Blair Athol (horse)
Blair Athol | |
---|---|
St Leger (1864) | |
Awards | |
Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1872, 1873, 1875, 1877) |
Blair Athol (1861–1882) was a British
Background
Blair Athol was a
Racing career
Blair Athol was slow to mature and did not race as a two-year-old. He did, however, show significant promise in trial gallops,[2] and I’Anson turned down an offer of £7,000 for the colt from the bookmaker John Jackson.[3] The fact that he had been entered in nine races without actually running caused some scepticism, but he was recognised by many observers as a horse of exceptional potential and a serious "dark horse" contender for the Derby.[4]
In the spring of 1864, Blair Athol had training difficulties and missed an intended run in the Dee Stakes at Chester.[5] He suffered from dental problems which sometimes prevented him from feeding.[2] He was also the victim of repeated attacks by a stable lad who had been paid by bookmakers to prevent the horse from running in the Derby. Before the culprit was caught, he had repeatedly kicked the colt on his legs and genitals, causing intermittent lameness.[3]
Blair Athol made his racecourse debut in the 1864 Derby on 25 May. He started at odds of
Immediately after his Derby win, Blair Athol was sent to France for the second running of the
On his return to England, Blair Athol was sent to
At
When Blair Athol was moved from Malton to take up stud duties at Fairfield, near York, the road was lined by cheering supporters.[3]
Assessment
In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred racing experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th century. Blair Athol was ranked fifth, having been placed in the top ten by fifty-two of the contributors. He was the second highest-placed horse of the 1860s behind Gladiateur.[22]
The bloodstock expert William Allison described him as "the best horse I have ever seen."[1]
Stud career
Blair Athol began his stud career at the farm of John Jackson, the York bookmaker who had attempted to buy him as a two-year-old. Jackson paid £7,500 for Blair Athol, reported as the largest sum ever paid for a racehorse up to that time.[23] When Jackson became ill in 1868 he sold off all his horses and Blair Athol was bought for £5,000 and moved to the Middle Park stud at Newmarket. In 1871, he was sold again, this time for £12,500 to the Cobham Stud Company.
Blair Athol was a highly successful stallion, being Champion sire four times between 1872 and 1877. His
Pedigree
Sire Stockwell (GB) 1849 |
The Baron 1842 |
Birdcatcher
|
Sir Hercules |
---|---|---|---|
Guiccioli | |||
Echidna | Economist | ||
Miss Pratt | |||
Pocahontas 1837 |
Glencoe | Sultan | |
Trampoline | |||
Marpessa | Muley | ||
Clare | |||
Dam Blink Bonny (GB) 1854 |
Melbourne 1834 |
Humphrey Clinker | Comus |
Clinkerina | |||
Cervantes mare | Cervantes | ||
Golumpus mare | |||
Queen Mary 1843 |
Gladiator | Partisan | |
Pauline | |||
Plenipotentiary mare | Plenipotentiary | ||
Myrrha(Family: 10-a) |
References
- ^ a b c Anne Peters Thoroughbred Heritage. "Blair Athol". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ a b c "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 11 Mahuru 1890 — RACECOURSE AND PADDOCK.-NO. 1. (Licensed Victuallers' Gazette.)". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 25 March 1864 — ANTICIPATIONS OF THE DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 27 August 1864 — THE DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past | Newspapers | Hawke's Bay Herald | 6 August 1864 | Untitled".
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 30 July 1864 — LONDON". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ISBN 9781409078104. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ "Horseracing History Online – Person Profile : Frederic Webb". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 May 2005. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Daily Southern Cross — 26 July 1864 — THE DERBY DAY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 25 July 1864 — THE DERBY DAY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Wellington Independent — 30 July 1864 — GENERAL SUMMARY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ a b "THE GREAT PRIZE OF PARIS". New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian. 7 September 1864. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 27 August 1864 — LONDON". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 22 August 1864 — LONDON TOWN TALK". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Daily Southern Cross — 23 August 1864 — THE GRAND PRIZE OF PARIS. —June 5". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 20 October 1864 — GENERAL SUMMARY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes. 1864. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 3 December 1864 — DONCASTER RAGES. THE ST. LEGER DAY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 19 November 1864 — LONDON". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "THE DONCASTER ST. LEGER.1". New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian. 30 November 1864. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 25 February 1865 — LONDON". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
- ^ "Papers Past — Grey River Argus — 1 November 1882 — DEATH OF BLAIR ATHOL". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 24 December 2011.