Combat (horse)

Combat (1944–1967) was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Despite winning all nine of his reces, his career was largely overshadowed by that of his more celebrated stablemate Tudor Minstrel. He won all four of his races as a two-year-old in 1946 and all five in the following year including the Blue Riband Trial Stakes, Rous Memorial Stakes and Sussex Stakes. He was then retired to stud where he had limited success as a sire of winners. He died in 1967.

Combat
Sire	Big Game
Grandsire	Bahram
Dam	Commotion
Damsire	Mieuxce
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1944
Country	Ireland
Colour	Brown
Breeder	John Arthur Dewar
Owner	John Arthur Dewar
Trainer	Fred Darling
Record	9:9-0-0
Major wins
Windsor Castle Stakes (1946) Blue Riband Trial Stakes (1947) Rous Memorial Stakes (1947) Sussex Stakes (1947)

Background

Combat was a brown horse with a white coronet on his left hind leg[1] bred by his owner John Arthur Dewar who inherited his Thoroughbred racehorses from his uncle, the Scottish whisky distiller Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar.[2] These horses included Lady Juror, who became a successful broodmare, producing Fair Trial and the July Stakes winner Riot, the grand-dam of Combat. In the same year that Combat was foaled, Dewar bred Tudor Minstrel from another daughter of Lady Juror. Combat was from the first crop of foals sired by Big Game the best British colt of his generation whose wins included the 2000 Guineas and the Champion Stakes. Combat's dam Commotion won the Oaks Stakes in 1941 and became a successful broodmare: she also produced the St. James's Palace Stakes winner Faux Tirage and the leading Argentinian sire Aristophanes.[3][4] Dewar sent the colt into training with Fred Darling at Beckhampton in Wiltshire.[5]

Racing career

1946: two-year-old season

As a two-year-old in 1946 Combat ran four times and won on each occasion. At Royal Ascot in June he won the five furlong Windsor Castle Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes at Salisbury Racecourse. Darling and Dewar kept Combat away from his stable companion Tudor Minstrel.[2]

1947: three-year-old season

As a three-year-old, Combat did not contest the classics: the stable relied on Tudor Minstrel who won the 2000 Guineas and was beaten when favourite for The Derby. In spring Combat won the Blue Riband Trial Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Epsom Downs Racecourse, beating the future St Leger winner Sayajirao. In June he returned to Royal Ascot where he won the Rous Memorial Stakes over one mile.[6] In July, after winning the Sandringham Stakes,[7] he was sent to Goodwood Racecourse for the Sussex Stakes. Ridden by Gordon Richards he won at odds of 8/13 from Petition.[8]

Stud record

Combat was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion. The best of his offspring was Aggressor, who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1960.[9] He also sired the Irish Oaks winner Agar's Plough and the Longfellow Handicap winner Combustion. Orizaba champion 3 year old filly and horse of the year in Mexico, and one of the strongest female lines in Mexico.

Combat died of a twisted gut at the Aislabie Stud at Newmarket in 1967.[10]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Combat (GB), brown stallion, 1944[11]

Sire Big Game (GB) 1939	Bahram (GB) 1932	Blandford	Swynford
			Blanche
		Friar's Daughter	Friar Marcus
			Garron Lass
	Myrobella (FR) 1930	Tetratema	The Tetrarch
			Scotch Gift
		Dolabella	White Eagle
			Gondolette
Dam Commotion (GB) 1938	Mieuxce (FR) 1933	Massine	Consols
			Mauri
		L'Olivete	Opott
			Jonicole
	Riot (GB) 1929	Colorado	Phalaris
			Canyon
		Lady Juror	Son-in-Law
			Lady Josephine (Family: 9-c)[4]

See also

• List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses

References

1. "Combat photograph". sporthorse-data.com. Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
2. Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
3. "Leading Sires of Argentina". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
4. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Crab Mare - Family 9-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
5. "Frederick Darling". Horseracing History Online. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
6. William Edgar Lyon, Dorian Williams (1948). The Horseman's Year. Collins. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
7. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
8. Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
9. "Aggressor pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
10. The Bloodstock Breeders' Annual Review. 56. British Bloodstock Agency. 1967. p. 141. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
11. "Combat pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-20.