Blandford (horse)
Encyclopedia
Blandford was an Irish bred Thoroughbred
racehorse
best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby
. He was the Leading sire in France
and also in England in the same year.
He was bred by the Irish National Stud
at Tully. Blandford had pneumonia
as a foal and was not ready for the early sale, but was later offered at the December Newmarket Sale where he sold for 720 guineas ro Messrs. RC & SC Dawson.
, Blandford raced only four times in his career. At age two he ran second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot Racecourse
and at three won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
. Bad forelegs, inherited from his grandsire, John O'Gaunt, limited Blandford's career to four starts.
According to Thoroughbred Heritage, at stud
Blandford proved to be one of the great sires of the English turf. Among his offspring were:
Blandford was still successfully breeding at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage
, Oxfordshire
when he died unexpectedly on 25 April 1935 at age sixteen. He is buried in Whatcombe's equine cemetery. Blandford sired the winners of 308 races worth ₤327,840 in England, plus overseas winners.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. He was the Leading sire in France
Leading sire in France
The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in France for each year since 1887. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the season .-----References:* -See also:*...
and also in England in the same year.
He was bred by the Irish National Stud
Irish National Stud
The Irish National Stud is a Thoroughbred horse breeding facility based at Tully, Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland...
at Tully. Blandford had pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
as a foal and was not ready for the early sale, but was later offered at the December Newmarket Sale where he sold for 720 guineas ro Messrs. RC & SC Dawson.
Race record
Trained by co-owner Dick DawsonRichard C. Dawson
Richard Cecil "Dick" Dawson was an Irish-born owner and trainer of racehorses.From his home in Cloghran, Dawson went to Lambourn, England in 1897 and set up shop at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage, Oxfordshire. He brought with him the steeplechase horse Drogheda who won the 1898 Grand National...
, Blandford raced only four times in his career. At age two he ran second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
and at three won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
. Bad forelegs, inherited from his grandsire, John O'Gaunt, limited Blandford's career to four starts.
Stud record
When he was retired to stud he initially stood at a fee of ₤149 which was later raised to 400 guineas. During 1924 his progeny earned ₤70,510.According to Thoroughbred Heritage, at stud
Stud (animal)
A stud animal is a registered animal retained for breeding. The terms for the male of a given animal species usually imply that the animal is entire—that is, not castrated—and therefore capable of siring offspring...
Blandford proved to be one of the great sires of the English turf. Among his offspring were:
- BahramBahram (horse)Bahram was an Irish-bred English-trained racehorse who was undefeated in his racing career winning the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.-Breeding:...
(b. 1932), won the 1935 English Triple Crown - Blenheim IIBlenheim IIBlenheim II was a good British-bred Thoroughbred race horse who won the Epsom Derby in 1930. As sire he had a major influence on pedigrees around the world.-Pedigree:...
(br. 1927), won 1930 Epsom Derby, Leading sire in North AmericaLeading sire in North AmericaThe list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America for each year since 1830. This is determined by the amount of prizemoney won by the sire's progeny during the year...
in 1941 - BrantomeBrantôme (horse)Brantôme was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and prominent sire. Owned by the Haras de Meautry stable of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild, he was named for the city of Brantôme, Dordogne...
(b. 1931), one of France'sFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
greatest runners and an important sire. His racing wins include the 1934 Prix de l'Arc de TriomphePrix de l'Arc de TriompheThe Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year, usually on the first Sunday in October.Popularly referred to as the... - Campanula (b. 1931), won the 1,000 Guineas Stakes
- TrigoTrigo (horse)Trigo was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1929 won two of three British Triple Crown series.-Background:Bred at William Barnett's Cloghran Stud in County Dublin, Ireland, he was out of the British Horseracing Hall of Fame mare Athasi...
(b. 1926), wins include the 1929 Epsom DerbyEpsom DerbyThe Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, St. Leger StakesSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
, and Irish St. Leger - Harinero, a stakeswinner and later a sire of stakeswinners in Australia.
- Midstream, a stakeswinner and later a Leading sire in AustraliaLeading sire in AustraliaThe list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in Australia for each season since 1883–84. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
. - Pasch (b. 1935), won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes
- Udaipur (br. 1929), won the Epsom OaksEpsom OaksThe Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early June....
- Windsor LadWindsor LadWindsor Lad was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old in 1934 he won both the Epsom Derby and the St Leger in record time. In 1935 he won the Coronation Cup and the Eclipse Stakes before his career was ended by injury....
(b. 1931), won 1934 Epsom Derby, St. Leger Stakes, 1935 Coronation CupCoronation CupThe Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
Blandford was still successfully breeding at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
when he died unexpectedly on 25 April 1935 at age sixteen. He is buried in Whatcombe's equine cemetery. Blandford sired the winners of 308 races worth ₤327,840 in England, plus overseas winners.