Sir Thomas (horse)

Sir Thomas
Sire	Pontac
Grandsire	Marske
Dam	Sportsmistress
Damsire	Sportsman
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1785
Country	Kingdom of Great Britain
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Mr. Dawson
Owner	George, Prince of Wales
Trainer	Francis Neale
Record	13:9-2-1 or 14:10:2-1
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1788)

Sir Thomas (1785 – after 1790) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career that lasted from October 1787 to May 1790 he ran thirteen or fourteen times and won nine or ten races. In 1788 he became the first horse owned by a member of the British Royal Family to win the Epsom Derby, having been bought as a two-year-old by the Prince of Wales who later became King George IV. Following his win in the Derby, Sir Thomas raced in the Prince's ownership with some success until 1790.

Background

Sir Thomas was bred by Mr Dawson who owned him for his first race. Sir Thomas's sire Pontac won several races at Newmarket in 1776 and 1777, before retiring to stud. As a stallion he was first based at Richmond in Yorkshire and later moved to Brigg in Lincolnshire.^[1] Sir Thomas was the tenth of eleven foals^[2] produced by the mare Sportsmistress who had previously produced the successful racehorse and important sire Potoooooooo, by Eclipse.^[3]

Racing career

1787: two-year-old season

Sir Thomas reportedly won his only start as a two-year-old after which he was bought for 2,000 guineas^[4] by the Prince of Wales.^[5] This probably took place in 1787, although at this period Thoroughbreds had their official "birthdays" on 1 May and that Sir Thomas would have been described as a "Two-year-old" in the early part of 1788.^[6]

1788: three-year-old season

Sir Thomas won his first two races of the 1788 season winning the second class of the Prince's Stakes and the Bolton Stakes both at Newmarket.^[7]

On 8 May at Epsom, Sir Thomas started the 5/6 favourite in a field of 11 runners for the Derby with Lord Grosvenor's colt Aurelius the second favourite at 5/2.^[5] Ridden by William South, Sir Thomas won from Aurelius, with Feenow third.^[8]

Sir Thomas is reported to have won 500 guineas and a "compromise" at Newmarket.^[7] The first of these was probably the result of a match race against Aurelius which took place at the Houghton meeting in late October or early November.^[4]

1789: four-year-old season

Sir Thomas reappeared as a four-year-old in the Jockey Stakes over the four-mile Beacon Course at Newmarket on 28 April. Eleven of the thirteen entries were withdrawn and Sir Thomas won at odds of 1/10 from his only remaining opponent, Lord Derby's horse Director.^[9] On the following day the Prince collected a 25 guinea forfeit when Lord Grosvenor withdrew his colt by Justice from a match against Sir Thomas.^[10] Two day later Sir Thomas was one of five runners for the Claret Stakes over the Beacon Course. He finished second to the Duke of Bedford's Grey Diomed, the odds on favourite, with Aurelius finishing last.^[11] At the next Newmarket meeting on 13 May, Sir Thomas started the 6/4 favourite for the Jockey Club Plate over the Round Course. He finished third of the six runners behind the Duke of Bedford's Cardock.^[12]

In late summer, Sir Thomas was sent north for two races at York. On 22 August he started 4/6 favourite for a 100 guinea Sweepstakes and won from Mr Hutchinson's colt by Alfred and three others.^[13] Five days later, Sir Thomas ran a 100 guinea match race against Lord Fitzwilliam's Snip. Carrying sixteen pounds more than his opponent, he won the one mile race at odds of 1/2.^[14]

During 1789 he was reported to have won one other race at Newmarket with a prize of 140 guineas.^[15]

1790: five-year-old season

Sir Thomas had four engagements at Newmarket in the spring of 1790. On 19 April he was defeated in a 500 guinea match race against Mr Wentworth's horse Gustavus.^[16] Three days later he ran in a subscription race over the Round Course which he won by beating the favourite Cardock.^[17] On 7 May the Prince received a forfeit when Mr Wilson withdrew his horse Seedling from a three mile match against the Derby winner.^[18] Sir Thomas's final appearance came on 10 May when he ran in a 50 guinea Sweepstakes "from the end of the Rowley Mile to the end of the Beacon Corse". He finished fourth of the five runners behind Mr Dawson's horse Coriander.^[19]

Stud career

Nothing is recorded of Sir Thomas after his races at Newmarket in the spring of 1790. He does not appear in any list of stallions and had no foals recorded in the General Stud Book.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Sir Thomas (GB), chestnut stallion, 1785
Sire Pontac (GB) 1772	Marske 1750	Squirt	Bartlett's Childers
		Squirt	sister to Old Country Wench
		The Ruby Mare	Hutton's Blacklegs
		The Ruby Mare	Bay Bolton mare
	A-La-Grecque 1763	Regulus	Godolphin Arabian*
		Regulus	Grey Robinson
		Allworthy mare	Allworthy
		Allworthy mare	Starling mare
Dam Sportsmistress (GB) 1765	Sportsman 1753	Cade	Godolphin Arabian*
		Cade	Roxana
		Silvertail	Heneage's Whitenose
		Silvertail	Rattle mare
	Golden Locks 1758	Oroonoko	Crab*
		Oroonoko	Miss Slamerkin
		Crab mare	Crab*
		Crab mare	Partner mare (Family:38)^[20]

References

↑ "Marske". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
↑ The General stud book. Weatherbys. p. 267. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
↑ "Pot8os". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
1 2 "Lot 2: John Francis Sartorius (British, d. 1831) – Sotheby's". Artfact. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
1 2 "Down The Years". Thefreelibrary.com. 8 May 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions(Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
1 2 James Christie Whyte. History of the British turf: from the earliest period to the present day. Schulze & co. p. 275. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
↑ "The Blue Ribbon" (PDF). Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 21 May 1882. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 13. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 16. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 17. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 26. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 94. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1789). Racing calendar. 1789. John Whitworth. p. 96. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ James Christie Whyte. History of the British turf: from the earliest period to the present day. Schulze & co. p. 276. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1790). Racing calendar. 1790. John Whitworth. p. 13. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1790). Racing calendar. 1790. John Whitworth. p. 18. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1790). Racing calendar. 1790. John Whitworth. p. 34. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ Robert Hunter (1790). Racing calendar. 1790. John Whitworth. p. 37. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
↑ "Thwaite's Dun Mare – Family 38". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 7 February 2012.

Epsom Derby winners

1780 Diomed 1781 Young Eclipse 1782 Assassin 1783 Saltram 1784 Serjeant 1785 Aimwell 1786 Noble 1787 Sir Peter Teazle 1788 Sir Thomas 1789 Skyscraper 1790 Rhadamanthus 1791 Eager 1792 John Bull 1793 Waxy 1794 Daedalus 1795 Spread Eagle 1796 Didelot 1797 colt by Fidget 1798 Sir Harry 1799 Archduke 1800 Champion 1801 Eleanor ♥ 1802 Tyrant 1803 Ditto 1804 Hannibal 1805 Cardinal Beaufort 1806 Paris 1807 Election 1808 Pan 1809 Pope 1810 Whalebone 1811 Phantom 1812 Octavius 1813 Smolensko 1814 Blucher 1815 Whisker 1816 Prince Leopold 1817 Azor 1818 Sam 1819 Tiresias 1820 Sailor 1821 Gustavus 1822 Moses 1823 Emilius 1824 Cedric 1825 Middleton 1826 Lap-dog 1827 Mameluke 1828 Cadland 1829 Frederick 1830 Priam 1831 Spaniel 1832 St. Giles 1833 Dangerous 1834 Plenipotentiary 1835 Mundig 1836 Bay Middleton 1837 Phosphorus 1838 Amato 1839 Bloomsbury 1840 Little Wonder 1841 Coronation 1842 Attila 1843 Cotherstone 1844 Orlando 1845 The Merry Monarch 1846 Pyrrhus The First 1847 Cossack 1848 Surplice 1849 The Flying Dutchman 1850 Voltigeur 1851 Teddington 1852 Daniel O'Rourke 1853 West Australian ₩ 1854 Andover 1855 Wild Dayrell 1856 Ellington 1857 Blink Bonny ♥ 1858 Beadsman 1859 Musjid 1860 Thormanby 1861 Kettledrum 1862 Caractacus 1863 Macaroni 1864 Blair Athol 1865 Gladiateur ₩ 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ 1867 Hermit 1868 Blue Gown 1869 Pretender 1870 Kingcraft 1871 Favonius 1872 Cremorne 1873 Doncaster 1874 George Frederick 1875 Galopin 1876 Kisber 1877 Silvio 1878 Sefton 1879 Sir Bevys 1880 Bend Or 1881 Iroquois 1882 Shotover ♥ 1883 St. Blaise 1884 St. Gatien Harvester 1885 Melton 1886 Ormonde ₩ 1887 Merry Hampton 1888 Ayrshire 1889 Donovan 1890 Sainfoin 1891 Common ₩ 1892 Sir Hugo 1893 Isinglass ₩ 1894 Ladas 1895 Sir Visto 1896 Persimmon 1897 Galtee More ₩ 1898 Jeddah 1899 Flying Fox ₩ 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ 1901 Volodyovski 1902 Ard Patrick 1903 Rock Sand ₩ 1904 St. Amant 1905 Cicero 1906 Spearmint 1907 Orby 1908 Signorinetta ♥ 1909 Minoru 1910 Lemberg 1911 Sunstar 1912 Tagalie ♥ 1913 Aboyeur 1914 Durbar 1915 Pommern ₩ 1916 Fifinella ♥ 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ 1918 Gainsborough ₩ 1919 Grand Parade 1920 Spion Kop 1921 Humorist 1922 Captain Cuttle 1923 Papyrus 1924 Sansovino 1925 Manna 1926 Coronach 1927 Call Boy 1928 Felstead 1929 Trigo 1930 Blenheim 1931 Cameronian 1932 April the Fifth 1933 Hyperion 1934 Windsor Lad 1935 Bahram ₩ 1936 Mahmoud 1937 Mid-day Sun 1938 Bois Roussel 1939 Blue Peter 1940 Pont l'Eveque 1941 Owen Tudor 1942 Watling Street 1943 Straight Deal 1944 Ocean Swell 1945 Dante 1946 Airborne 1947 Pearl Diver 1948 My Love 1949 Nimbus 1950 Galcador 1951 Arctic Prince 1952 Tulyar 1953 Pinza 1954 Never Say Die 1955 Phil Drake 1956 Lavandin 1957 Crepello 1958 Hard Ridden 1959 Parthia 1960 St. Paddy 1961 Psidium 1962 Larkspur 1963 Relko 1964 Santa Claus 1965 Sea Bird 1966 Charlottown 1967 Royal Palace 1968 Sir Ivor 1969 Blakeney 1970 Nijinsky ₩ 1971 Mill Reef 1972 Roberto 1973 Morston 1974 Snow Knight 1975 Grundy 1976 Empery 1977 The Minstrel 1978 Shirley Heights 1979 Troy 1980 Henbit 1981 Shergar 1982 Golden Fleece 1983 Teenoso 1984 Secreto 1985 Slip Anchor 1986 Shahrastani 1987 Reference Point 1988 Kahyasi 1989 Nashwan 1990 Quest for Fame 1991 Generous 1992 Dr Devious 1993 Commander in Chief 1994 Erhaab 1995 Lammtarra 1996 Shaamit 1997 Benny the Dip 1998 High-Rise 1999 Oath 2000 Sinndar 2001 Galileo 2002 High Chaparral 2003 Kris Kin 2004 North Light 2005 Motivator 2006 Sir Percy 2007 Authorized 2008 New Approach 2009 Sea the Stars 2010 Workforce 2011 Pour Moi 2012 Camelot 2013 Ruler of the World 2014 Australia 2015 Golden Horn

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

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