Archduke (horse)

Archduke (1796 – after 1814) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from April to October 1799 he ran four times and won two races. On his second racecourse appearance he won the Epsom Derby defeating his more fancied stable companion, Eagle. Archduke was beaten in two races at Newmarket later that year and did not race again. He was later exported to stand at stud in the United States.

Background

Archduke was a brown horse bred by his owner Sir Frank Standish of Duxbury. Archduke's sire, Sir Peter Teazle (or simply "Sir Peter") won the Epsom Derby in 1787 and became the most successful stallion of the time, winning the title of Champion sire on ten occasions between 1799 and 1809.^[1] Archduke was the tenth foal^[2] of Horatia, a highly successful broodmare, who had previously produced the double Doncaster Cup winner Stamford and went on to produce the 1806 Derby winner Paris, both sired by Sir Peter .^[3]

Racing career

1799: three-year-old season

Until 1946 British racehorses did not have to be given an official name when racing^[4] and the colt who later became Archduke was unnamed for his debut on 10 April 1799. Running as "Sir F. Standish's c. by Sir Peter out of Horatia", he ran in a 100 guinea Sweepstakes at the Newmarket Craven meeting. He was made 6/4 favourite and won from Lord Grosvenor's John Bull filly and two others.^[5]

The colt was officially named Archduke when he appeared at Epsom for the Derby on 9 May. His stable companion, Sir Frank Standish's "Brother to Spread Eagle" (later named Eagle) was the even money favourite, while Archduke was a relative outsider at odds of 12/1 in a field of eleven runners. Ridden by the veteran jockey John Arnull, Archduke won from Lord Egremont's Precipitate colt, with Eagle only third and Vivaldi fourth.^[6] The result was similar to the 1796 race, in which Standish's Didelot won the race with his favoured stablemate Mr. Teazle unplaced.

After a break of well over four months, Archduke returned for the autumn meetings at Newmarket, where he had three engagements. On 30 September he started favourite for a Sweepstakes over the two mile "Ditch In" course, but finished third of the four runners behind Chippenham and Buzzard. Eagle finished last.^[7] Two days later, Archduke ran in the Town Plate over the same course and finished last of the three runners behind Hornby Lass and Humbug.^[8] This proved to be his last racecourse appearance: he was withdrawn from a valuable Sweepstakes on 14 October (won by Eagle),^[9] and from a scheduled match race against Mr Heathcote's horse Schedoni at Newmarket the following April.^[10]

Stud career

After two seasons at stud in England, Archduke was sold in 1803^[11] to John Hoomes and exported to stand as a stallion in Virginia.^[12] Before he was exported he sired Roseden, who became a successful sire in Ireland.^[13] After the death of Hoomes in 1805, Archduke was sold and stood in 1807 in Chesterfield County, Virginia for Thomas Branch.^[14]

Pedigree

• Archduke was inbred 3x4 to Blank, meaning that this stallion appeared in both the third and fourth generations of his pedigree. He was also inbred 4x4 to Regulus.

References