Sultan was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

-bred Thoroughbred

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 a leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland for six successive seasons.

Breeding

He was by Selim (sire of six classics winners), out of Bacchante by Williamson's Ditto. Sultan was inbred to three great sires, Herod (4m x 4f), Eclipse (4m x 4f), to Herod's best son, Highflyer (4 x 4). Sultan was a bay with a blaze, a sock on off (right) fore and near (left) hind, stocking near fore and off hind leg. He had a refined, beautiful head, well-sprung ribs, deep girth, and muscular, powerful hindquarters. Although he was a long horse he was a good weight carrier and sound, racing until the age of eight.

Racing career

Sultan had a good race record, winning 14 times. As a two-year-old, racing for Crockford, he won the July Stakes

July Stakes

The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....

, and placed second in the Derby Stakes

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...

, losing to Tiresias. He was one of the favorites in the St. Leger Stakes

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 broke down in his morning gallop before the race. As a four-year-old, he placed second in the Port Stakes. When five, he won the Gold Cup at Newmarket Racecourse

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...

. He beat Gustavus (a Derby winner) in a match race as a six-year-old.

When he was seven, Sultan was purchased by Lord Exeter

Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter

Brownlow Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Exeter KG, PC , styled Lord Burghley until 1804, was a British peer, courtier and Tory politician...

. Racing for him, the stallion won the Trial Stakes for a second time, another race at Newmarket, which was his preferred venue for running.

Stud record

Sultan was then retired to the Marquis' stud farm at Burghley

Burghley

Burghley may refer to:*William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , chief minister of queen Elizabeth I of England*Burghley House, a sixteenth century country house in Lincolnshire, built for the above...

. He went on to be the 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:...

 for six consecutive years (1832-1837), producing classic winners, five of them 2,000 Guineas winners: Bay Middleton

Bay Middleton (horse)

Bay Middleton was an undefeated Thoroughbred racehorse whose victories included two British Classic Races. He was twice the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland.-Breeding:...

 (2,000 Guineas winner, Derby Stakes winner), Achmet (2,000 Guineas winner), Green Mantle (winner of the Oaks), Galata (won both the 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks)

Epsom Oaks

The 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....

, Augustus (2,000 Guineas winner), Ibrahim (2,000 Guineas winner), Destiny (1,000 Guineas winner), and Glencoe (2,000 Guineas winner).

Sultan, a tail-male descendant of Herod

Herod (horse)

Herod , formerly King Herod, later shortened to just Herod in common usage, was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the three foundation sires of the modern Thoroughbred racehorse, along with Matchem and Eclipse...

, maintained the Byerley Turk sire line through to Djebel

Djebel

Djebel was a French Thoroughbred racehorse, who won 15 of 22 races during 1939-1942 and was later a leading sire.-Breeding:Djebel was sired by Tourbillon, a stallion owned by Marcel Boussac, who had won the French Derby and the Prix Lupin, and went on to become a notable sire. Toubillon's dam-sire...

 and to the present.

Tabulated pedigree