The Darley Arabian was one of three dominant foundation sires

Foundation bloodstock

Foundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...

 of modern 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...

 horse racing

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...

 bloodstock, the other two being the Godolphin Arabian

Godolphin Arabian

The Godolphin Arabian , also known as the Godolphin Barb, was an Arabian horse who was one of three stallions that were the founders of the modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock...

 and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse

Arabian horse

The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...

 was bought in Aleppo

Aleppo

Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...

, Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

 by Thomas Darley

Thomas Darley

Thomas Darley served as Her Majesty's Consul to the Levant during the reign of Queen Anne. He is famous for having bought an Arabian colt that became an important part of the history of the Thoroughbred breed....

 in 1704 and shipped back to Aldby Park in England, where he stood at stud, usually private but sometimes open to outside mares. By all accounts, the Darley Arabian stood about 15 hands high and was of substantial beauty and refinement.

The Darley Arabian sired Flying Childers

Flying Childers

Flying Childers was a famous undefeated 18th century Thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1714, and is often cited as the first truly great racehorse in the history of Thoroughbreds.-Breeding:...

 and he was the great-great-grandsire of the extremely influential Eclipse

Eclipse (horse)

Eclipse was an outstanding, undefeated 18th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse who was later a phenomenal success as a sire.-Breeding:...

. The Darley Arabian was to become the most important sire in the history of the English Thoroughbred.

Recent research found that in 95% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses, the Y-chromosome can be traced back to this single stallion.

Bloodline

Darley is from the Ma’anagi Hidraji stud, which was originally from the Ma’anagi Sbeyli stud that Meq'ed Ibn H'ddri had looted from the Ibn Sbyel clan

Ibn Sbyel

Ibn Sbyel or Ibn Sbe'yel or AlSbyel are a family from the ALQmesah clan, from the Adnanite tribe of `Anizzah...

in a battle in the middle of 19th century. Thus, this unique stud had increased within his grasp and changed its name from Ma’anagi Sbeyli to Ma’anagi Hidraji except the ones that the Ibn Sbyel kept .

External links

• http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/DarleyArabian.html
• http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios/DarleyArabian.htm
• Thoroughbred Heritage: Darley Arabian Sire Line
• Sire line for 15 generations