovering from a broken leg, the ride was given to Billy Nevett, the top northern jockey, who at the time was serving as a private in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

When Derby Day arrived the first three in the Two Thousand Guineas, Lambert Simnel, Morogoro and Sun Castle, occupied the same positions in the Derby betting at 4-1, 11-2 and 6-1 respectively. Although looking impressive in the paddock, at 25-1 Owen Tudor was the least fancied of Fred Darling’s five runners, having been beaten when odds-on in the Salisbury Trial Stakes.

On a warm day at Newmarket, 20 runners went to post on good ground. Selim Hassan set the pace to Plantation Corner, but soon after, gave way to Starwort and Annatom. Into the dip, Starwort led Morogoro with Firoze Din and Owen Tudor on either side.

At the foot of the hill, Morogoro (blinkers), looked the winner, but meeting the rising ground, Owen Tudor (hidden) stormed past him to win by one and a half lengths, with Firoze Din a further two lengths away third. 

Owen Tudor seen shortly after the Derby.

Owen Tudor ran a further three times that year, finishing fourth to Sun Castle in the St Simon Stakes, ninth to Sun Castle in the St Leger and finally winning the Newmarket St Leger from Chateau Larose. As a four-year-old, Owen Tudor won two of his three starts, opening with an eight lengths victory in the mile-and-a-half Salisbury Trial Plate. Seven weeks later, over the same course and two extra furlongs, he faded badly, finishing sixth of seven to Mazarin. However, in his final race, the Ascot Gold Cup, all was forgiven, Owen Tudor winning in fine style with Mazarin only fourth. This was the first time a Derby winner had won the Gold Cup since Gainsborough, Owen Tudor’s grandsire,  in 1918. On both occasions the double was achieved at Newmarket.   

Owen Tudor retired to his owner-breeder’s New England Stud at Newmarket, at a fee of 250 guineas. Although never Champion Sire he got a number of top-quality colts, including the sensational TUDOR MINSTREL br.c. 1944 ex SANSONNETT by SANSOVINO, won Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes; ABERNANT gr.c. 1946 ex RUSTOM MAHAL by RUSTOM PASHA, won Middle Park Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, July Cup (twice), King George Stakes (twice), Nunthorpe Stakes (twice). Second in Two Thousand Guineas Stakes; RIGHT ROYAL br.c. 1958 ex BASTIA by TORNADO or VICTRIX, won Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Prix Lupin, Prix du Jockey-Club, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Aged 28 years, Owen Tudor was put down in March 1966.                                                                                                                   

OWEN TUDOR, won 6 races: Salisbury Stakes, Column Stakes, Newmarket, New Derby Stakes, Newmarket St Leger,Trial Plate, Salisbury, Newmarket Gold Cup (Ascot Gold Cup substitute).

His sire, HYPERION, won 8½ races: New Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes (d-ht), Goodwood, Dewhurst Stakes, Chester Vase, Derby Stakes, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot, St Leger Stakes, March Stakes, Burwell Stakes. Champion Sire 1940, 1941, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1954. Sire of 7 Classic winners incl. SUN CHARIOT br.f. 1939 ex CLARENCE by DILIGENCE, won New One Thousand Guineas Stakes, New Oaks Stakes, New St Leger Stakes and bred 7 winners of 18 races; SUN STREAM ch.f. 1942 ex DRIFT by SWYNFORD, won One Thousand Guineas Stakes, Oaks Stakes and bred 4 winners of 8 races; AUREOLE ch.c. 1950 ex ANGELOLA by DONATELLO, won King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, second in Derby Stakes and Champion Sire 1960 & 1961.

His dam, MARY TUDOR II, won. 6 races incl. Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. From 7 foals in G.B. she bred 6 winners incl. TUDOR MAID, won 4 races and bred ROYAL FOREST b.c. 1946 by BOIS ROUSSEL, won Coventry Stakes, Dewhurst Stakes and Champion Sire in Brazil; EDWARD TUDOR ch.c. 1943 by HYPERION, won 5 races incl. Chester Vase. MARY TUDOR II died in 1954.

For more Racing History see Michael’s Books for Sale.