Silvio (horse)
Silvio | |
---|---|
Jockey Club Cup (1878) | |
Awards | |
Leading British money winner (1877) Leading Sire in France (1886) |
Silvio (1874–1890) was a British
Background
Silvio was bred by his owner Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth at his stud at Mereworth Castle in Kent.[1] He was sent into training with Mathew Dawson at his Heath House stables at Newmarket, Suffolk.[2] His sire, Blair Athol, was an outstanding racehorse who won the Derby and the St Leger in 1864 and went on to be Champion Sire on four occasions. Silvio's dam, Silverhair, was a successful racehorse and produced other winners including the colt Garterly Bell, who finished fourth in the 1875 Derby,[3] and the filly Silver Ring, who won six races including the Bretby Stakes.
Racing career
1876: two-year-old season
As a two-year-old in 1876, Silvio showed promising form to win four of his five races.[4] On his racecourse debut, Silvio won the Ham Stakes at Goodwood. He then won three races at Newmarket: the Clearwell Stakes on 2 October, the Post Stakes, and the Glasgow Stakes in which he was the only starter and walked over. He then finished second to the French colt Verneuil in the Buckenham Stakes.[4]
1877: three-year-old season
Silvio began the season being regarded as the second string of Lord Falmouth's horses behind the filly, Lady Golightly,
On 30 May at Epsom, Silvio started at odds of 100/9 (11/1) against sixteen opponents in the Derby. Ridden again by Archer, he was settled in the middle of the field in the early stages and turned into the straight just behind the leaders. Silvio moved into second place two furlongs from the finish and passed Glen Arthur to take the lead a hundred yards from the line. He won "cleverly" by half a length from Glen Arthur, with Rob Roy, who may have been unlucky in running,[8] three quarters of a length further back in third [9] In mid-June, Silvio beat Glen Arthur much more decisively[10] in the Ascot Derby, the race now called the King Edward VII Stakes, despite carrying a weight penalty for his Derby win.[11]
On 12 September at
Silvio's earnings of £12,150 made him the biggest money winner of the season in Britain.[14]
1878: four-year-old season
On his four-year-old debut Silvio ran in the Biennial Stakes at Newmarket in April and won easily by three lengths from Rifle. On the 2000 Guineas card two weeks later he won the Newmarket Prince of Wales's Stakes in which he gave ten pounds to his only rival Thunderstone and won very easily.
At Newmarket in October Silvio ran against his stable companion
1879: five-year-old season
Silvio stayed in training as a five-year-old but failed to win. In June he ran twice at
At the July meeting at Newmarket, Silvio was beaten a head by the four-year-old Phoenix after a "magnificent race" for the Bunbury Stakes.[22]
Stud career
Silvio began his stud career in England and had little impact. He was sold for £7,000 to the Duc de Castries and exported to France after two seasons and was more successful becoming leading French sire in 1886.[23] His winners in France included May Pole (Poule d'Essai des Pouliches), Jupin (Prix Lupin) and Viennois (Prix d'Ispahan)[1] In April 1890 he sustained a fetlock injury which became infected, and, despite veterinary treatment, Silvio had to be euthanized soon afterwards.[24]
Pedigree
Sire Blair Athol (GB) 1861 |
Stockwell 1849 |
The Baron | Birdcatcher |
---|---|---|---|
Echidna | |||
Pocahontas | Glencoe | ||
Marpessa | |||
Blink Bonny 1854 |
Melbourne | Humphrey Clinker | |
Cervantes mare | |||
Queen Mary | Gladiator | ||
Plenipotentiary mare | |||
Dam Silverhair (GB) 1858 |
Kingston 1849 |
Venison | Partisan |
Fawn | |||
Queen Anne | Slane | ||
Garcia | |||
England’s Beauty 1850 |
Birdcatcher
|
Sir Hercules | |
Guiccioli | |||
The Prairie Bird | Touchstone | ||
Zillah (Family: 1-o) |
References
- ^ a b Anne Peters Thoroughbred Heritage. "Blair Athol". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Horseracing History Online - Person Profile : Mathew Dawson". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ a b "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 8 June 1877 — THE ENGLISH DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ a b "Papers Past — Hawke's Bay Herald — 11 June 1877 — THE GREAT DERBY RACE". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 12 May 1877 — English Sporting News". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 14 July 1877 — "ENGLISH RACING NEWS.—BY AUGUR". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Tuapeka Times — 27 June 1877 — THE TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Daily Times — 18 August 1877 — SPOUTING NOTES". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Wanganui Herald — 21 July 1877 — THE DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 6 September 1877 — ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 15 September 1877 — CURRENT NOTES". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 17 November 1877 — RACING IN ENGLAND". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "Papers Past — Wanganui Herald — 12 December 1877 — ENGLISH RACING". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-19.
- ^ "TURF NOTES". The Queenslander. 23 Mar 1878. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
- ^ "26 Jun 1878 - SPORTING. ENGLISH BACING. (April 23 to May 9.) [". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "03 Oct 1878 - SPORTING IN ENGLAND. [By WESTON.]". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 30 November 1878 — ODDS AND ENDS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "28 Dec 1878 - NEWMARKET SECOND OCTOBER MEETING". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "06 Jan 1879 - SPORTING. ENGLISH SPORTING. | London. November 23". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 9 August 1879 — RACING IN ENGLAND". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "16 Aug 1879 - ENGLISH SPORTING NEWS". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "16 Sep 1879 - SPORTING IN ENGLAND". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 14 March 1889 — IN A NUTSHELL". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 5 June 1890 — TALK OF THE DAY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2011-12-20.