Gay Crusader
Gay Crusader | |
---|---|
Sire | |
Awards | |
12th UK Triple Crown Champion (1917) | |
Honours | |
Name given to LNER A1 No.4477 | |
Last updated on 30 July 2023 |
Gay Crusader (1914–1932) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won a wartime version of the English Triple Crown in 1917. In a career which lasted from September 1916 and October 1917 he ran ten times and won eight races, including his last seven in succession. In addition to his three Classic wins he defeated older horses in the Newmarket Gold Cup and the Champion Stakes. Because of wartime restrictions, all of his races were at Newmarket Racecourse. After being injured in training in 1918 he was retired to stud, where his record was disappointing.
Background
Gay Crusader was a bay horse of "beautiful quality"
Racing career
1916: two-year-old season
Gay Crusader was a small and weak yearling and early in his two-year-old season his progress was delayed by sore shins. It was autumn before he appeared on a racecourse when he ran in the Clearwell Stakes at Newmarket and finished sixth of the twelve runners. Despite this performance he was moved up in class for the Criterion Stakes over the same course in October. He was not strongly fancied, but won the race in a close finish by a head from the filly Molly Desmond.[2][4]
1917: three-year-old season
The
By his three-year-old, Gay Crusader had matured into a handsome colt with a calm temperament
Wartime restrictions became more severe in the summer of 1917 and for some time it seemed unlikely that a substitute Derby would be run.[11] The "New Derby" was finally organised and took place at Newmarket on 31 July, two months later than the customary date. The race carried prize money of only £2,050 and attracted only a handful of spectators on a dull and rainy day.[8] Ridden again by Donoghue, Gay Crusader started the 7/4 favourite against eleven opponents. Before the race Gay Crusader impressed observers with his condition and physique, and looked to be "the aristocrat of the party."[6] Invincible took the early lead and made the running until half a mile from the finish when Dark Legend moved to the front. The favourite had some problems obtaining a run as he was boxed in against the rails at a crucial stage,[12] but once clear he quickly took the lead and pulled away to win very easily[2] by four lengths from Dansellon and Dark Legend.[13]
The authorities at
Gay Crusader's earnings of £10,180 enabled Cox to be the Champion owner and the Champion breeder of the British season.[16]
1918: four-year-old season
Gay Crusader was kept in training with a second Gold Cup as his principal objective. Early in the season, Cox insisted on running the horse in a private trial race, despite Taylor's concerns about his fitness.[8] Gay Crusader won the trial impressively but was found to be lame the following day. A tendon injury was diagnosed which proved so serious that Gay Crusader was unable to race again.[17]
Assessment
In their book A Century of Champions, Tony Morris and John Randall rated Gay Crusader a "great" winner of both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby and the thirteenth best British horse of the 20th century.[18] Steve Donoghue regarded Gay Crusader as the best horse he ever rode.[8] A writer in The Field described Gay Crusader as "a great horse and one of the easiest Triple Crown winners of all time".[15]
Stud record
Gay Crusader was retired to stud service at an initial fee of 400 guineas. Shortly after Gay Crusader's retirement, Cox turned down an offer of £100,000 for the horse, an enormous amount at the time from Jack Joel.[17][19] He sired many winners, but few of note, though he does appear in the pedigree of the outstanding dual Prix be l'Arc de Triomphe winner and three times champion sire of Great Britain and Ireland, Ribot. His progeny included:
- Gay Lothario exported to Australia where he sired 25 stakeswinners that had 80 stakeswins, including Tranquil Star
- Hellespont, second dam of the Derby winner Airborne
- Indolence dam of Prince Rose, sire of American stallion Princequillo.
- Inglesant, won Sussex Stakes
- Kincardine, won St. James's Palace Stakes, sire of Kindergarten
- Loika dam of Djebel, Champion two-year-old in France and was that country's leading sire four times.
- Medieval Knight, Middle Park Stakes
Gay Crusader was euthanised on 14 September 1932 at the age of 18.[20]
Pedigree
Sire Bayardo (GB) 1906 |
Bay Ronald 1893 |
Hampton | Lord Clifden |
---|---|---|---|
Lady Langden | |||
Black Duchess | Galliard | ||
Black Corrie | |||
Galicia 1898 |
Galopin | Vedette | |
Flying Duchess | |||
Isoletta | Isonomy | ||
Lady Muncastet | |||
Dam Gay Laura (GB) 1909 |
Beppo 1903 |
Marco | Barcaldine |
Novitiate | |||
Pitti | St. Frusquin | ||
Florence | |||
Galeottia 1892 |
Galopin | Vedette | |
Flying Duchess | |||
Agave | Springfield | ||
Wood Anemone (Family: 1-g)[21] |
- Gay Crusader was inbred 3 × 3 to Galopin, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the third generation of his pedigree,
References
- ^ Birch, Franklin E., Pedigrees of Leading Winners 1912–1959, The Thoroughbred Breeders Assoc., London, 1960
- ^ a b c Charles Richardson. British Flat Racing and Breeding. Kdl.kyvl.org. pp. 239–243. Archived from the original on 29 August 2005. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "NOTES AND COMMENTS". Evening Post. 12 May 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ a b "NOTES AND COMMENTS". Evening Post. 20 September 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "ENGLISH RACING". Press. 17 June 1915. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ a b "SPORTING. THE TURF. THE NEW DERBY". Cairns Post. 12 January 1918. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "NOTES AND COMMENTS". Evening Post. 31 August 1918. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- ^ "NEWMARKET TWO THOUSAND". Marlborough Express. 4 May 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "NOTES BY AMBER AND BLACK". Feilding Star. 17 October 1918. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "Sporting. TURF NOTES". Townsville Daily Bulletin. 17 May 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "SPORTING". The Register (Adelaide). 22 September 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "SPORTING". Poverty Bay Herald. 1 August 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "NEWMARKET SEPTEMBER STAKES". Hawera & Normanby Star. 13 September 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ a b "General Gossip". Western Mail (Perth). 14 December 1917. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "NOTES AND COMMENTS". Evening Post. 16 February 1918. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ ISBN 085131 129 6.
- ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
- ^ "THE TURF". Feilding Star. 14 August 1918. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
- ^ "Problem – Family 1-g". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 18 February 2012.