Silver Fame

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Silver Fame
SireWerwolf
Grandsire
Chestnut
OwnerVivian Smith, 1st Baron Bicester
TrainerGeorge Beeby
Record23 wins
Major wins
Seven Springs Handicap Chase (1948)
Golden Miller Chase
Stanley Chase (1950)
National Hunt Handicap Chase (1950)
Cheltenham Gold Cup (1951)

Silver Fame (foaled 1939) was a British

hunter
.

Background

Silver Fame was a "big, pale chestnut with a white

blaze"[2][3] bred in the United Kingdom. He was sired by Werwolf, a son of Hurry On and therefore a representative of the Godolphin Arabian sire-line. Werwolf was a very successful National Hunt stallion who also sired the Grand National winner Bogskar and the Champion Hurdler Free Fare.[4] Silver Fame's dam Silver Fairy was a distant female-line descendant of The Oaks winner Cyprian.[5]

During his racing career Silver Fame was owned Vivian Smith, 1st Baron Bicester and trained by George Beeby. Beeby trained the horse at Hamilton House at Compton in Berkshire.[6] Silver Fame's racing style meant that he seldom won by a wide margin but was very difficult to overtake once he took the lead.[2]

Racing career

Silver Fame began his racing career in Ireland and recorded his first success in a

33/1[9] but fell in the race after being hampered by loose horses three fences from the finish.[10] In the following season he won his first five races and was again aimed at the National.[11] At the 1948 Cheltenham Festival he won the £600 Seven Springs Handicap Chase carrying top weight of 175 pounds.[12] He also won the Golden Miller Chase at the same course, over a distance of four miles. In his second attempt at the Grand National he was made the 9/1 favourite,[9] but fell at Becher's Brook on the first circuit.[13]

In 1949 he bypassed the National, running instead in the Champion Chase over two miles seven

furlongs at the same course. He was leading and looked likely to win before falling heavily. Silver Fame remained on the ground for some time, leading to fears that he had been fatally injured, but he had only been winded by the fall and quickly recovered. In the following year he defeated Freebooter in the Stanley Chase at Sandown and in March he recorded his second success at the Festival as he carried 175 pounds to victory in the National Hunt Handicap Chase.[2]

Until 1951 Silver Fame had never contested the Cheltenham Gold Cup. For last two renewals Lord Bicester had preferred to rely on Finnure who had finished fourth in 1949 and second in 1950.[6]

On his final start before the

photo-finish at the time in National Hunt racing and there was some criticism of the judge's verdict. He became the oldest horse to win the race, supplanting Thrown In who won as an eleven-year-old in 1927.[6] The winning time of 6:23.4 for three and a quarter miles was a record for the race.[14]
Silver Fame's time has never been beaten (as of 2016) although it should be mentioned that the distance of the race has been slightly altered on several occasions.

Silver Fame returned for a final season in 1951/52. He failed to recover his best form: after being beaten at Leicester Racecourse he finished unplaced behind Mont Tremblant in the 1952 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

After the end of his racing career Silver Fame spent several years as a

hunter for Lord Bicester.[2]

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Silver Fame an "average" Gold Cup winner.[14]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Silver Fame (GB), chestnut gelding, 1939[1]
Sire
Werwolf (GB)
1919 		Hurry On (GB)
1913 		Marcovil Marco
Lady Villikins
Toute Suite Sainfoin
Star
Forest Lassie (GB)
1908 		Isinglass Isonomy
Dead Lock
Baroness La Fleche Ladas
La Fleche
Dam
Silver Fairy (IRE)
1928 		He Goes (GB)
1917 		Prince Palatine Persimmon*
Lady Lightfoot
Feronia Fariman
La Carolina
Fugle Star (IRE)
1917　 		Fugleman Persimmon*
Claque
Catsmeat Milner
Arum (Family: 23-a)[5]

* Silver Flame is inbred 4D × 4D to the stallion Persimmon, meaning that he appears twice fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

  1. ^ a b "Silver Fame pedigree". Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  2. ^
    ISBN 9780141942247
    .
  3. ^ Silver Fame image
  4. ^ "Jumper Sires Godolphin Arabian Line". Thoroughbred Heritage.
  5. ^ a b "A-La-Grecque – Family 23-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  6. ^
    ISBN 1-84018-381-0
    .
  7. ^ Guy St John Williams (2001). "Martin Molony: A Legend in his Lifetime". Hillgate. p. 107.
  8. ^ "1950s – Cheltenham". Cheltenham Racecourse official site.
  9. ^
    ISBN 0-340-58515-3
    .
  10. Montreal Gazette
    . 19 March 1948.
  11. St. Petersburg Times
    . 16 March 1948.
  12. ^ "Mellon's horse wins in England". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 4 March 1948.
  13. Free Lance–Star
    . 20 March 1948.
  14. ^
    ISBN 9781901570151
    .
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