Windsor Lad
Encyclopedia
Windsor Lad was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred
racehorse. As a three-year-old in 1934 he won both the Epsom Derby
and the St Leger in record time. In 1935 he won the Coronation Cup
and the Eclipse Stakes
before his career was ended by injury.
Blandford
out of the 1926 Epsom Oaks
runner-up Resplendent. He was described as "a good, hard bay, level of back, with a well-placed shoulder and broad hips" who possessed a "resolute and calm" temperament.
As a yearling he was sent to the sales by his Irish breeder, Dan Sullivan, where he was sold for 1,300gns
to the Indian Maharaja of Rajpipla.
Windsor Lad was sent into training with Marcus Marsh
at Newmarket, Suffolk and accompanied his trainer when he relocated to Lambourn
after the 1933 season. Windsor Lad was ridden in most of his races by Charles "Charlie" Smirke, a controversial figure who was returning after being "warned off" (banned) for five years after he was suspected of "stopping" a horse.
on 8 May and the Newmarket Stakes. In the Epsom Derby
he started at 15/2 joint second favourite, in a field of nineteen, with the undefeated 2000 Guineas winner Colombo starting favourite. The race was run of fast ground in front of a crowd estimated at between 300,000 and 500,000. Ridden by Charlie Smirke, Windsor Lad was second turning into the straight before taking the lead a furlong out. He was strongly challenged by Easton and Colombo but ran on strongly to win by a length and a neck. The winning time of 2:34.0 equalled the race record set by Hyperion
the previous year. The Maharaja celebrated with a lavish party at the Savoy Hotel which featured a performing elephant arrayed in his purple and cream racing colours.
Windsor Lad started favourite for his first race against older horses in the Eclipse Stakes
at Sandown in July. Smirke held the colt up but became "jammed against the rail" in the straight. By the time he had exrticated the Derby winner, the race was effectively over and although Windsor Lad finished strongly he finished only third, beaten half a length and the same by the four-year-old King Salmon and Umidwar.
During the summer of 1934 there were proposals for special international race at either Saratoga Springs or Belmont Park
between Windsor Lad, the American champion Cavalcade
and the leading French colt Admiral Drake (Brantôme
, probably the best three-year old of 1934 was a sick horse during the summer) but the plans did not come to fruition.
After the Eclipse Stakes, Windsor Lad was sold for a sum of £50,000 to the bookmaker Martin Benson. Windsor Lad won the Great Yorkshire Stakes and in the St Leger at Doncaster the colt returned to his best form. He started at odds of 4/9 with the connections of his rivals conceding that they had little prospect of upsetting the favourite. In front of a crowd estimated at a quarter of a million, Smirke tracked the leader before moving the colt in to the lead three furlongs from the finish. Windsor Lad was never challenged and won going away by two lengths from Tiberius in a record-equalling time of 3:01.6. As of 2012, the record remains unsurpassed. After the race he was descibed as "one of the finest horses the English turf has seen in many seasons."
at Epsom
. The race was much anticipated, and was seen as being a match between Easton's speed and Windsor Lad's stamina. Windsor Lad prevailed in the race, beating Easton by a length and a half.
He won the Rous Memorial Stakes over seven and a half furlongs at Royal Ascot and was then sent to Sandown for a second attempt at the Eclipse Stakes. In the Eclipse he started at odds of 4/7 and led from the start to win by three quarters of a length from Theft and Fair Trial
. He broke down during the race and won what had already been announced as his last racecourse appearance despite sustaining an injury.
, Hyperion
, Mill Reef
, Nijinsky
and Shergar
.
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. As a three-year-old in 1934 he won both 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 the St Leger in record time. In 1935 he won the Coronation Cup
Coronation 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....
and the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
before his career was ended by injury.
Background
Windsor Lad was sired by the three-time Champion sireLeading 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:...
Blandford
Blandford (horse)
Blandford was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby. He was the Leading sire in France and also in England in the same year.He was bred by the...
out of the 1926 Epsom 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....
runner-up Resplendent. He was described as "a good, hard bay, level of back, with a well-placed shoulder and broad hips" who possessed a "resolute and calm" temperament.
As a yearling he was sent to the sales by his Irish breeder, Dan Sullivan, where he was sold for 1,300gns
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
to the Indian Maharaja of Rajpipla.
Windsor Lad was sent into training with Marcus Marsh
Marcus Marsh
Marcus Maskell Marsh was an English racehorse trainer whose British Classic wins included the Epsom Derby and St. Leger with Tulyar and Windsor Lad as well as the 2,000 Guineas with Palestine...
at Newmarket, Suffolk and accompanied his trainer when he relocated to Lambourn
Lambourn
Lambourn is a large village and civil parish in the northwestern part of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England. Its metropolitan district has a population of 4,017, and is most noted for its associations with British National Hunt racehorse training....
after the 1933 season. Windsor Lad was ridden in most of his races by Charles "Charlie" Smirke, a controversial figure who was returning after being "warned off" (banned) for five years after he was suspected of "stopping" a horse.
1933: two-year-old season
Windsor Lad won two races as a juvenile including the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket in October, but was slow to mature and was not among the leaders of his generation.1934: three-year-old season
In 1934, Windsor Lad emerged as a Derby candidate by winning two trial races, the Chester VaseChester Vase
The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Chester over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 66 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
on 8 May and the Newmarket Stakes. In 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...
he started at 15/2 joint second favourite, in a field of nineteen, with the undefeated 2000 Guineas winner Colombo starting favourite. The race was run of fast ground in front of a crowd estimated at between 300,000 and 500,000. Ridden by Charlie Smirke, Windsor Lad was second turning into the straight before taking the lead a furlong out. He was strongly challenged by Easton and Colombo but ran on strongly to win by a length and a neck. The winning time of 2:34.0 equalled the race record set by Hyperion
Hyperion (horse)
Hyperion was a British bred Thoroughbred, a dual classic winner and an outstanding sire. Owned by Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, Hyperion won £29,509 during his career - a considerable sum at the time. His victories included the Epsom Derby and St...
the previous year. The Maharaja celebrated with a lavish party at the Savoy Hotel which featured a performing elephant arrayed in his purple and cream racing colours.
Windsor Lad started favourite for his first race against older horses in the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
at Sandown in July. Smirke held the colt up but became "jammed against the rail" in the straight. By the time he had exrticated the Derby winner, the race was effectively over and although Windsor Lad finished strongly he finished only third, beaten half a length and the same by the four-year-old King Salmon and Umidwar.
During the summer of 1934 there were proposals for special international race at either Saratoga Springs or Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
between Windsor Lad, the American champion Cavalcade
Cavalcade (horse)
Cavalcade was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.In the early 1930s, Bob Smith, a trainer with a history of spotting talent, had been hired by heiress Isabel Dodge Sloane to stock her newly formed Brookmeade Stable. A descendant of the 1893 English Triple Crown champion...
and the leading French colt Admiral Drake (Brantôme
Brantôme (horse)
Brantôme was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and prominent sire. Owned by the Haras de Meautry stable of Édouard Alphonse de Rothschild, he was named for the city of Brantôme, Dordogne...
, probably the best three-year old of 1934 was a sick horse during the summer) but the plans did not come to fruition.
After the Eclipse Stakes, Windsor Lad was sold for a sum of £50,000 to the bookmaker Martin Benson. Windsor Lad won the Great Yorkshire Stakes and in the St Leger at Doncaster the colt returned to his best form. He started at odds of 4/9 with the connections of his rivals conceding that they had little prospect of upsetting the favourite. In front of a crowd estimated at a quarter of a million, Smirke tracked the leader before moving the colt in to the lead three furlongs from the finish. Windsor Lad was never challenged and won going away by two lengths from Tiberius in a record-equalling time of 3:01.6. As of 2012, the record remains unsurpassed. After the race he was descibed as "one of the finest horses the English turf has seen in many seasons."
1935: four-year-old season
Windsor Lad was unbeaten as a four-year-old. After winning the Burwell Stakes he faced Easton in 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....
at Epsom
Epsom Downs Racecourse
Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...
. The race was much anticipated, and was seen as being a match between Easton's speed and Windsor Lad's stamina. Windsor Lad prevailed in the race, beating Easton by a length and a half.
He won the Rous Memorial Stakes over seven and a half furlongs at Royal Ascot and was then sent to Sandown for a second attempt at the Eclipse Stakes. In the Eclipse he started at odds of 4/7 and led from the start to win by three quarters of a length from Theft and Fair Trial
Fair Trial
Fair Trial was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion sire. He was bred and raced by John Arthur Dewar who also bred and raced Tudor Minstrel....
. He broke down during the race and won what had already been announced as his last racecourse appearance despite sustaining an injury.
Assessment
In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Windsor Lad the nineteenth best horse of the 20th Century and the sixth best Derby winner, behind Sea BirdSea Bird II
Sea Bird II is considered by many to be the greatest post-war European flat racehorse. His Timeform rating of 145 is still the highest ever flat figure awarded by that publication. Sea Bird II is most famous for his breathtaking victories in two of Europe's most prestigious races: the Epsom Derby...
, Hyperion
Hyperion (horse)
Hyperion was a British bred Thoroughbred, a dual classic winner and an outstanding sire. Owned by Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby, Hyperion won £29,509 during his career - a considerable sum at the time. His victories included the Epsom Derby and St...
, Mill Reef
Mill Reef
Mill Reef was a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was bred in the United States but was trained in the United Kingdom throughout his racing career which lasted from 1970 to 1972. Mill Reef won twelve of his fourteen races and finished second in the other two...
, Nijinsky
Nijinsky II
The racehorse Nijinsky was one of the greatest horses in Thoroughbred horse-racing history. He won the U.K. Triple Crown of racing. Retired to stud he became the Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland and the Leading broodmare sire in North America.He was bred at E. P...
and Shergar
Shergar
Shergar was an acclaimed Irish racehorse, and winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record 10 lengths, the longest winning margin in the race's 226-year history. This victory earned him a spot in The Observer newspaper's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the Twentieth Century...
.