Crepello
Encyclopedia
Crepello was a British
bred Thoroughbred
racehorse
which won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby
and was later a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
.
) in his last year of life. His dam was the race winner, and Star mare
, Crepuscule by Mieuxce. Crepuscule created a British bloodstock record by producing Classic winners, Honeylight and Crepello as her first two foals. Crepello was a half-brother to Honeylight (won One Thousand Guineas
Stakes) and Twilight Alley (Ascot Gold Cup
Stakes).
at Newmarket. He was always ridden by jockey, Lester Piggott
. As two-year-old he finished second in his debut race, the Windsor Castle Stakes, fourth in the Middle Park Stakes
and won the Dewhurst Stakes
. Due to unsound forelegs, the horse always raced wearing bandages.
At age three Crepello raced only twice but won two Classic Races. The first was the 2,000 Guineas, followed by a victory over future star Ballymoss
in the Epsom Derby. Crepello's winning time of 2:35.4 seconds was the fastest since 1936. However, this was to be the great horse's last race. His tendons, always delicate, began to cause significant problems and he missed the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes before being retired not long before the St. Leger
.
He only had five starts but was undefeated in his last three, all of which were Group One
races.
at his owner's Eve Stud in Woodditton
, Cambridgeshire
, Crepello was the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland
in 1969 and the Champion Broodmare sire in 1974. Notable progeny include:
Crepello's record as sire was somewhat restricted by the fact that a number of his stock had bad legs and were untrainable.
s after winning racehorses, British Rail
ways "Deltic" Diesel locomotive no. D9012 (later no. 55 012) was named Crepello after this horse on 4 September 1961, and remained in service until 18 May 1981.
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
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...
which won England's most prestigious race, 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...
and was later a 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:...
.
Pedigree
He was a chestnut horse sired by Donatello II (by Blenheim IIBlenheim II
Blenheim 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:...
) in his last year of life. His dam was the race winner, and Star mare
Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms; both technical terminology and jargon that has developed over the centuries to describe horses and other equidae, as well as various horse-related concepts...
, Crepuscule by Mieuxce. Crepuscule created a British bloodstock record by producing Classic winners, Honeylight and Crepello as her first two foals. Crepello was a half-brother to Honeylight (won One Thousand Guineas
One Thousand Guineas
The 1,000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred 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 the second of Britain's five Classic...
Stakes) and Twilight Alley (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....
Stakes).
Racing record
Crepello was trained by Noel MurlessNoel Murless
Sir Charles Francis Noel Murless began his career as a racehorse trainer in 1935 at Hambleton Lodge in Yorkshire before moving to Hambleton House after the war, at one time sharing premises with the equally legendary Ryan Price...
at Newmarket. He was always ridden by jockey, Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....
. As two-year-old he finished second in his debut race, the Windsor Castle Stakes, fourth in the Middle Park Stakes
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was established...
and won the Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
. Due to unsound forelegs, the horse always raced wearing bandages.
At age three Crepello raced only twice but won two Classic Races. The first was the 2,000 Guineas, followed by a victory over future star Ballymoss
Ballymoss
Ballymoss was an Irish Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. The son of Mossborough, his grandsire was the extremely important Nearco. Out of the mare Indian call, the damsire of Ballymoss was Singapore whose sire was the 1918 U.K. Triple Crown winner Gainsborough.Ballymoss was sold by his breeder at...
in the Epsom Derby. Crepello's winning time of 2:35.4 seconds was the fastest since 1936. However, this was to be the great horse's last race. His tendons, always delicate, began to cause significant problems and he missed the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes before being retired not long before the 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...
.
He only had five starts but was undefeated in his last three, all of which were Group One
Group One
Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...
races.
Stud record
Retired to studHorse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
at his owner's Eve Stud in Woodditton
Woodditton
Woodditton is a village and civil parish in East Cambridgeshire, England. The other settlements in the parish are Ditton Green, Little Ditton and Saxon Street. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,789 people....
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Crepello was 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:...
in 1969 and the Champion Broodmare sire in 1974. Notable progeny include:
- Busted, unbeaten at four in 1967 and voted the U.K. Horse of the Year, £58,937 sire
- Caergwrle, winner of the 1968 1,000 Guineas,
- Mysterious, winner of the 1973 1,000 Guineas and 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....
- Celina (Irish OaksIrish OaksThe Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
) - Crepellana (Prix de DianePrix de DianeThe Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies...
) - Crest of the Wave (sire in New Zealand)
- Soderini (stakeswinner, £28,128, sire)
- Bleu Azur, dam of Altesse Royale (Epsom Oaks, One Thousand Guineas, Irish Oaks Stakes etc.)
- Marlia, dam of Marduk II which won the German Derby and consecutive runnings of Germany'sGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Grosser Preis von BadenGrosser Preis von BadenThe Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early September.-History:The event was established in 1858, and it...
in 1974 and 1975.
Crepello's record as sire was somewhat restricted by the fact that a number of his stock had bad legs and were untrainable.
Honours
Following the LNER tradition of naming locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s after winning racehorses, British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways "Deltic" Diesel locomotive no. D9012 (later no. 55 012) was named Crepello after this horse on 4 September 1961, and remained in service until 18 May 1981.