Spion Kop (horse)
Encyclopedia
Spion Kop was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred
racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1919 until 1921, Spion Kop ran fourteen times winning two races. After an undistinguished early career in which he lost his first six races, he improved as a three-year-old to win the Epsom Derby
in record time in 1920. After his retirement from racing he has some success as a stallion.
and four white socks, was bred by his owner Major Giles Loder who had inherited the Eyrefield Stud near Caragh
in County Kildare
from his uncle Eustace “Lucky” Loder in 1914.
Spion Kop’s sire Spearmint
had been Eustace Loder’s most successful horse winning the Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris
in 1906. At stud, he was fairly successful, siring Royal Lancer (St Leger
), Zionist (Irish Derby) and Plucky Liege
. Hammerkop, Spion Kop’s dam was a top-class staying racehorse who won the Yorkshire Oaks
in 1903 and the Cesarewitch Handicap
in 1905, but produced no other winners in a long stud career.
Spion Kop was sent into training with Peter Gilpin at his Clarehaven Stables at Newmarket, Suffolk.
, suggesting that he was at least twenty pounds below top class.
impressively, and his odds for the Derby were cut to 9/1. He did not run again in public but was instead tried in a private trial race against the best of his trainer’s other three-year-olds. He was well beaten by his stable companions, finishing last of the four runners behind Sarchedon, Comrade
and Paragon, and a result his odds for the Derby lengthened again. The stable jockey Arthur Smith, who had rejected the eventual winner Grand Parade
in the 1919 Derby, was instructed to ride Sarchedon at Epsom, with the mount on Spion Kop being given to the American Frank O’Neill.
The Derby was run on an unusually hot day in front of an estimated crowd of 250,000 including the King and Queen
. Spion Kop started at odd of 100/6 (approximately 16/1) in a field of 19 runners. The favourite was the 2000 Guineas winner Tetratema
a colt noted for his exceptional early speed but with dubious stamina. Tetratema went into an early lead and set an extremely fast pace as he was challenged by Abbot’s Trace (ridden by Steve Donoghue), while O’Neill settled Spion Kop well back in the field. Tetratema dropped back soon after half way and Abbot’s Trace led into the straight as Spion Kop mad rapid progress from the rear. Spion Kop took the lead three furlong
s from the finish and ran on strongly up the straight to win by two lengths from Archaic and Orpheus in a new race record time of 2:34.8. The most dramatic incident of the race occurred in the closing stages when Abbot’s Trace was brought down in a collision with Sarchedon, who finished fourth.
Spion Kop then attempted to emulate his sire by travelling to France for the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, a much anticipated event, which, with a first prize of £12,000, was the most valuable race in the world at the time. Having narrowly escaped a fire which destroyed his horse-box, Spion Kop started joint-favourite, but finished unplaced behind Comrade. There were excuses however, as the race was extremely rough, with one report claiming that Spion Kop had been "treated like a shuttlecock". Spion Kop's form failed to recover his form in autumn. He prepared for the St Leger by taking on Abbott's Trace in a two-runner race for the Derbyshire Three-Year-Old Plate at Derby and was beaten a short head in a "desperate" finish. He nevertheless started favourite for the St Leger but finished unplaced behind Caligula. On his final start he was unplaced again behind Orpheus in the Champion Stakes
.
but finished well beaten behind Silvern. At Royal Ascot he was moved up in distance to two and a half miles for the Ascot Gold Cup
and produced his best performance in over a year by finishing third (promoted from fourth) to Periosteum. There were hopes that he would appear later in the year in the Cesarewitch or the Cambridgeshire Handicap
, but he never ran again.
as one of the two worst colts to have won the race in the 20th Century. Spion Kop was not even the best middle distance colt in his own stable, that honour clearly belonging to Comrade.
(Epsom Derby), Kopi (Irish Derby), Bongrace (Doncaster Cup
). His son The Bastard won the Yorkshire Cup
and, after being renamed The Buzzard was twice the leading stallion in Australia, siring the Melbourne Cup
winner Rainbird.
Spion Kop died in 1941 and was buried at the Eyrefield Stud.
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 1919 until 1921, Spion Kop ran fourteen times winning two races. After an undistinguished early career in which he lost his first six races, he improved as a three-year-old to win 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...
in record time in 1920. After his retirement from racing he has some success as a stallion.
Background
Spion Kop, a “strong, handsome” bay horse with a white blazeHorse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
and four white socks, was bred by his owner Major Giles Loder who had inherited the Eyrefield Stud near Caragh
Caragh
Caragh or Carragh is a village in County Kildare, Ireland. It is located on the R409 regional road between the River Liffey and the Grand Canal approximately 4 km north-west of Naas...
in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare 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 town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
from his uncle Eustace “Lucky” Loder in 1914.
Spion Kop’s sire Spearmint
Spearmint (horse)
Spearmint was a classic winning English Thoroughbred racehorse and a good sire. He sired classic winners in three countries: Great Britain, Ireland and the United States. His daughters produced the winners of eight classic races...
had been Eustace Loder’s most successful horse winning the Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris
Grand Prix de Paris
The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
in 1906. At stud, he was fairly successful, siring Royal Lancer (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...
), Zionist (Irish Derby) and Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege
Plucky Liege was a British Thoroughbred racemare who produced eleven winners, including an Epsom Derby winner at the age of twenty-three and three British Classic race winners. The performances of these horses led to her becoming one of the most important broodmares of the 20th century.Foaled in...
. Hammerkop, Spion Kop’s dam was a top-class staying racehorse who won the Yorkshire Oaks
Yorkshire Oaks
The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
in 1903 and 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...
in 1905, but produced no other winners in a long stud career.
Spion Kop was sent into training with Peter Gilpin at his Clarehaven Stables at Newmarket, Suffolk.
1919: two-year-old season
As the offspring of two slow-maturing stayers, Spion Kop was not expected to excel as a two-year-old in 1919. He failed to win in six starts, but showed some consistency by reaching the frame in all his races, finishing second five times and third once. At the end of the year, in the Free Handicap, a rating list of the leading juveniles, Spion Kop was given a weight of 102 poundsPound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
, suggesting that he was at least twenty pounds below top class.
1920: three-year-old season
In the spring of 1920 there were rumours that Spion Kop had made exceptional improvement and was likely to be a major contender for the Derby. On his debut in May he went some way towards substantiating the stories when he won a race at KemptonKempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
impressively, and his odds for the Derby were cut to 9/1. He did not run again in public but was instead tried in a private trial race against the best of his trainer’s other three-year-olds. He was well beaten by his stable companions, finishing last of the four runners behind Sarchedon, Comrade
Comrade (horse)
Comrade was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the first-ever running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1920.Owned by the Evremond de Saint-Alary whose stable raced in England and France, Comrade was purchased for only 26 guineas...
and Paragon, and a result his odds for the Derby lengthened again. The stable jockey Arthur Smith, who had rejected the eventual winner Grand Parade
Grand Parade
Grand Parade can refer to:* Grand Parade in Brighton, England* Grand Parade in Cape Town, South Africa* Grand Parade in Cork, Republic of Ireland* Grand Parade in Gibraltar* Grand Parade in Halifax, Nova Scotia...
in the 1919 Derby, was instructed to ride Sarchedon at Epsom, with the mount on Spion Kop being given to the American Frank O’Neill.
The Derby was run on an unusually hot day in front of an estimated crowd of 250,000 including the King and Queen
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
. Spion Kop started at odd of 100/6 (approximately 16/1) in a field of 19 runners. The favourite was the 2000 Guineas winner Tetratema
Tetratema
Tetratema was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned by Major Dermot McCalmont, Tetratema was bred at McCalmont's Ballylinch Stud on his Mount Juliet estate in Thomastown, County Kilkenny in Ireland...
a colt noted for his exceptional early speed but with dubious stamina. Tetratema went into an early lead and set an extremely fast pace as he was challenged by Abbot’s Trace (ridden by Steve Donoghue), while O’Neill settled Spion Kop well back in the field. Tetratema dropped back soon after half way and Abbot’s Trace led into the straight as Spion Kop mad rapid progress from the rear. Spion Kop took the lead three 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....
s from the finish and ran on strongly up the straight to win by two lengths from Archaic and Orpheus in a new race record time of 2:34.8. The most dramatic incident of the race occurred in the closing stages when Abbot’s Trace was brought down in a collision with Sarchedon, who finished fourth.
Spion Kop then attempted to emulate his sire by travelling to France for the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, a much anticipated event, which, with a first prize of £12,000, was the most valuable race in the world at the time. Having narrowly escaped a fire which destroyed his horse-box, Spion Kop started joint-favourite, but finished unplaced behind Comrade. There were excuses however, as the race was extremely rough, with one report claiming that Spion Kop had been "treated like a shuttlecock". Spion Kop's form failed to recover his form in autumn. He prepared for the St Leger by taking on Abbott's Trace in a two-runner race for the Derbyshire Three-Year-Old Plate at Derby and was beaten a short head in a "desperate" finish. He nevertheless started favourite for the St Leger but finished unplaced behind Caligula. On his final start he was unplaced again behind Orpheus in the Champion Stakes
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three 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 October...
.
1921: four-year-old season
Spion Kop failed to re-establish his reputation in two starts as a four-year-old. He returned to Epsom’s Derby meeting for the Coronation CupCoronation Cup
The 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....
but finished well beaten behind Silvern. At Royal Ascot he was moved up in distance to two and a half miles for the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup 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 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and produced his best performance in over a year by finishing third (promoted from fourth) to Periosteum. There were hopes that he would appear later in the year in the Cesarewitch or the Cambridgeshire Handicap
Cambridgeshire Handicap
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event...
, but he never ran again.
Assessment
In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Spion Kop a “poor” Derby winner. More specifically, they rated him equal with AboyeurAboyeur
Aboyeur was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1912 to 1913 he ran seven times and won two races. In June 1913 Aboyeur won the Epsom Derby at record odds of 100/1. He was awarded the race on the disqualification of Craganour after a rough and controversial race...
as one of the two worst colts to have won the race in the 20th Century. Spion Kop was not even the best middle distance colt in his own stable, that honour clearly belonging to Comrade.
Stud career
Spion Kop was retired to his owner’s Old Connell Stud, near Newbridge, County Kildare, where he became a “respectable” sire with a clear tendency to produce runners with stamina. His most notable progeny included FelsteadFelstead (horse)
Felstead was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After failing to show any worthwhile form as a two-year-old he made exceptional improvement as a three-year-old to win the 1928 Epsom Derby at odds of 33/1 in record time. Soon after his win at Epsom, Felstead was injured in training and...
(Epsom Derby), Kopi (Irish Derby), Bongrace (Doncaster Cup
Doncaster Cup
The Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
). His son The Bastard won the Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup
Yorkshire Cup may refer to:*Yorkshire Cup , a rugby union competition for Yorkshire clubs*Yorkshire Cup , a horse race held at York Racecourse*Rugby league county cups, a rugby league competition for Yorkshire clubs...
and, after being renamed The Buzzard was twice the leading stallion in Australia, siring the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
winner Rainbird.
Spion Kop died in 1941 and was buried at the Eyrefield Stud.