Gainsborough (horse)

Gainsborough (1915–1945) was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the English Triple Crown in 1918 and became a superior sire.

Background

Gainsborough was a bay horse bred by his owner Lady James Douglas (1854–1941). The colt was named after the town of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire because his owner liked the sound of the name. Gainsborough was sired by Bayardo, who also sired the 1917 Triple Crown winner, Gay Crusader, and was out of Rosedrop, who won the 1910 Epsom Oaks and £9,809.^[2] Gainsborough's damsire was

As a two-year-old, Gainsborough made three starts at the Newmarket Racecourse , won the Autumn Stakes by two lengths,^[2] and was rated the third best juvenile of his generation.

1918: three-year-old season

Gainsborough won the

Following his win in the 2,000 Guineas, Gainsborough won the most prestigious race in England,

In 1920, Gainsborough was retired to Lady Douglas's newly established Harwood Stud horse breeding operation in northern Hampshire at Woolton Hill, near Newbury, Berkshire.^[2]

He had a notable stud career, becoming the

• Hyperion – won the 1933 Epsom Derby and St Leger Stakes and was a champion sire six times.
• Solario – winner of the 1925 St. Leger Stakes and the 1926 Ascot Gold Cup who was 1937's leading sire in England
• Singapore – won the 1930 St Leger Stakes
• Orwell – won the 1930 2,000 Guineas and £29,251.

Gainsborough's daughters did not distinguish themselves on the track but were good broodmares, including:^[3]

• Gainsborough Lass was his best race mare, running third in the
  1,000 Guineas
  and winning £7,984.
• Mah Iran, the dam of Migoli, who won £22,950.
• Mah Mahal, the dam of Mahmoud, who won the 1936 Epsom Derby and was the Leading sire in North America in 1946
• Una Cameron – dam of 1931 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner Cameronian
• Painted Vale – dam of 1949
  1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks winner Musidora and Valerullah

In 1940, failing health forced Lady James Douglas to sell her Harwood Stud, including Gainsborough. Under an agreement with new owner Herbert Blagrave, Gainsborough remained there until his death in 1945. He is buried on the 120-acre (0.49 km²) Harwood property that was eventually renamed Gainsborough Stud in his honour and since 1981 has operated as Gainsborough Stud Management Ltd. under the ownership of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.^{[citation needed]}

Assessment

In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris placed Gainsborough at number 56 in a list of the world's 200 best horses of the 20th century.^[4]

See also

• List of racehorses

References