Surplice (horse)

Surplice
Surplice. Etching by Charles Hunt after a painting by Harry Hall.
Sire	Touchstone
Grandsire	Camel
Dam	Crucifix
Damsire	Priam
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	21 January 1845
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Lord George Bentinck
Owner	Lord George Bentinck Edward Lloyd-Mostyn Lord Clifden
Trainer	John Kent Robert Stephenson.
Record	14:9-2-1
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1848) St. Leger Stakes (1848)

Surplice (1845–1871) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1847 to October 1849 he ran thirteen times and won nine races. He was the leading colt of his generation in England at both two and three years old, with his wins including the Epsom Derby and the St Leger in 1848: he was the first horse for forty-eight years to win both of these Classics. His later career was less successful and he was retired to stud in 1850. Surplice had limited success as a sire of winners and died in 1871.

Background

Surplice was a dark bay horse with a small white star standing 16.1 hands high,^[1] making him an unusually large Thoroughbred for his time.^[2] He was bred by Lord George Bentinck, the dominant figure in British horse-racing of his era.^[3] In 1846, Bentinck decided to concentrate on his political affairs and sold all his racing interests, including the yearling Surplice, to Edward Lloyd-Mostyn for £10,000.^[4] A condition of the deal was that Surplice should remain with his trainer John Kent at Goodwood. Later that year Mostyn sold Surplice to Lord Clifden.^[3]

Surplice's sire, Touchstone, won the St Leger and two Ascot Gold Cups, before going on to be an outstandingly successful stallion. Apart from Surplice, his classic winners included Cotherstone, Orlando and Newminster and he was Champion sire on four occasions.^[5] Surplice's dam, Crucifix, was an undefeated racemare who won the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks in 1840.^[6]

Racing career

1847: two-year-old season

Surplice began his racing career in July 1847 at Goodwood when he ran in the Ham Stakes. He was made the 4/7 favourite and the result was never in doubt as he led from the start and won easily by two lengths from Liston. Immediately after the race the bookmakers offered odds of only 10/1 against him for the following year's Epsom Derby. He followed up in the Produce Stakes at the same meeting, starting at odds of 1/3 and winning by three lengths in a race which was described as "all one way".^[7]

In September he was sent to Doncaster, where he won the Municipal Stakes. At Newmarket in October, he was allowed a walkover in the Buckenham Stakes, when no horse appeared to oppose him. His earnings of £5,550 were the highest for any British two-year-old that season^[8] and his performances were sufficient to send him into the winter break regarded as the leading contender for the following year's Derby.

1848: three-year-old season

Lord George Bentinck: his sale of Surplice cost him the "Blue Ribbon".

Surplice maintained his position as Derby favourite in early 1848, despite a series of negative rumours which seemed to originate from Lord Clifden's racing manager, Francis Villiers who had a strong financial interest in his stable companion, Loadstone.^[3]

Surplice made his first appearance of the season in the Derby at Epsom. He started the even-money favourite in a field of seventeen runners. Ridden by Sim Templeman, he was settled in fifth place before moving up to turn into the straight in third place. Two furlongs from the finish Templeman sent Surplice into the lead, where he looked to be going well, but was soon challenged by Shylock. Surplice successfully turned back the challenge but had to be ridden hard to hold the late run of Springy Jack and win by a neck.^[9] After the race Benjamin Disraeli was attempting to console Lord George Bentinck who was downhearted at having sold the horse who had won the Derby. When Bentinck told Disraeli that a man not involved in racing could not possibly understand the significance of the race Disraeli replied that he knew perfectly well that the Derby was "the Blue Ribbon of the Turf".^[10]

At Goodwood in July, Surplice ran twice but appeared to be completely unsuited by the soft ground^[11] and was beaten in both his races. On the Tuesday of the meeting he finished second to Distaffina in the Gratwicke Stakes over one and a half miles and two days later he finished third to Glendower in the one mile Racing Stakes.^[12] Surplice had been odds-on favourite for both races.^[13] He was then transferred to the stable of Robert Stephenson.

At Doncaster in September he started at odds 9/4 in a nine-runner field for the St Leger, with the filly Canezou starting favourite. The race was delayed by a badly managed false start, which resulted in most of the runners racing for almost a furlong before being successfully recalled. Ridden by Nat Flatman, a late replacement for Jem Robinson,^[14] Surplice raced prominently and moved up to challenge the leader Flatcatcher early in the straight. He briefly took the lead, only to be headed by Canezou, but Flatman rode a strong finish and Surplice regained the lead in the closing stages to win by a neck. The finish was described as being a "most exciting" one, although it was noted that, as at Epsom, Surplice was given an extremely hard race, with Flatman making liberal use of his whip and spurs,^[15] and after the race he was reported to be in a "distressed" condition.^[16] He was the first Derby winner to take the St Leger since Champion in 1800.^[17] Two days after his win in the St Leger, Surplice walked over in the North of England Stakes.^[18]

On 26 September, Surplice appeared at Newmarket and won the ten furlong Grand Duke Michael Stakes from Flatcatcher. As a result of his strong autumn form, Surplice was made 3/1 favourite for the Cesarewitch Handicap two weeks later, despite the unfavourably soft ground,^[19] but finished unplaced behind The Cur.^[17] Surplice was entered for two other races at Newmarket in the autumn of 1848, but his entries for these races were rendered void by the death of in September of his breeder Lord George Bentinck who had made the original nominations.^[13]

Surplice's earnings for the 1848 season totaled £10,475, the highest for any British horse for five years.^[20]

1849: four-year-old season

Surplice's first run as a four-year-old was intended to be a match race at Newmarket in April in which he was scheduled to concede 35 pounds to Lord Exeter's filly Tophana, but he failed to appear and his owner paid a forfeit.^[21] His first actual appearance was delayed until 3 August when he finished sixth when 6/4 favourite for the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood.^[22]

In autumn there were reports of a "great match race" to be run between Surplice, Van Tromp and Justice for Ireland at Newmarket in October.^[23] The "match" never came to fruition, as Surplice's two rivals were withdrawn and he walked over for the £1,000 prize.^[24] Later that month he failed to appear for a match race at Newmarket in which he was set to receive sixteen pounds from the six-year-old Royal Hunt Cup winner Collingwood.^[21]

1850: five-year-old season

Surplice made one recorded appearance as a five-year-old in 1850. At Newmarket on 29 April he was "easily" beaten in a match race over a sprint distance in which he attempted to concede nineteen pounds to a filly called St Rosalia.^[25]

Stud career

Surplice began his stud career at the Turf Tavern at Doncaster at a fee of 25 guineas.^[26] He was not a success as a sire, with his offspring being characterised by R. H. Copperthwaite in his book "The Turf and the Racehorse" as being "tall, leggy, unwieldy and top-heavy".^[16] He did however, get the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Florin and he was the damsire of the 2000 Guineas winner Prince Charlie.^[6] After his death in 1871 at Woodbridge, Suffolk his cannon bones were made into handles for a pair of carving knives.^[27]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Surplice (GB), bay stallion, 1845
Sire Touchstone (GB) 1831	Camel 1822	Whalebone	Waxy
		Whalebone	Penelope
		Selim mare	Selim
		Selim mare	Maiden
	Banter 1826	Master Henry	Orville*
		Master Henry	Miss Sophia
		Boadicea	Alexander
		Boadicea	Brunette
Dam Crucifix (GB) 1837	Priam 1827	Emilius	Orville*
		Emilius	Emily
		Cressida	Whiskey
		Cressida	Young Giantess
	Octaviana 1815	Octavian	Stripling
		Octavian	Oberon mare
		Shuttle mare	Shuttle mare
		Shuttle mare	Zara (Family:2-i)^[28]

Surplice was inbred 4x4 to Orville, meaning that the stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

↑ "Papers Past — Wellington Independent — 21 March 1849 — LATEST ENGLISH NEWS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ The horse, in the stable and the field: his varieties, management in health ... - John Henry Walsh, James Irvine Lupton - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
1 2 3 Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
↑ "Papers Past — New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian — 17 February 1849 — DEATH OF LORD GEORGE BENTINCK". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ "Leading Sires of Great Britain and Ireland". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
1 2 Patricia Erigero Thoroughbred Heritage. "Touchstone". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ "11 Dec 1847 - GOODWOOD RACES". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "25 Mar 1848 - ANALYSIS OF THE RACING SEASON, 1847. (From Bell'". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "07 Oct 1848 - THE ENGLISH TURF. THE DERBY". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "Surplice". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "18 Nov 1848 - THE ENGLISH TURF. STATE OF THE ODDS, & c. (From". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "22 Nov 1848 - The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River Gener... - p2". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
1 2 The New sporting magazine - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "20 Jan 1849 - The Dispute between the Jockies". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "20 Jan 1849 - The Race". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
1 2 The turf and the racehorse - R H. Copperthwaite - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
1 2 "Papers Past — Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle — 3 March 1849 — SPORTING". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ "20 Jan 1849 - Pedigree". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "20 Oct 1849 - Racing as it Was, and as it Is". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "02 May 1849 - British Extracts". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
1 2 The pictorial gallery of English race horses: containing portraits of all ... - George Tattersall - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ The Sporting review, ed. by 'Craven'. - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
↑ "Papers Past — Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle — 2 February 1850 — SPORTING. DONCASTER ST. LEGER". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
↑ "31 Jan 1850 - BRITISH GLEANINGS". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ Guide to the turf;or pocket racing companion for 1851;containing the ... - W.Ruff - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ THE RACING CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR 1851. RACES TO COME. VOLUME THE SEVENTY-NINTH. - CHARLES AND JAMES WEATHERBY - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
↑ "Grave Matters Thoroughbreds". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
↑ Patricia Erigero Thoroughbred Heritage. "2 Burton's Barb Mare". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-01-12.

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 2016 Harzand

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

St Leger Stakes winners

1776 Allabaculia ♥ 1777 Bourbon 1778 Hollandoise ♥ 1779 Tommy 1780 Ruler 1781 Serina ♥ 1782 Imperatrix ♥ 1783 Phoenomenon 1784 Omphale ♥ 1785 Cowslip ♥ 1786 Paragon 1787 Spadille 1788 Young Flora 1789 Pewett ♥ 1790 Ambidexter 1791 Young Traveller 1792 Tartar 1793 Ninety-three 1794 Beningbrough 1795 Hambletonian 1796 Ambrosio 1797 Lounger 1798 Symmetry 1799 Cockfighter 1800 Champion 1801 Quiz 1802 Orville 1803 Remembrancer 1804 Sancho 1805 Staveley 1806 Fyldener 1807 Paulina ♥ 1808 Petronius 1809 Ashton 1810 Octavian 1811 Soothsayer 1812 Otterington 1813 Altisidora ♥ 1814 William 1815 Filho da Puta 1816 The Duchess ♥ 1817 Ebor 1818 Reveller 1819 Antonio 1820 St Patrick 1821 Jack Spigot 1822 Theodore 1823 Barefoot 1824 Jerry 1825 Memnon 1826 Tarrare 1827 Matilda ♥ 1828 The Colonel 1829 Rowton 1830 Birmingham 1831 Chorister 1832 Margrave 1833 Rockingham 1834 Touchstone 1835 Queen of Trumps ♥ 1836 Elis 1837 Mango 1838 Don John 1839 Charles the Twelfth 1840 Launcelot 1841 Satirist 1842 Blue Bonnet ♥ 1843 Nutwith 1844 Faugh-a-Ballagh 1845 The Baron 1846 Sir Tatton Sykes 1847 Van Tromp 1848 Surplice 1849 The Flying Dutchman 1850 Voltigeur 1851 Newminster 1852 Stockwell 1853 West Australian ₩ 1854 Knight of St George 1855 Saucebox 1856 Warlock 1857 Imperieuse ♥ 1858 Sunbeam ♥ 1859 Gamester 1860 St Albans 1861 Caller Ou ♥ 1862 The Marquis 1863 Lord Clifden 1864 Blair Athol 1865 Gladiateur ₩ 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ 1867 Achievement ♥ 1868 Formosa ♥ ₩ 1869 Pero Gomez 1870 Hawthornden 1871 Hannah ♥ ₩ 1872 Wenlock 1873 Marie Stuart ♥ 1874 Apology ♥ ₩ 1875 Craig Millar 1876 Petrarch 1877 Silvio 1878 Jannette ♥ 1879 Rayon d'Or 1880 Robert the Devil 1881 Iroquois 1882 Dutch Oven ♥ 1883 Ossian 1884 The Lambkin 1885 Melton 1886 Ormonde ₩ 1887 Kilwarlin 1888 Seabreeze ♥ 1889 Donovan 1890 Memoir ♥ 1891 Common ₩ 1892 La Fleche ♥ ₩ 1893 Isinglass ₩ 1894 Throstle ♥ 1895 Sir Visto 1896 Persimmon 1897 Galtee More ₩ 1898 Wildfowler 1899 Flying Fox ₩ 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ 1901 Doricles 1902 Sceptre ♥ ₩ 1903 Rock Sand ₩ 1904 Pretty Polly ♥ ₩ 1905 Challacombe 1906 Troutbeck 1907 Wool Winder 1908 Your Majesty 1909 Bayardo 1910 Swynford 1911 Prince Palatine 1912 Tracery 1913 Night Hawk 1914 Black Jester 1915 Pommern ₩ 1916 Hurry On 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ 1918 Gainsborough ₩ 1919 Keysoe ♥ 1920 Caligula 1921 Polemarch 1922 Royal Lancer 1923 Tranquil ♥ 1924 Salmon-Trout 1925 Solario 1926 Coronach 1927 Book Law ♥ 1928 Fairway 1929 Trigo 1930 Singapore 1931 Sandwich 1932 Firdaussi 1933 Hyperion 1934 Windsor Lad 1935 Bahram ₩ 1936 Boswell 1937 Chulmleigh 1938 Scottish Union 1940 Turkhan 1941 Sun Castle 1942 Sun Chariot ♥ ₩ 1943 Herringbone ♥ 1944 Tehran 1945 Chamossaire 1946 Airborne 1947 Sayajirao 1948 Black Tarquin 1949 Ridge Wood 1950 Scratch 1951 Talma 1952 Tulyar 1953 Premonition 1954 Never Say Die 1955 Meld ♥ ₩ 1956 Cambremer 1957 Ballymoss 1958 Alcide 1959 Cantelo ♥ 1960 St. Paddy 1961 Aurelius 1962 Hethersett 1963 Ragusa 1964 Indiana 1965 Provoke 1966 Sodium 1967 Ribocco 1968 Ribero 1969 Intermezzo 1970 Nijinsky ₩ 1971 Athens Wood 1972 Boucher 1973 Peleid 1974 Bustino 1975 Bruni 1976 Crow 1977 Dunfermline ♥ 1978 Julio Mariner 1979 Son of Love 1980 Light Cavalry 1981 Cut Above 1982 Touching Wood 1983 Sun Princess ♥ 1984 Commanche Run 1985 Oh So Sharp ♥ ₩ 1986 Moon Madness 1987 Reference Point 1988 Minster Son 1989 Michelozzo 1990 Snurge 1991 Toulon 1992 User Friendly ♥ 1993 Bob's Return 1994 Moonax 1995 Classic Cliche 1996 Shantou 1997 Silver Patriarch 1998 Nedawi 1999 Mutafaweq 2000 Millenary 2001 Milan 2002 Bollin Eric 2003 Brian Boru 2004 Rule of Law 2005 Scorpion 2006 Sixties Icon 2007 Lucarno 2008 Conduit 2009 Mastery 2010 Arctic Cosmos 2011 Masked Marvel 2012 Encke 2013 Leading Light 2014 Kingston Hill 2015 Simple Verse ♥ 2016 Harbour Law

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

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