Craig an Eran

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Craig an Eran
2000 Guineas (1921)
St James's Palace Stakes (1921)
Eclipse Stakes
(1921)

Craig an Eran (1918 – 1945) was a British

St Leger. After his retirement from racing he became a successful breeding stallion whose offspring included April the Fifth and Mon Talisman
.

Background

Craig an Eran was a bay horse bred in the United Kingdom by his owner

Alec Taylor, Jr. at his stable at Manton, Wiltshire.[3]

He was from the sixth crop of foals sired by

2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby in 1911 before his career was ended by injury. Craig an Eran's dam Maid of the Mist was a daughter of Sceptre and an influential broodmare in her own right, who also produced the Epsom Oaks winner Sunny Jane. Her other descendants have included Buchan, Commanche Run, Full Dress, Swiftfoot and One in a Million.[4]

Racing career

1920: two-year-old season

Craig an Eran ran twice as a juvenile, beginning his track career by finishing second in the

New Stakes.[5]

1921: three-year-old season

Alec Taylor, Jr, who trained Craig an Eran

On 29 April Craig an Eran (ridden by Jack Brennan) started at odds of

2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse. Humorist started favourite while the best fancied of the other 24 runners included Monarch (Middle Park Stakes), Alan Beck, Polemarch and Lemonora. Inside the final furlong Humorist held the lead but the complexion of the race changed in the final strides as Craig an Eran and Lemonora overtook the leaders. Craig an Eran crossed the line three quarters of a length ahead of Lemonora with Humorist the same distance away in third.[6][7] After the race the colt assumed the position of favourite in the ante-post betting for the Derby.[8]

On 1 June Craig an Eran started 5/1 second favourite behind Leighton in a 23-runner field for the Epsom Derby. He produced a sustained run in the straight but was beaten a neck by Humorist after a "battle royal" with three lengths back to Lemonora in third.

1000 Guineas), giving Alec Taylor a 1-2-3 in the race.[12]

On 7 September Craig an Eran started 1/4 favourite for the St Leger over 14+1⁄2 furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse and was reportedly regarded as a "certainty".[13] He moved up to dispute the lead in the straight but failed to stay and finished fourth behind Polemarch, Franklin and Westward Ho!.[14] Excuses were offered for the colt's defeat: it was reported that Taylor had been unable to train the horse to peak fitness on the prevailing hard ground and that Craig an Eran had been bumped by Westward Ho! in the straight. The latter claim was refuted by the jockeys involved in an enquiry by the racecourse stewards.[15]

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Craig an Eran an "average" winner of the 2000 Guineas.[7]

Stud record

Craig an Eran remained in training as a four-year-old but in April 1922 it was decided to retire the colt from racing and put him to stud at fee of 250

guineas.[16] He was employed a breeding stallion in England, before moving to France. The best of his offspring included April the Fifth, Mon Talisman and the Grand Prix de Paris winner Admiral Drake. Craig an Eran was euthanised on 22 October 1945.[17]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Craig an Eran (GB), bay stallion, 1918[1]
Sire
Sunstar (GB)
1908 		Sundridge
1898 		Amphion Rosebery
Suicide
Sierra Springfield
Sanda
Doris
1898 		Loved One See Saw
Pilgrimage
Lauretta Petrarch
Ambuscade
Dam
Maid of the Mist (GB)
1906 		Cyllene
1895 		Bona Vista Bend Or
Vista
Arcadia Isonomy
Distant Shore
Sceptre
1899 		Persimmon St Simon
Perdita
Ornament Bend Or
Lily Agnes (Family: 16-h)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Craig an Eran pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ^ "Turf Notes". Auckland Star. 29 October 1921. p. 18 – via Papers Past.
  3. ISBN 0-354-08536-0
    .
  4. ^ a b "Lily Agnes - Family 16-h". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-08-30.
  5. ^ "Racing World". Auckland Star. 30 April 1921. p. 12 – via Papers Past.
  6. Evening Post (New Zealand)
    . 2 May 1921. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  7. ^
    ISBN 1-901570-15-0
    .
  8. New Zealand Herald
    . 25 May 1921. p. 9 – via Papers Past.
  9. ^ "Sporting". The Press. 3 June 1921. p. 8 – via Papers Past.
  10. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3
    .
  11. ^ "Sporting". The Press. 28 June 1921. p. 11 – via Papers Past.
  12. ^ "English Racing". Evening Post (New Zealand). 16 July 1921. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  13. New Zealand Herald
    . 9 September 1921. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  14. ^ "Sporting". New Zealand Herald. 10 September 1921. p. 9 – via Papers Past.
  15. ^ "Turf Notes". Auckland Star. 5 November 1921. p. 18 – via Papers Past.
  16. ^ "Sporting". Lake Wakatip Mail. 15 August 1922. p. 4 – via Papers Past.
  17. ^ Weatherby (1949). "Obituary of Stallions". The General Stud Book. 31: 1169.
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