Sefton (racehorse)
Encyclopedia
Sefton was a British Thoroughbred
racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1877 to 1878 he ran thirteen times and won three races. He showed little promise as a two-year-old, but developed into a leading colt the following year, when his wins included the 1878 Epsom Derby
. At the end of the season he was retired to stud where he had little success. He was put down in 1891.
at the Glasgow
Stud at Enfield
, Middlesex
. As a yearling was sold for 1,000 guineas
to William Stirling-Crawfurd, an "old school" sportsman who had married the widow of the Duke of Montrose
. Sefton was trained at Manton
by Alec Taylor, Sr.
.
Sefton’s sire Speculum was a top class stayer who won the Goodwood Cup
. He went on to be a successful and influential sire, being the male-line ancestor of the Derby winners Sunstar
and Phil Drake
. Sefton’s achievements enabled Speculum to become Champion sire in 1878. Sefton’s dam was an un-named mare by West Australian who was later given the name Lady Sefton. During Sefton's career, she was usually known as "Liverpool's dam" after a good colt she had produced in 1869.
at Goodwood
in July and the Criterion Stakes in October.
at Newmarket
in April. He showed form far in advance of anything he had shown in 1877 by finishing half a length second to Thurio, with the pair well clear of the thirteen other runners. Sefton’s next race was an unusual one for a Classic contender, as he took on older horses in the valuable City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom on April 30. Carrying only 78 pounds
he disputed the lead from the start, went to the front early in the straight and held on in a close finish to win by a head from the five-year-old Advance. On his next start Sefton ran in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on 7 May. He led for most of the race and stayed on after being overatken in the final furlong
to prove the best of the English colts, finishing third to the filly Pilgrimage and the French-trained Insulaire.
At Epsom Sefton, lookin much fitter than he had done at Newmarket, started at odds of 100/12 (just over 8/1) in a field of twenty-two for the Derby on 6 June. Insulaire, who had won the Prix du Jockey Club
a few days earlier, was made favourite ahead of Bonnie Scotland. The weather was miserable, and the customary large crowd was not so impressive as in previous years. Ridden by Henry Constable (1854–1881), Sefton was sent to the front after a furlong and never headed. In the straight he held of the challenges of Childeric and the fast-finishing Insulaire to win by one and a half lengths. In addition to the prize money of £5,850, Stirling-Crawfurd was reported to have taken £21,000 in winning bets.
Sefton was then sent to Royal Ascot where he ran in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
. Carrying top weight of 131 pounds, he made a "gallant effort" but could only manage a dead-heat
for third place behind Glengarry, to whom he was conceding sixteen pounds. Sefton had not been entered in the Doncaster
St Leger
, but returned at Newmarket in October when he defeated Insulaire again in the Newmarket St Leger. Sefton’s final race was in the Cesarewitch Handicap
over two and a quarter miles, for which he was assigned the second highest weight of 112 pounds, five pounds more than Insulaire. He was never a danger and finished eighth of the twenty runners behind Jester. Sefton returned from the race injured, and was unable to race again.
. By 1891 he was in a "bad way" with "fever in the feet" (most likely laminitis
) and was euthanized in July.
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 and sire. In a career that lasted from 1877 to 1878 he ran thirteen times and won three races. He showed little promise as a two-year-old, but developed into a leading colt the following year, when his wins included the 1878 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...
. At the end of the season he was retired to stud where he had little success. He was put down in 1891.
Background
Sefton, a dark-coated bay horse with one white sock, was bred by Jonathan PeelJonathan Peel
Jonathan Peel was a British soldier, Conservative politician and racehorse owner.-Background and education:...
at the Glasgow
James Carr-Boyle, 5th Earl of Glasgow
Captain James Carr-Boyle, 5th Earl of Glasgow , styled Viscount of Kelburn until 1843, was a British naval commander and politician.-Background:...
Stud at Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. As a yearling was sold for 1,000 guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
to William Stirling-Crawfurd, an "old school" sportsman who had married the widow of the Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose
James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose KT, PC , styled Marquess of Graham until 1836, was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
. Sefton was trained at Manton
Manton, Wiltshire
Manton is a small village in Wiltshire on the outskirts of Marlborough just off the A4 Bath Road.Manton village is part of the Parish of Preshute, and as such includes St Georges Church, and Preshute Primary The Outside Chance is the only pub in the village....
by Alec Taylor, Sr.
Alec Taylor, Sr.
Alec Taylor, Sr. was a highly successful British Thoroughbred horse trainer. He first began working as a trainer for Sir Joseph Hawley in 1848 at Fyfield, Wiltshire...
.
Sefton’s sire Speculum was a top class stayer who won the Goodwood Cup
Goodwood Cup
The Goodwood Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August.-History:...
. He went on to be a successful and influential sire, being the male-line ancestor of the Derby winners Sunstar
Sunstar
Sunstar was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes and followed with a win in the Epsom Derby and was a successful sire....
and Phil Drake
Phil Drake
Phil Drake was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career which lasted from May to July 1955, Phil Drake ran five times and won three races, becoming the fifth and last horse to win both the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris.-Background:Phil Drake, a brown horse with...
. Sefton’s achievements enabled Speculum to become Champion sire in 1878. Sefton’s dam was an un-named mare by West Australian who was later given the name Lady Sefton. During Sefton's career, she was usually known as "Liverpool's dam" after a good colt she had produced in 1869.
1877: two-year-old season
Sefton raced four times as as a two-year-old without success. His best performance came at Stockbridge Racecourse in June, when he finished second to Redwing in the Hurstbourne Stakes. He was unplaced in the Richmond StakesRichmond Stakes
The Richmond Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
at Goodwood
Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House...
in July and the Criterion Stakes in October.
1878: three-year-old season
Sefton made his debut as a three-year-old in the inaugural running of the Craven StakesCraven Stakes
The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April.The event serves as a trial for the first...
at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
in April. He showed form far in advance of anything he had shown in 1877 by finishing half a length second to Thurio, with the pair well clear of the thirteen other runners. Sefton’s next race was an unusual one for a Classic contender, as he took on older horses in the valuable City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom on April 30. Carrying only 78 pounds
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
he disputed the lead from the start, went to the front early in the straight and held on in a close finish to win by a head from the five-year-old Advance. On his next start Sefton ran in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on 7 May. He led for most of the race and stayed on after being overatken in the final furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
to prove the best of the English colts, finishing third to the filly Pilgrimage and the French-trained Insulaire.
At Epsom Sefton, lookin much fitter than he had done at Newmarket, started at odds of 100/12 (just over 8/1) in a field of twenty-two for the Derby on 6 June. Insulaire, who had won the Prix du Jockey Club
Prix du Jockey Club
The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
a few days earlier, was made favourite ahead of Bonnie Scotland. The weather was miserable, and the customary large crowd was not so impressive as in previous years. Ridden by Henry Constable (1854–1881), Sefton was sent to the front after a furlong and never headed. In the straight he held of the challenges of Childeric and the fast-finishing Insulaire to win by one and a half lengths. In addition to the prize money of £5,850, Stirling-Crawfurd was reported to have taken £21,000 in winning bets.
Sefton was then sent to Royal Ascot where he ran in the Prince of Wales's Stakes
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
. Carrying top weight of 131 pounds, he made a "gallant effort" but could only manage a dead-heat
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
for third place behind Glengarry, to whom he was conceding sixteen pounds. Sefton had not been entered in the Doncaster
Doncaster Racecourse
Doncaster Racecourse is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 31 Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.- History :...
St Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The 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...
, but returned at Newmarket in October when he defeated Insulaire again in the Newmarket St Leger. Sefton’s final race was in the Cesarewitch Handicap
Cesarewitch Handicap
The Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and the latter part is on the Rowley Mile. It is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was...
over two and a quarter miles, for which he was assigned the second highest weight of 112 pounds, five pounds more than Insulaire. He was never a danger and finished eighth of the twenty runners behind Jester. Sefton returned from the race injured, and was unable to race again.
Stud career
Sefton made little impact as a stallion and suffered increasingly from rheumatismRheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
. By 1891 he was in a "bad way" with "fever in the feet" (most likely laminitis
Laminitis
Laminitis is a disease that affects the feet of ungulates. It is best known in horses and cattle. Symptoms include lameness, and increased temperature in the hooves...
) and was euthanized in July.