Stockwell (horse)

Stockwell (1849–1870) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland seven times; he was second on the sires' list a further four times during a 14-year period.

Stockwell
Stockwell with jockey up by Harry Hall, 1852
Sire	The Baron
Grandsire	Birdcatcher
Dam	Pocahontas
Damsire	Glencoe
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1849
Country	Great Britain
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	William Theobald
Owner	Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter
Trainer	W. Harlock
Record	16: 11-3-0
Major wins
2,000 Guineas (1852) Newmarket Stakes (1852) Great Yorkshire Stakes (1852) St. Leger Stakes (1852)
Awards
Leading sire in GB & Ireland (1860–1862 & 1864–1867)
Last updated on 21 February 2011

Breeding

Stockwell was foaled in Stockwell, England, at the stud farm of William Theobald. His sire, The Baron was a successful racehorse and sire. His dam Pocahontas[1] was a roarer – a trait never demonstrated in Stockwell himself, but passed to several of his descendants. Pocahontas later also produced the successful sires, Rataplan and King Tom.[2]

The chestnut was not a particularly pretty horse; he was described by one turf writer as "the very incarnation of ugliness," possessing a plain head with a slight Roman nose and hindquarters like a carthorse. He had good feet, strong legs and was very powerful, however, giving him the ability to carry high weights. Although a poor mover he was very fast; his speed made up for his terrible temperament, which was considered "a bit savage".[3] Stockwell stood over 16 hands high with a stripe on his nose, a sock on his off (right) hind leg, another mid-cannon sock on his near (left) hind leg and Bend-Or spots on his coat.

Although the colt was thought to be "over-large," Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter purchased the yearling for 180 sovereigns, with the contingency that he would pay £500 more if Stockwell won The Derby.

Race record

Two-year-old

Stockwell began his racing career during the fall of his two-year-old year. He ran twice, finishing second by a head in the Prendergast Stakes for two-year-olds and fourth in the six-furlong Criterion Stakes.

Three-year-old

• Newmarket Craven: second by a neck
• 2,000 Guineas Stakes: won at 10–1 odds
• Newmarket Stakes: won, defeating Maidstone, Father Thames (winner of the Newmarket Handicap), and three others
• Goodwood: won, defeating Harbinger (by Touchstone) by a half-length
• Racing Stakes Handicap: won by two lengths, carrying top weight
• Great Yorkshire Stakes: won by a length, defeating Longbow, Hex and nine others
• Doncaster St. Leger Stakes: won by 10 lengths, defeating Harbinger, Daniel O'Rourke, Songstress (Oaks winner), and two others
• Foal Stakes: won in a walkover
• Grand Duke Michael Stakes: won by three lengths "in a canter", beating Muscovite (the Cesarewitch Handicap winner)
• Newmarket St. Leger: won by two lengths

Stockwell's three-year-old year was his greatest, and provided him with the reputation he would need to secure mares. His first race was the Craven Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse, where he finished second in a three-horse field by a neck. He won his next race, the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, at 10–1 odds before winning the Newmarket Stakes. He finished eighth in The Derby, although some believe that the colt had a tooth abscess lanced just prior to the race which would have affected his running. However, he finished his three-year-old season spectacularly with eight successive wins (including two walkovers).

Four-year-old

• Emperor of Russia's Plate (Ascot Gold Cup): 2nd

Stockwell ran once as a four-year-old, finishing second by a head in the Emperor of Russia's Plate (Ascot Gold Cup). He then went "amiss," and was sidelined for the rest of the 1853 season and most of the 1854 season.

Five-year-old

• The Whip: won

As a five-year-old he ran once in the Whip, beating Kingston (who broke down during the race), by 30 lengths. He was then retired to stud.

Stud record

Stockwell was sent to Exeter's stud farm at Newmarket. Known as "The Emperor of Stallions"[3] in his own time, Stockwell was a leading sire throughout the 1860s, Champion Sire in England seven times (from 1860 to 1862 and 1864 to 1867) and finishing second several times (1863, 1868, 1872, 1873).

His progeny won a total of 1,147 races, earning £362,451.[2] 209 of his 412 foals were winners. Twelve of his offspring won 17 classic races, and 13 placed in one or more classic races. His sons were also successful sires, including Doncaster, sire of Bend Or. Many of his daughters were also good producers. Perhaps one of the best-known descendants of Stockwell is Man o' War.

Lord Exeter sent Stockwell to his stud at Burghley. The stallion was sold at Tattersall's after his first season (for 3,000 guineas) to Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough. Stockwell was then sent to Kirkby Farm (later renamed Stockwell Stud), where he stood for a fee of 30 guineas. It was here that he sired his first eight classic winners and headed the top of the sire list. However, the death of the Baron in 1860 led to a sale of all stock; Stockwell was purchased for 4,500 guineas by Richard C. Naylor of Cheshire, and sent to Rawcliffe Stud for his 1861 and 1862 seasons to stand for a fee of 40 guineas. He was fully booked to 50 mares, and led the sire list for two more years.

After the 1862 season, Stockwell was moved to Naylor's stud farm at Hooton Park, where he lived for the final eight years of his life in relative luxury. He went on 15-mile walks in good weather, and lived in a barn "big enough for him to run about in".[3] By the end of his stud career his fee had risen to 300 guineas, and most of his breedings were to Naylor's own mares. Stockwell stood at stud from 1855 until his death, at the age of 21, due to an accident in the breeding shed.

Notable progeny

• Achievement: 1864 brown filly. Won the Woodcote Stakes, New Stakes, July Stakes, Chesterfield Stakes, Criterion Stakes, Lavant Stakes, Champagne Stakes, One Thousand Guineas Stakes, Coronation Stakes, Great Yorkshire Stakes, St. Leger Stakes, and the Doncaster Cup
• Asteroid: 1858 bay colt, winner of Ascot Gold Cup and Chester Cup
• Bathilde: 1858 chestnut filly, winner of the Cambridgeshire Stakes
• Belladrum: 1866 brown filly, winner of the New and Woodcote Stakes
• Blair Athol: 1861 chestnut colt, winner of the Epsom Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes; second in the Grand Prix de Paris, and a champion sire
• Bothwell: 1868 brown colt, winner of the Gimcrack Stakes and the 2,000 Guineas
• Breadalbane: 1862 chestnut colt, winner of the Prince of Wales Stakes
• Caller Ou: 1858 brown filly; won 51 out of 101 starts including the St. Leger and the Northumberland Plate; second in the Oaks Stakes
• Cantiniere: 1870 brown filly, winner of the Lavant, Woodcote, Chesterfield and Hurstbourne Stakes
• Cherie: 1866 bay filly, winner of the Cesarewitch Handicap
• Chevisaunce: 1868 brown filly, winner of the Acorn Stakes
• Devotion: 1869 chestnut filly, winner of the Free Handicap and second in the Chichester Stakes
• Doncaster: 1870 chestnut colt, great sire
• Gang Forward: 1870 chestnut colt, winner of the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, Jockey Club Cup, St. James' Palace Stakes, and Ascot Derby
• Grimston: 1860 chestnut colt, winner of the Henckel Rennen
• Highland Lassie: 1869 brown filly, winner of the Coronation Stakes
• Lady Augusta: 1860 chestnut filly, winner of the 1,000 Guineas Stakes
• Lady Chester: 1870 chestnut mare, exported to Australia; dam of three stakes winners, including Chester – winner of the AJC Champagne Stakes, Breeders' Plate, Sires' Produce Stakes, Spring Stakes (twice), Craven Plate, Cumberland Stakes (twice), AJC Plate, Randwick Plate, Autumn Stakes, Victoria Derby, Melbourne Cup, Town Plate, and Melbourne Stakes
• Lord Lyon: 1863 bay colt, English Triple Crown champion, winner of the Champagne and Criterion Stakes
• Princess of Wales: 1862 chestnut filly, winner of the Beaufort Cup and the third Coronation Cup
• Regalia: 1862 chestnut filly; won the Oaks Stakes, the Edinburgh Cup and the Queen's Plate. Second in the St. Leger Stakes. Dam of Zut (winner of the Prix du Jockey Club) and Clementine (winner of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches)
• Repulse: 1863 brown filly, won the 1,000 Guineas Stakes, the Richmond Cup, and the Zetland Plate
• St. Albans: 1857 chestnut colt, winner of the St. Leger Stakes, Great Metropolitan Handicap, Chester Cup, and Newmarket Stakes
• Sweet Katie: 1861 chestnut filly, winner of Preis der Diana; foundation mare in Germany, produced 3 classic winners and the influential sire Flibustier
• The Marquis: bay colt, 1859, winner of Champagne Stakes, 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes. Stud success in Australia.[4]
• Vaga: 1858 bay filly, third place in the Champagne Stakes

Pedigree

Pedigree of Stockwell, chestnut stallion, 1849

Sire The Baron Ch. 1842	Birdcatcher ch. 1833	Sir Hercules blk. 1826	Whalebone
			Peri
		Guiccioli ch. 1823	Bob Booty
			Flight
	Echidna b. 1838	Economist br. 1825	Whisker
			Floranthe
		Miss Pratt br. 1825	Blacklock
			Gadabout
Dam Pocahontas Br. 1837	Glencoe ch. 15.2hh 1831	Sultan b. 1816	Selim
			Bacchante
		Trampoline ch. 1825	Tramp
			Web
	Marpessa br. 1830	Muley b. 1810	Orville
			Eleanor
		Clare b. 1824	Marmion
			Harpalice (Family: 3n)

See also

• Doncaster (horse)
• Pocahontas (horse)
• The Baron (horse)

References

1. Stockwell's five-generation pedigree and race record. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
2. Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), "Thoroughbred Breeding of the World", Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
3. Thoroughbred Heritage. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
4. Barrie, Douglas M., The Australian Bloodhorse, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956