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Never Say Die (1951–1975) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning only once from his first nine races, he demonstrated much improved form in the summer of 1954 to win The Derby, becoming the first American colt to win the race in seventy-three years. Later that year he added a second British Classic when winning the St. Leger Stakes by a record margin of twelve lengths. He was later retired to a successful stud career.
Straight Deal (1940–1968) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1942 to 1943 he ran ten times and won five races. His most important success came in June 1943 when he won the “New Derby”, a substitute race for The Derby run on the July Course at Newmarket. During the Second World War many racecourses were closed either for safety reasons or for military use, with Epsom Downs Racecourse being used as the location for an anti-aircraft battery. Straight Deal was retired after finishing third in the “New St Leger” later that year and went on to become a successful stallion.
Wollow was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from summer 1975 to October 1976 he ran eleven times and won nine races. In 1975 he was rated the best two-year-old in Britain by a margin of five pounds and the following spring he won the Classic 2000 Guineas. He was undefeated in six races when starting favourite for the 1976 Epsom Derby but finished unplaced. Wollow won three more important races before his retirement later that year. He made little impact at stud and was exported to Japan in 1981.
Indiana was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from autumn 1963 until July 1965 he ran thirteen times and won four races. He won the Classic St Leger as a three-year-old in 1964, the same year in which he also won the Chester Vase and the Great Voltigeur Stakes. Indiana also finished second in The Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. He retired from racing and exported in 1966 to stand as a stallion in the Japan. He died in 1983.
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Darius (1951–1968) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the Classic 2000 Guineas in 1954. In a racing career which lasted from the spring of 1953 until November 1955 he ran twenty-one times, won nine races and was placed on ten occasions. He was one of the best British two-year-olds of his generation, winning four races including the July Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. In the following year he won the 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes, finished second in the Eclipse Stakes and third in both The Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He won three more races as a four-year-old including the Eclipse Stakes. After a disappointing run in the Washington, D.C. International Stakes he was retired to stud where he had considerable success as a sire of winners.
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Gilles de Retz (1953–1969) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1956. After winning twice from five starts as a two-year-old, the colt disappointed on his three-year-old debut before recording a 50/1 upset victory in the Guineas. Although the feat was not officially recognised at the time, Gilles de Retz's success made Helen Johnson Houghton the first woman to train the winner of a British classic. The colt failed to reproduce his best form in three subsequent efforts in 1956 and won once from four attempts as a four-year-old. He was retired to stud where he had little success as a sire of winners.
Bakharoff was an American-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the highest-rated European two-year-old of 1985 when he won the William Hill Futurity and the Chesham Stakes as well as finishing second in the Dewhurst Stakes. As a three-year-old he was overshadowed by his stable companion Dancing Brave, but he showed good form to win the Geoffrey Freer Stakes and finish third in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Irish Derby. In all, he achieved four wins and seven places in a twelve race career which lasted from April 1985 until September 1986. He later stood as a breeding stallion in New Zealand with modest results.
Ki Ming (1948–1957) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1951. As a two-year-old he showed promise to win at Royal Ascot but his season was disrupted when his trainer was banned for a doping offence. At three, he recorded an upset win over a large field to win the Guineas but failed when favourite for The Derby. In autumn he returned to sprint distances and won the Diadem Stakes at Ascot. His record as a breeding stallion was very disappointing.
Happy Knight was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1946. After finishing unplaced on his only run a two-year-old in 1945, he was an emphatic winner of the 2000 Guineas on his first appearance of 1946. He ran poorly when strongly-fancied for The Derby and never recovered his Guineas form although he won two races as a five-year-old in 1948. He made no impact at stud.
Lunchtime was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was undefeated in three races as a two-year-old in 1972, including the Dewhurst Stakes and was regarded as a major contender for the British Classic Races. He failed to win in three starts in the following year and was retired to become a breeding stallion in Australia. He had some success as a sire of winners.
Doricles was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Although he ran only twice as a two-year-old in 1900 he showed considerable potential when he dead-heated for first places in the July Stakes. In the following year he was a consistent performer at the highest class who contested all three legs of the Triple Crown. He finished second in the 2000 Guineas and the Newmarket Stakes but disappointed when coming home seventh in the Epsom Derby. He ran second again on his next start, before winning his next three races, culminating in a 40/1 upset victory in the St Leger Stakes. He failed to win again and was retired to become a breeding stallion in France.
Sweeper was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed high-class form as a juvenile in 1911 when he won the Triennial Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood as well as finishing second in the Middle Park Plate and third in the July Stakes. In the following spring he recorded his biggest success on his seasonal reappearance when he took the 2000 Guineas. He failed when favourite for the Epsom Derby and never won again although he finished second in both the St James's Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes. After his retirement from racing he had some success as a breeding stallion.
Norman was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was exported from the United States as a yearling and showed some promise as a juvenile in 1907 when he won twice from nine starts. In the following spring he recorded a 25/1 upset victory in the 2000 Guineas. He was unplaced when favourite for the Epsom Derby and finished last in the St Leger but ended his second season with a victory in the Newmarket St Leger. He raced for another two seasons but never recaptured his classic winning form. He made no impact as a breeding stallion.
Gorgos was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 1905 when he won two of his four races including the July Stakes. In the following spring he recorded an upset victory in the 2000 Guineas but was beaten in all of his subsequent races. He was retired from racing at the end of the year and became a successful breeding stallion in France.
Aida was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a juvenile she finished second on her debut and then defeated the future Epsom Derby winner Volodyovski in the Imperial Produce Stakes. She won the 1000 Guineas on her first appearance of 1901 and then finished a close third in a very strong edition of the Newmarket Stakes. She finished unplaced in the Eclipse Stakes and the St Leger and was retired from racing at the end of the year. As a broodmare she had an enduring influence on the breed through her daughter Herself.
Canterbury Pilgrim (1893–1917) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed some ability as a juvenile but failed to win a race. She won the Oaks Stakes on her first run as a three-year-old and went on to win the Liverpool Summer Cup, Park Hill Stakes and Jockey Club Cup before being retired at the end of the year. As a broodmare the best of her offspring was Swynford, a top-class racehorse who was even better as a breeding stallion. She also produced the influential sire Chaucer and several good broodmares. She has been described as "one of the most influential horses, stallion or mare, of the Twentieth Century".
Kirkconnel was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed very good form as a two-year-old in 1894, winning the Bedford Stakes, July Stakes and Lavant Stakes as well a finishing second in the Dewhurst Stakes and fourth in the Middle Park Plate. In the following year he won the 2000 Guineas and finished a close third in the Epsom Derby but was never as good thereafter, failing to win again and being retired at the end of 1896. He later stood as a breeding stallion in Germany with limited success.
References
- ↑ "Niksar image". sporthorse-data.com. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- 1 2 3 Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- ↑ "NIKSAR'S 2,000 GUINEAS". Straits Times . 30 April 1965. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
- ↑ "Niksar, 100-to-8, Finishes First By a Length in 2,000 Guineas". New York Times. 29 April 1965. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- 1 2 Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
- ↑ "EPSOM DERBY Niksar is chief British hope". Straits Times . 2 June 1965. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
- ↑ "Sea Bird whips Canadian-owned horse in Derby". Montreal Gazette. 3 June 1965. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
- ↑ "CHAMPION STAKES 1 M 2 F CLASS A GROUP 1 NEWMARKET OCT 1959–2008". Horseracingonly.multiply.com. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
- ↑ Tony Bourke (21 September 1972). "Valuable horses go to Japan". The Age . Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ↑ "Niksar pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
- ↑ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Blacklegs Royal Mare – Family 7". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
