Sir Hercules
Encyclopedia
Sir Hercules was an Irish bred Thoroughbred
racehorse, and was later a successful sire.
, out of Peri (1822) by Wanderer. Peri was bred to Whalebone at the age of three and Sir Hercules, her first foal, was born in 1826 at Petworth Stud. Sir Hercules was a half brother to Langford (by Starch) who was exported as a stallion to America.
Black with white ticking, Sir Hercules was 15 hands 2 inches high, and had a compact build, with identical length "...From the centre of the breast to the hind part of the shoulder, from hind part of shoulder to the hip, and from hip to whirl-bone," with "no more than room for a saddle on his back."
of Summerhill in 1831 and was retired to Langford stud at Summer Hill in County Meath
, Ireland. Initially he stood for a fee of £10. However, few Englishmen wished to breed their mares to him, and the young stallion was moved in 1832 to Rossmore Lodge at the Curragh. Sir Hercules was then sent to England in 1833 with the rest of Rowley's racing stud to be auctioned at Tattersalls. He was sold to America for 750 guineas, but it was decided that it was too late in the season to ship him overseas, and the stallion was resold to H.O. Weatherby.
Weatherby sent him to stand at stud at George Tattersall
's stud, Dawley Wall Farm. In 1838, he was sent to East Acton, where he stood for a fee of £30. However, Weatherby died and Sir Hercules was sold to Sydney Herbert (later Lord Lea). In 1844, Herbert sent the stallion to Tattersall's Willesden Paddocks, where he was available to public mares. Soon, however, Herbert broke up his stud and sold Sir Hercules to Mr. Phillips of Bushbury Stud, where the stallion eventually died at the age of thirty.
Sir Hercules was influential in siring both flat and steeplechase
race horses, including one winner of the Grand National
. Both his sons and daughters had a profound impact on the bloodlines of horses in Australia
, England, Ireland, the United States, and France
.
Notable progeny include:
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 was later a successful sire.
Pedigree
Sir Hercules was by the great sire Whalebone, winner of the Epsom DerbyEpsom 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...
, out of Peri (1822) by Wanderer. Peri was bred to Whalebone at the age of three and Sir Hercules, her first foal, was born in 1826 at Petworth Stud. Sir Hercules was a half brother to Langford (by Starch) who was exported as a stallion to America.
Black with white ticking, Sir Hercules was 15 hands 2 inches high, and had a compact build, with identical length "...From the centre of the breast to the hind part of the shoulder, from hind part of shoulder to the hip, and from hip to whirl-bone," with "no more than room for a saddle on his back."
As a three-year-old: 1829
Sir Hercules was taken to England where he:- won the Claret Stakes:
- was third in the 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...
As a four-year-old: 1830
- won the Claret Stakes which appears to have been his only start that season.
Stud record
Sir Hercules was purchased by Hercules Landford Rowley, the second Baron LangfordBaron Langford
Baron Langford, of Summerhill in the County of Meath, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 1 July 1800 for Clotworthy Rowley, who had earlier represented Trim and County Meath in the Irish House of Commons...
of Summerhill in 1831 and was retired to Langford stud at Summer Hill in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland. Initially he stood for a fee of £10. However, few Englishmen wished to breed their mares to him, and the young stallion was moved in 1832 to Rossmore Lodge at the Curragh. Sir Hercules was then sent to England in 1833 with the rest of Rowley's racing stud to be auctioned at Tattersalls. He was sold to America for 750 guineas, but it was decided that it was too late in the season to ship him overseas, and the stallion was resold to H.O. Weatherby.
Weatherby sent him to stand at stud at George Tattersall
George Tattersall
George Tattersall was a well-known sporting artist and architect.Born in Hyde Park Corner, London, he was a member of the family which operated the Tattersall's horse market...
's stud, Dawley Wall Farm. In 1838, he was sent to East Acton, where he stood for a fee of £30. However, Weatherby died and Sir Hercules was sold to Sydney Herbert (later Lord Lea). In 1844, Herbert sent the stallion to Tattersall's Willesden Paddocks, where he was available to public mares. Soon, however, Herbert broke up his stud and sold Sir Hercules to Mr. Phillips of Bushbury Stud, where the stallion eventually died at the age of thirty.
Sir Hercules was influential in siring both flat and steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
race horses, including one winner of the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
. Both his sons and daughters had a profound impact on the bloodlines of horses in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, England, Ireland, the United States, and France
France
The 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...
.
Notable progeny include:
- BirdcatcherBirdcatcherBirdcatcher , or Irish Birdcatcher, was a good Thoroughbred racehorse and a leading sire.-Breeding:Foaled in 1833 at the Brownstown Stud, in Ireland, Birdcatcher was by the Irish Thoroughbred stallion Sir Hercules, who lost only once at St. Leger in 1829. Birdcatcher's dam, Guiccioli, who had a...
, his most famous son - Coronation: won the 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...
Stakes and Ascot Derby - Faugh-a-BallaghFaugh-a-BallaghFaugh-a-Ballagh was a Thoroughbred racehorse. A brother to Birdcatcher, Faugh-a-Ballagh was sold to E. J. Erwin in 1842. He ran once as a two-year-old at the Doncaster's Champagne Stakes, finishing third to The Cure and Sorella. He then began his three-year-old season as the first Irish-bred horse...
, won 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...
, Grand Duke Michael Stakes, and Cesarewitch StakesCesarewitch HandicapThe 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... - Gaslight (1850) exported to Australia and produced four stakes-winners for 16 stakes-wins.
- Gemma di Vergy (1854) won the Fernhill Stakes, the Reading Stakes, the Avon Stakes, the Nursery Handicap, the Whittlebury Stakes and the Racing Stakes, sire of Gemma-di-Vergy (1863) who was exported in utero to Australia where he was a sire.
- Hyllus, won Goodwood CupGoodwood CupThe 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:...
* Paraguay, exported to Australia, dam of Sir Hercules (1843 by Cap-a-Pie, a good sire) and Whalebone (1844, another good sire) - Lady Lift (1844), dam of Consul (won FR Two Thousand Guineas and FR Prix du Jockey Club) and Le Marechal (won GB Gimcrack Stakes)
- The Corsair, won Two Thousand GuineasTwo Thousand GuineasThe 2,000 Guineas 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 on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.It is one of Britain's...
- Venus (1840), dam of Aphrodite (won GB One Thousand Guineas)