Medoc II
Medoc II | |
---|---|
Sire | Van |
Grandsire | Alcantara |
Dam | Menthe Poivree |
Damsire | Pot au Feu |
Sex | Gelding |
Foaled | 1934[1] |
Country | France |
Colour | Bay |
Owner | Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton |
Trainer | Reg Hobbs |
Major wins | |
National Hunt Juvenile Stakes (1938) Seven Springs Handicap Chase (1940, 1941) Cheltenham Gold Cup (1942) |
Medoc II (also known simply as Medoc, foaled 1934) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1942 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He won races at the Cheltenham Festival in 1938, 1940 and 1941 before defeating a strong field in the Gold Cup but his later career was severely limited by wartime restrictions.
Background
Medoc was a bay gelding bred in France. He was sired by the French stallion Van, a high class
Medoc was bought by Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton and sent into training with Reg Hobbs at his Rhonehurst Stable in Upper Lambourn. Hobbs came to widespread public attention when he trained the American stallion Battleship to win the 1938 Grand National, ridden by his son Bruce.[3]
Racing career
Medoc showed promising early form as a steeplechaser winning the National Hunt Juvenile Chase as a four-year-old in 1938. He won the Seven Springs Handicap Chase in the 1940 Cheltenham Festival. He won at Plumpton Racecourse in March 1941[4] and went on to win the Seven Springs Handicap Chase for a second time. In November 1941 he finished second to Mixed Foursome in a chase at Cheltenham.[5]
Wartime restrictions meant that major sporting events were confined to the weekend and the 1942 Cheltenham Festival was run over successive Saturdays rather than consecutive days. On 14 March, Medoc contested the
The 1942 Gold Cup was run in front of a sparse crown in cold foggy conditions although any mention of the weather was omitted in the
National Hunt racing was suspended in September 1942 and Medoc was sent to race Ireland. When jump racing resumed in Britain at the end of 1944 Medoc was unable to resume his racing career owing to a decision of the National Hunt Committee not to accept entries on behalf of horses which had left the country after 1 June 1941.[9]
Assessment and honours
In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Medoc a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[10] Medoc is remembered in the name of Medoc Close, a residential street in Cheltenham.[11]
Pedigree
Sire Van (FR) 1917 |
Alcantara (FR) 1908 |
Perth | War Dance |
---|---|---|---|
Primrose Dame | |||
Toison d'Or | Le Sancy | ||
Harfleur | |||
Annarella (FR) 1910 |
Doricles | Florizel II | |
Rosalie | |||
Saint Astra | Ladas | ||
Saint Celestra | |||
Dam Menthe Poivree (FR) 1927 |
Pot au Feu (FR) 1921 |
Bruleur | Choubesrki |
Basse Terre | |||
Polly Peachum | Spearmint | ||
Lindoiya | |||
Minieh (GB) 1914 |
Minoru | Cyllene | |
Mother Siegel | |||
Red Sea | Gallinule | ||
Sand Blast (Family: 7-a)[2] |
References
- ^ a b "Medoc pedigree". Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
- ^ a b "Vicissitude - Family 7-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ISBN 0-340-58515-3.
- ISBN 9781473606852.
- ^ "Home Front: Week-end Racing". Townsville Bulletin. 24 Jan 1941.
- ISBN 9781848760349.
- ^ ISBN 1-84018-381-0.
- ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
- Sydney Morning Herald. 22 Nov 1944.
- ISBN 9781901570151.
- ^ "Cheltenham Areas: History of Swindon Village and Wyman's Brook". cheltenham4u.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18.