Windsor Lad
Windsor Lad | |
---|---|
Stallion | |
Foaled | 1931 |
Country | Ireland |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Dan Sullivan |
Owner | Vijayasinhji Chhatrasinhji, Martin H. Benson |
Trainer | Marcus Marsh |
Record | 13: 10-0-1 |
Earnings | £36,257 |
Major wins | |
Chester Vase (1934) Epsom Derby (1934) St Leger (1934) Coronation Cup (1935) Eclipse Stakes (1935) |
Windsor Lad (1931–1943) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old in 1934, he won both The Derby and the St Leger in record time. In 1935, he won the Coronation Cup and the Eclipse Stakes before his career was ended by injury.
Background
Windsor Lad was sired by the three-time
As a yearling he was sent to the sales by his Irish breeder, Dan Sullivan, where he was sold for 1,300
Racing career
1933: two-year-old season
Windsor Lad won two races as a juvenile including the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket in October,[4] but was slow to mature and was not among the leaders of his generation.
1934: three-year-old season
In 1934, Windsor Lad emerged as a Derby candidate by winning two trial races, the
Windsor Lad started favourite for his first race against older horses in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in July. Smirke held the colt up but became "jammed against the rail" in the straight. By the time he had extricated the Derby winner, the race was effectively over and although Windsor Lad finished strongly he finished only third, beaten half a length and the same by the four-year-olds King Salmon and Umidwar.[8]
During the summer of 1934, there were proposals for special international race at either
After the Eclipse Stakes, Windsor Lad was sold for a sum of £50,000 to the bookmaker Martin H. Benson.[10] Windsor Lad won the Great Yorkshire Stakes and in the St Leger at Doncaster the colt returned to his best form. He started at odds of 4/9 with the connections of his rivals conceding that they had little prospect of upsetting the favourite.[11] In front of a crowd estimated at a quarter of a million,[12] Smirke tracked the leader before moving the colt in to the lead three furlongs from the finish. Windsor Lad was never challenged and won going away by two lengths from Tiberius in a record-equalling time of 3:01.6. As of 2012, the record remains unsurpassed.[13] After the race he was described as "one of the finest horses the English turf has seen in many seasons."[12]
1935: four-year-old season
Windsor Lad was unbeaten as a four-year-old. After winning the Burwell Stakes he faced Easton in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. The race was much anticipated, and was seen as being a match between Easton's speed and Windsor Lad's stamina.[14] Windsor Lad prevailed in the race, beating Easton by a length and a half.[15]
He won the Rous Memorial Stakes over 7+1⁄2 furlongs at
Assessment
In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Windsor Lad the nineteenth best horse of the 20th century and the sixth best Derby winner, behind
Stud career
Windsor Lad suffered from ill health during his stud career and made little impact as a stallion. He developed severe sinus trouble and was put down on 14 December 1943.[19] His most notable offspring was the Irish Triple Crown winner Windsor Slipper.
Pedigree
Sire Blandford (IRE) 1919 |
Swynford 1907 |
John O’Gaunt | Isinglass |
---|---|---|---|
La Fleche | |||
Canterbury Pilgrim | Tristan | ||
Pilgrimage | |||
Blanche 1912 |
White Eagle | Gallinule | |
Merry Gal | |||
Black Cherry | Bendigo | ||
Black Duchess | |||
Dam Resplendent (GB) 1923 |
By George 1911 |
Lally | Amphion |
Miss Hoyden | |||
Queens Holiday | Royal Hampton | ||
Cimiez | |||
Sunbridge 1914 |
Bridge of Earn | Cyllene | |
Santa Brigida | |||
Sunshot | Carbine | ||
Stream of Gold (Family: 19) |
References
- ^ a b "Windsor Lad finishes first in English Derby". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Dan Sullivan". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "On this day . . ". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "WINDSOR LAD VICTOR IN CRITERION STAKES". Select.nytimes.com. 1933-10-25. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Windsor Lad wins in English event". Schenectady Gazette. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "THE DERBY 1934". British Pathe. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "The Race for the Derby". The Age. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Outsider winner of Eclipse Stakes". Lewiston Evening Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Seek to match Derby winners". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Windsor Lad Is Sold To Benson for $250,000". Select.nytimes.com. 1934-07-26. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Derby winner is conceded victory". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ a b "Windsor Lad wins in finl classic". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Horseracing History Online - Horse Profile : Windsor Lad". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "The Coronation Cup. Windsor Lad or Easton?". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Windsor Lad wins classic Epsom race". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "Winner of Derby gets home first in $35,000 stake". Rochester Evening Journal. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
- ^ "The Glasgow Herald - Google News Archive Search".
- ISBN 1-901570-15-0
- ^ "Horseracing History Online - Horse Profile : Windsor Lad". Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2011-10-31.