Famous Horses

Homebred Racing is proud to present you with a list of famous horses from the mid 18th century to the present day. They all represent the realisation of the ultimate dream of every racehorse owner, whether as an individual or with a share in a racehorse, or as a member of a racing syndicate, partnership or club. There’s nothing to beat the thrill of owning a winning racehorse!

Alcazar 1995:  Owned by a racing partnership including his breeder, Alcazar’s career was blighted by injury but this son of Alzao won 12 races including the Group 1 Prix du Cadran at the ripe old age of 10. 

Alcide 1955:  Alcide was one of the best horses to never win the Derby, which was almost certainly no fault of his own. Fate decreed that he was foaled in the worst era of doping and nobbling since the First World War. His trainer felt sure that he was ‘got at’ to prevent him running as a very warm favourite. He was a very good racehorse. 

Aldaniti 1970:  Aldaniti – once regarded as a hopeless cripple teamed up with cancer victim Bob Champion to win one of the most emotional Grand Nationals in 1981 – later the subject for the film Champions which generated much interest including from people outside racing and did much to promote the idea of racehorse ownership to a wider audience.

Ali-Royal 1993:  Winner of the Group 1 Sussex Stakes for Henry Cecil who sadly died as a result of laminitis before his first crop of juveniles reached the racecourse. 

Alleged 1974:  The fact that Alleged won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe twice earns him a place amongst the élite. The St Leger proved to be the only defeat of Alleged’s career.

Allez France 1970:  Allez France was certainly one of the best fillies to race in France this century. In thirteen wins from twenty-one races she won prize money only exceeded at the time by her great rival Dahlia.

Alycidon 1945:  Alycidon, according to his jockey the five-times champion Doug Smith, was ‘the greatest stayer I have ever seen and probably one of the greatest stayers of all time’. He became the first horse since Isonomy in 1879 to win the Cup ‘Triple Crown’ – Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup.

Arkle 1957:  Arkle was named after a mountain in Sutherland. He was bought at auction by leading racehorse owner Anne, Duchess of Westminster for 1150 guineas and won his first hurdle race at 20/1 en route to becoming the greatest racehorse over jumps ever seen. Arkle won all the top prizes in England and Ireland including the Cheltenham Gold Cup 3 times 

Bahamian Bounty 1994:  A poweful colt who was a Group 1 winning sprinter and is proving to be a good source of speed as a stallion. Bahamian Bounty stands at the National Stud.

Bahram 1932: Bahram was the unbeaten winner of the Triple Crown in 1935. Bahram was bred and owned by the Aga Khan. 

Ballymoss 1954:  During his career Ballymoss established a new UK prizemoney record. He was not a great stallion, but sired one Derby winner in Royal Palace. What he did do was launch Vincent O’Brien on his Classic path.

Battleship 1927:  Battleship was one of the smallest horses ever to win the Grand National and was also an entire horse, wearing blinkers, ridden by the tallest and youngest jockey ever to win the race! Battleship was retired to America and was leading jump stallion five times and sired the 1956 American Grand National winner, Shipboard.

Bayardo 1906:  Bayardo was one of the outstanding horses of the first half of the twentieth century. Although he was beaten in both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby. Bayardo retired the winner of twenty-two of his twenty-five races and his grandson Hyperion became one of the great prepotent stallions. 

Benny the Dip 1994:  Winner of 5 races including the 1997 Derby, Benny the Dip now stands as a National Hunt stallion. 

Best Mate 1995:  Best remembered as a triple Gold Cup winner (who might have been denied a fourth by the foot and mouth outbreak resulting in the cancellation of the Cheltenham Festival). The winner of 14 races he was the outstanding 3 mile chaser in what was, perhaps, not a vintage era. 

Biantome 1918:  70 years ago staying races were considered the ultimate test for a desirable stallion. The ideal was for a two-year-old to win over 5 furlongs and then up to two and a half miles as a four year old. Biantome was such a horse and his 12 wins established him as one of France’s greatest racehorses in the 20th century. 

Brigadier Gerard 1968:  Brigadier Gerard was foaled in the same year as Mill Reef and My Swallow, the three of them meeting in the finest field ever for the 2000 Guineas. Brigadier Gerard did not just win, he went past his rivals as if they were standing still, to win by three lengths. Mill Reef was never beaten again. The Brigadier, after fifteen straight wins, was beaten by the enigmatic Roberto. It was the ‘Horse of the Century’s’ only defeat. He was a triumph for his owner breeders the Hislops who bred the horse along unfashionable lines – but sadly he disappointed at stud and none of his offspring ever came near to matching his ability. 

Brown Jack 1924:  Brown Jack was probably the most popular flat-race horse ever but began life as a hurdler. After winning the Champion Hurdle, for the next seven seasons Brown Jack never missed the Royal Ascot meeting winning every year. 

Bula 1965:  Bula was a brilliant hurdler who went thirteen races without defeat and won two Champion Hurdles in brilliant style. He was sent chasing finishing third in the Gold Cup and also won 13 other chases.

Bustino 1971:  Bustino is mostly remembered for his part in his epic dual with Derby winner Grundy at Ascot in July 1975 which has been described as the race of the century in which the pair battled to the line knocking 2.4 seconds off the course record in the process. Grundy won the day but ultimately it’s Bustino that has left a greater legacy at stud with top class winners under both codes. Homebred Racing’s broodmare Royal Brush is out of a Bustino mare from an exceptional female line, which includes Europe’s champion filly Sovereign. Homebred Racing still have some shares for sale in Royal Brush’s son Sweep Home (by Safawan) who is currently in training with the leading yard of Peter Bowen. See full details about this exciting prospect on the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this website. 

Captain Christy 1967: Captain Christy at his best was a truly outstanding steeplechaser. His most brilliant performance was his thirty-length defeat of Bula in the 1975 King George VI Chase. But he was erratic and inconsistent. As a seven-year-old relative novice he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the following season won the King George VI Chase by eight lengths from Pendil. But back at Cheltenham he ran a lifeless race in soft ground in the Gold Cup and two months later he was beset by tendon trouble from which he never properly recovered.

Carbine 1886: It takes a very special racehorse for his name to become part of the language but Australian poker players call two pairs of ‘tens’ and ‘fives’ a ‘Carbine’ after his remarkable win in the Melbourne Cup under 10st 5lbs! One hundred years on, Australia has only ever seen one comparable horse: Phar Lap. 

Citation 1945:  Citation was almost unbeatable – he won nineteen of his twenty races. His Triple Crown was achieved in brilliant style. So little did the Classics tax him that in between he fitted in the Jersey Stakes at Garden State, New Jersey, which he won by eleven lengths in record time. 

College Chapel 1990:  College Chapel is best remembered for his role in the partnership with Lester Piggott who was making a famous winning come-back at Royal Ascot. College Chapel, a son of speedster Sharpo, has proven an influence for speed at stud and is the sire of Homebred Racing’s filly Divine White who is out of winning miler Snowy Mantle. Some shares are still available in this exciting racehorse – see full details in the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this site or call us on 01293 884433 about availability of shares in this or other horses – or about becoming a racehorse owner with Homebred Racing

Colombo 1931:  Bought for a bargain 510 guineas as a yearling Colombo won all of his seven two-year-old races and the 2000 Guineas. But he failed to stay in the Derby and was beaten at 7/2 on.

Crepello 1954:  Crepello was one of the outstanding Derby winners. Sadly, it was to be his last race and he was retired to prove a better sire of fillies and brood mares than of colts.

Crisp 1963:  Crisp is remembered for his sensational front-running performance in the 1973 Grand National when caught in the final strides by Red Rum. Under twelve stone, Crisp had helped lower the course record from 9 minutes 20.4 seconds to 9 minutes 1.90 seconds. The other horses were almost 100 yards away.

Dahlia 1970:  Dahlia never beat Allez France in six encounters – but won record prizemoney for a European horse. Dahlia was tough, and at her best was spectacularly brilliant with success in the 1973 King George V1 & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Washington International.

Dancing Brave 1983:   The controversial Derby was Dancing Brave’s only defeat in Europe. He won the Eclipse Stakes, the King George and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to establish himself as one of the best of the 20th century.

Danehill 1986:  The son of Danzig who made more of a name for himself as a stallion than as a racehorse – although he did win the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes. 

Danzig 1970:  One of the great stallion influences of the 20th century, Danzig has a unique record of producing very fast, top class racehorses who have also gone on to become top stallions. Although he never won a group race himself, Danzig was unbeaten in 3 starts and has sired over 200 individual black type winners including Group 1 winner Hamas. Hamas sired Homebred Racing’s 2006 filly Polarity out of our winning racemare Snowy Mantle making Polarity half sister to Divine White and multiple winner Snowed Under. Shares are still available from Homebred Racing in this very well bred youngster who’ll be racing on the flat – see full details under Choose Your Horse elsewhere on this site. 

Dawn Run 1978:  Dawn Run made National Hunt racing history when in March 1986, she became the first horse to complete the Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double. 

Dubai Millennium 1996:  Sheikh Mohammed’s favourite horse who was only beaten once in 10 starts and showed himself to be quite exceptional. But his career was cut short by injury and he tragically died from grass sickness before being able to prove himself at stud. Homebred Racing’s 2006 filly by Hamas is related to Dubai Millennium through the stallion’s dam Fall Aspen. Some shares are still available in Polarity – please see the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this site for full details.

Easter Hero 1920:  Easter Hero was the first of the new breed of steeplechaser. In March 1928 he had won six races in a row in England, and became a leading public fancy for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but didn’t run until the following year for the first of his two wins in the race. Easter Hero was also one of the few horses to complete the Gold Cup/Champion Chase double. 

Eclipse 1764:  So good his name has become the byword for no-hopers. He won all his races by such huge distances that the results stated ‘The winner Eclipse – the rest no-where’. 

Florida Pearl 1992:  The ‘nearly’ horse who seemed to have the world at his feet but who never won a Gold Cup. However, he did win the King George VI Chase in a memorable race in 2001. 

Flying bolt 1959: If Flyingbolt had not been a contemporary of Arkle he might easily have proved himself one of the great National Hunt horses, but he still won many of the top races either side of the Irish Sea. 

Freddie 1957:  A famous, unbeaten hunter chaser who was bred, trained and ridden by his owner. Freddie graduated to racing over fences under rules and is best remembered for his epic battle with Jay Trump in the 1965 Grand National in which he finished an honourable second. He enjoyed 20 year’s of happy retirement after racing on the farm where he was brought up in Scotland. 

Gay Crusader 1914:  Gay Crusader winner of the Triple Crown was described by the great Steve Donoghue as the best horse he ever rode. The reason that Donoghue rated him so highly was his ability to quicken like a sprinter at the end of a two mile gallop. 

Generous 1988:  It’s said thet horses of pale, wishy-washy colouring are no good – a theory dispelled by Generous who won 6 of the top races including The Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. His offspring have failed to scale such heights.

Gladiateur 1862: Gladiateur was the first French-owned and French bred horse to win the Derby; indeed he won the English Triple Crown despite being trodden on as a foal leaving him with an off-fore fetlock injury for the rest of his life. Sadly, neither in France nor England was he a great success at stud.

Golden Miller:  Golden Miller was one of the two greatest steeplechasers in the history of racing. His record of 5 wins in the Gold Cup and winning the Grand National will never be broken – and might have been even better but for his eccentric owner.

Grundy 1972:  The ‘Race of the Century’ was Grundy v Bustino at Ascot in July 1975. The four-year-old Bustino was assisted by pacemakers Kinglet and Highest, who went off at a six-furlong pace, but Bustino took it up four furlongs from home. The Derby winner Grundy went in pursuit and after an epic duel prevailed in a time knocking 2.4 seconds off the record. Sadly he was not a success at stud. 

Habitat 1966:  Habitat was not a great racehorse but, as a stallion, he earns a place amongst the élite. By the mid 1980’s, his nomination fee had reached £100,000 and he had become the most prolific sire of Pattern race winners to stand in the British Isles since the last war.

Hamas 1989:  Hamas is possibly one of the very best bred racehorses there’s ever been being by the legendary Danzig out of the Group 1 winning mare Fall Aspen who’s proven to be one of racing’s true matriarchs having bred the winners of over 20 group races. Hamas was pretty useful on the racetrack too being the comfortable 3 length winner of the Group 1 July Cup. Hamas is sire of Homebred Racing’s exciting 2006 filly Polarity out of the winning racemare Snowy Mantle. Some shares are still available in this exciting racehorse – see the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this site for full details of availability and racehorse ownership. 

Hambletonian 1792:   Hambletonian was the most famous and successful horse ever to be bred and raced in the north of England. A grandson of Eclipse he won the St Leger, going on to win the Doncaster Cup (four miles) the next day and ultimately won a match for 3000 guineas over four miles at Newmarket. The match attracted collossal interest. Every bed and stable within twenty miles of Newmarket was occupied, and many thousands of Yorkshiremen travelled south to back their champion. Hambletonian won by ‘half-a-neck’. 

Hatton’s Grace 1940:  The extraordinary achievements of Hatton’s Grace in the autumn of his career, were a remarkable testimony to the genius of his trainer, the thirty-one-year old Vincent O’Brien. At the age of nine, he won the first of his three Champion Hurdles. In 1951 Hatton’s Grace was eleven years old. No horse had won three Champion Hurdles, nor had any won the ‘Champion’ at his age. Remarkably, the little horse finished his career by running in four races over fences, the last of which he won. After that achievement he was retired, to live out his days at Ballydoyle.

Humorist 1918:  Perhaps the most inappropriately named racehorse of all time because his short life was plagued by poor health. Nonetheless he won the 1942 Derby but died in his box shortly afterwards – a post mortem revealed advanced TB suggesting he’d managed to win with only one functioning lung.

Hyperion 1930:  Hyperion was an outstanding racehorse and also one of the most successful and influential sires. Hyperion’s biggest wins were the Derby and the St Leger but he was also champion sire six times, siring seven Classic winners. 

Isinglass 1890:  Isinglass was a big, tall, rather leggy horse who won the Triple Crown. His eleven victories earned him £57,455, a record which amazingly was not surpassed until 1952. 

Istabraq 1992:  One of the best hurdlers of the 20th century and a triple winner of the Champion Hurdle. 

Jay Trump 1957:  It’s strange that one of the most compelling stories of British horse racing should have started in America. Amateur rider Tommy Smith bought ‘hopeless case’ Jay Trump after seeing a sign offering the horse for sale. The rest is history and between them they proved to be one of the great horse racing partnerships. After disappointing in a point-to-point Jay Trump went on to astonish racing fans by winning the Maryland Hunt Cup in record time prompting thoughts of travelling to England to tackle the world’s greatest steeple chase. The unlikely partnership realized the dream winning in an epic race to the line by 3/4 of a length from Freddie. 

Jerry M 1903:  Jerry M was a real Aintree horse who won four races in his first season, and was sold for £1200 to become one of the finest steeplechasers of the first half of the twentieth century. The 1909-10 season began with a win at Liverpool in the Valentine Chase, after which it was time for his first attempt at the National. Carrying 12st 7lb as a seven-year-old, he made a valiant bid to make most of the running, but was collared between the last two fences by Jenkinstown, who was receiving 30lb. Jerry M was now prepared for a second visit to Paris for the Grand Steeple-Chase which he won by three lengths. Winning the 1912 Grand National under 12st 7lbs was Jerry M’s swan-song.

John Henry 1975:  John Henry was one of the most popular and successful racehorses to ever set foot on a racecourse – and yet he only cost $1100 dollars as a yearling. He was every racehorse owner’s dream and yet he passed through several pairs of hands before ending up with racehorse owner Sam Rubin and trainer Ron MacAnally. John Henry won an amazing 19 Group/Grade 1s in the USA amongst his 39 victories amassing $6,592,000 in winnings. He won his last Group 1 at the age of 9. His jockey Chris McCarron said ‘What can I add to what has already been said? He meant the world to my family and me. Everwhere he raced he doubled the size of the racecrowd. Whether a race fan or not – everyone’s heard about the legend of John Henry’. 

Kelso 1957:  One of the great racehorses of the USA, Kelso is overlooked because of the prejudice against geldings racing in the top pattern races. But Kelso dominated the racetrack in the 1960s earning a record $2 million in scooping most of the big prizes.

Kincsem 1874:  Kincsem was the best thoroughbred to come out of Hungary, and probably one of the best mares ever to race in Europe. She was finally retired the unbeaten winner of fifty-four races, from five furlongs to two-and-a-half miles and carrying weights up to 12st 1lb 

Kris 1976:  Champion miler in 1979 and of Europe in the following season, Kris is one of many top class horses out of the mare Doubly Sure who was herself quite unable to get competitive on the racetrack! Kris went on to becoming a leading sire of fillies.

La Flèche 1889:  One of the great fillies of the nineteenth century who was unlucky not to have won the Derby. La Flèche was made favourite for the Derby but her jockey lay too far out of his ground shouting and gesticulating at the other jockeys as if drunk! But La Flèche ran on to finish second, and two days later, despite her hard race, she won the Oaks. 

Lammtarra 1992:  The unbeaten winner of his only 4 races, which included The Derby, The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Arc de Triomphe.

Loch song 1988: Small and gutsy, Lochsong was the home bred winner of 3 Group 1 races proving herself to be the leading sprinter in Europe. 

L’Escargot 1963: Within eleven months of jumping his first fence in public, L’Escargot was aimed at the Gold Cup. Starting at 33-1, he battled bravely up the Cheltenham hill to beat French Tan by a length and a half. In 1975 he came to Aintree, at the age of twelve, having won one race in the past four seasons. Not even Red Rum could concede him 11lb, and L’Escargot won easily by fifteen lengths, becoming the first horse since Golden Miller to win the Gold Cup and the National. 

Man O’War 1917:  Winner of twenty of his twenty-one starts, in two seasons. He won fourteen Stakes races in succession. In his second season, his eleven races yielded wins by margins between a length and a half, and 100 lengths! He was odds-on every time that he raced (three times 100/1 on), and he established five separate time records between one mile and 1 mile 5 furlongs. He became leading sire in 1926.

Mandarin 1951:  The riding of Fred Winter on Mandarin on a June day at Auteuil wrote a page of steeple chasing history. Mandarin jumped the first two well, but landing over the third his rubber bit snapped, leaving Fred with no brakes or steering. Nonetheless, Fred was able to drive the little hero into the lead in the home straight and won by a head! Mandarin also won the Gold Cup, the King George VI Chase and the Hennessy. 

Manifesto 1888:  Before Red Rum, Manifesto was widely regarded as the greatest Grand National horse of all time. When the Aintree fences were substantially more formidable than today, his record reads won two, third three times and fourth once, from eight starts.

Meld 1952:  Meld was one of the greatest fillies and won the 1000 Guineas without a preliminary race, before going on to win the Oaks. In the next months leading up to the St Leger Newmarket faced a coughing epidemic. On the morning of the race, rumours spread that Meld had coughed in the racecourse stables overnight but Meld won. The following morning she had a temperature and lay in her box for forty-eight hours. Meld was dam of a Derby winner in Charlottown. 

Mill House 1957:  If Mill House had not been born in the same year as Arkle he would probably be regarded as one of the three great steeplechasers of all time. But his defeat by Arkle in the Gold Cup was a watershed from which his fortunes never revived. However he still was a Gold Cup, King George VI Chase and Whitbread winner. 

Mill Reef 1968:  A small colt by Never Bend, 15.2hh, Mill Reef was the supreme athlete… handy and perfectly balanced with a superlative temperament. He won the Derby, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Coronation Cup and Prix Ganay as well as other top races before a successful stud career. 

Monksfield 1972:  Monksfield is remembered as the little horse with the biggest heart for his epic battles in the Champion Hurdle which he won twice. Monksfield is sire of Homebred Racing’s broodmare Pasture’s Green who is dam of Pharly Green (by Pharly). Some shares are still available in this exciting racehorse – please see the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this site for full details. 

Montjeu 1996:  Montjeu was an impressive racehorse who won the 1999 Arc de Triomphe as well as the French and Irish Derbies. But it’s as a stallion that Montjeu is also making a big impression. 

Motivator 2002:  Motivator epitomizes the dream of any small owner buying a racehorse that proves good enough to win the Derby. Motivator did just that for his owners syndicate who numbered 230 strong in the Ascot Racing Club who each had decided to buy a share in a racehorse. Trained by Michael Bell Motivator stormed home in the 2005 Derby to give jockey Johnny Murtagh his third win in the race. 

Mtoto 1983:  The winner of 5 races including the Coral Eclipse Stakes and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes for jockey Michael Roberts and trainer Alec Stewart.

Mumtaz Mahal 1921:   Mumtaz Mahal was the original ‘flying filly’ – a daughter of the ‘freak’ The Tetrach who was bought at the racehorse sales at Doncaster on behalf of the Aga Khan. She made her first appearance at Newmarket in May and won by three lengths in a time of 57.8 seconds which has never been surpassed. She won a string of top sprints but didn’t stay any further. Ultimately she was the grand dam of Nasrullah, Mahmoud and Abernant. 

Nasrullah 1940:  Nasrullah was a big, fine, bay horse by Nearco out of Mumtaz Begum, daughter of Mumtaz Mahal. Gordon Richards said he had never ridden a better mover, but already his temperament was a major problem. The top prizes eluded him but at stud he sired Grey Sovereign, Princely Gift and Red God.

Native Dancer 1950:  Native Dancer was a big, grey said to be a bully but, he was the greatest American racehorse since Man O’War. He developed into a powerhouse of a horse, winning all the top races in the USA and going on to prove himself an influential stallion standing 16.3hh. 

Nearco 1935:  Nearco won all of his seven two-year-old races with ease, and at three was even better! He won the Italian 2000 Guineas by six lengths, the Italian Derby by a distance and went on to win the Gran Premio d’Italia and the Grand Premio di Milano. In the Grand Prix de Paris over 1 mile seven furlongs Nearco took the lead early in the straight, and drew away effortlessly. He was champion of Europe. His male line descendants include Sir Ivor, Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Roberto, The Minstrel and Shirley Heights.

Night Nurse 1971:  Night Nurse, who cost 1300 guineas as a yearling, had a flat-race pedigree, but showed very little ability at two and three. But by the end of the 1976-77 season, Night Nurse had won eighteen of his twenty-two races over hurdles. Night Nurse transferred to fences and was established as a top-class steeplechaser and actually started favourite for the Gold Cup, but the top prizes evaded him.

Nijinsky 1967: Nijinsky was a horse who had the best pedigree – his sire was Northern Dancer; the best trainer in Vincent O’Brien, and ultimately the best jockey in Lester Piggott. As winner of the Triple Crown he was the best horse in Europe of his generation. His success at stud was immediate and spectacular and in 1987 his stallion fee reached $300,000.

Noblesse 1960:  Noblesse was one of the easiest winners of the Oaks ever seen. She won as she pleased by ten lengths. Noblesse proved a successful broodmare in all too short a stud career, breeding useful winners in America, France and in Britain. 

Norton’s Coin 1981:  The outsider trained by a farmer in Wales to win the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup at 100/1. Many thought it a fluke but he was very unlucky not to also win the following year when falling late on and poised to challenge. He was also one of the few horses to beat Waterloo Boy over 2 miles.

Oh So Sharp 1983:  Oh So Sharp was winner of the fillies Triple Crown trained by Henry Cecil at Newmarket. A daughter of the brilliant miler, Kris, out of Graustark mare Oh So Fair, she showed unexpected reserves of stamina to add the Oaks and St Leger to her Guineas win. 

One Man 1988:  Became a firm favourite as a bold jumping grey who won nearly £1/2 million in prize money and many top races including the King George VI Chase.

Ormonde 1883: Ormonde was the outstanding horse of the nineteenth century. He was unbeaten and never really extended. He won the Triple Crown in what was considered a vintage year. His owner the Duke of Westminster sold him to stand at stud in Argentina as he said he was a ‘roarer’.

Orwell 1929:  Had it not been for his bad feet and knee problems Orwell might have become one of the great racehorses. But as every racehorse owner knows the difference between success and failure can be a hair’s breadth. Orwell became a classic winner in the 2000 Guineas but thereafter his physical problems intervened to prematurely end his career after finishing lame in the Derby. 

Park Top 1964:  From unlikely breeding, Park Top was the ugly duckling who became a swan. She improved with age and was best at five when her wins included the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Pebbles 1981: A fantastic filly trained by Clive Britain to win the 1000 Guineas but as a four-year-old she won the Eclipse Stakes and The Champion Stakes. Pebbles became the first British runner to win the Breeders Cup.

Pendil 1965: Pendil was the best horse never to have won the Gold Cup. Pendil went through his first season unbeaten, winning the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the festival meeting. Pendil’s second season over fences brought him to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup unbeaten in eleven chases. The Gold Cup appeared at his mercy and he was clear between the last two and on the run-in was still clear but was short headed on the line by The Dikler. Pendil went through the following season unbeaten and was 13-8 on for the Gold Cup only to be brought down at the third last when cantering. 

Persian Punch 1993:  Perhaps not the best stayer – he never won a Group 1 – but one of the most popular. Persian Punch won 20 races often characterized by battling to secure narrow victory. Sadly he collapsed and died on the track in 2004.

Persian War 1963:  Persian War was perhaps the greatest hurdler ever. In a glittering career he won all the top prizes including the Champion Hurdle 3 times.

Persimmon 1896: Persimmon was the first Royal winner of the Derby for 108 years. A lengthy bay colt by St Simon, Persimmon had always galloped like a Derby horse which he duly won. As a four-year-old Persimmon reached his peak, winning the Gold Cup by eight lengths, and then reverting to half the distance in the Eclipse Stakes. Persimmon retired to the Royal Stud at Sandringham, and met with immediate success, siring the great Sceptre in his first crop. 

Petite Etoile 1956: Petite Etoile was at her best when ridden by Lester Piggott – together they landed top prizes including 1000 Guineas, The Oaks and The Champion Stakes. Petite Etoile was a truly great racehorse but her stud career was a dismal failure. 

Phar Lap 1925:  Like so many of the best southern hemisphere horses, Phar Lap was foaled in New Zealand. Phar Lap’s career began with four unplaced runs. Eventually he won a six-furlong maiden. In his second season he won the Rosehill Guineas, the A.J.C. Derby, the Craven Plate and the Victoria Derby – in record time. At four he was better than ever, winning the Melbourne Cup as part of a sequence of fourteen successive wins in the highest class. Phar Lap also won his first eight races the following season. He stood 17.01/2hh, with a huge girth, and a heart – weighing 15lb, but sadly he died in training. 

Pharly 1974:  Pharly’s influence at stud has been just as great as it was as a multiple Group 1 winner on the racetrack and he has become established as one of the world’s leading sires of fillies and broodmares. His progeny have amassed over 1300 race wins between tham and over £12 million in prizemoney. Homebred Racing have the very last foal sired by Pharly – a 2002 chesnut filly out of Pastures Green (by Monksfield) called Pharly Green who is currently in training. Some shares are still available in Pharly Green – please refer to the Choose Your Horse Section elsewhere on this site for further details and full information about becoming a racehorse owner with Homebred Racing. 

Pilsudski 1992:  Lord Weinstock’s colt won 9 races culminating with victory in the 1997 Japan Cup. 

Pretty Polly 1901:  A winning racehorse so good that she’s still commerated by a race named after her over a century after she swept all before her. Pretty Polly was queen of the turf and it’s said that had she run in all five classics she’d have won them all – as it was she collected the 1000 Guineas, The Oaks and the St Leger and features in the pedigree of the 20th century’s greatest racehorse Brigadier Gerard.

Prince Regent 1935: Prince Regent won his bumper in Ireland and graduated through the ranks from being a novice hurdler to a handicap chaser who won the Irish Grand National carrying 12st 7lbs. He also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and was a heartbreaking second in the Grand National having been well clear of his field 2 fences from home – earning himself the epitaph of the ‘greatest horse never to win the National’. It’s also said that, but for Hitler disrupting the British racing programme, he’d have become a steeplechasing legend. 

Red Rum 1965: Red Rum was a legend – a horse that won over the shortest distance of 5 furlongs as a two-year-old who went on to make the longest steeplechase his own. His 3 wins in the Grand National are never likely to be equaled 

Reynoldstown 1927:  Reynoldstown was the first winner of successive Grand Nationals at Aintree since The Colonel sixty-six years earlier.

Ribot 1952: There’s no doubt that Ribot was one of the great horses. Ribot was not especially eye-catching when he went into training, and had not been entered for the Italian Classics, having been small and apparently nothing special as a yearling. But after wide-margin wins from domestic rivals, he was thrown in against the best in Europe in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Ribot beat them comprehensively by three lengths. As a four-year-old Ribot continued to carry all before him including the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a second ‘Arc’ and retired as the unbeaten winner of sixteen races. 

Roberto 1969:  Was remembered as a tough, but narrow Derby winner under Lester Piggot but his principal claim to fame was to inflict the one and only degeat on the ‘horse of the century’ Brigadier Gerard when both horse smashed the track record at York.

Rock of Gibraltar 1999: Winner of 9 races of which no less than 7 were Group 1’s. The son of Danehill has also made his mark at stud but is best remembered for the bitter dispute between his high profile owners whom had each decided to own a leg in a racehorse. The feud that ensued after the retirement of the horse to stud revolved around the shareholders and the manager of Manchester United football club and should be a salutory lesson to anyone getting involved in a racing partnership! 

Safawan 1986:  Safawan was the brilliant miler of his generation winning 7 races up to a mile including the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and Goodwood’s Golden Mile to become champion miler in Europe. A strong, compact chesnut Safawan is sire of Homebred Racing’s winning miler Homebred Star and of Sweep Home currently in training with Peter Bowen. Some shares are still available in these exciting racehorses – please see the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere for full details about availability and becoming an owner.

Sagaro 1971:  Sagaro’s record of winning 3 Ascot Gold Cups was unique but given racing’s current prejudice aginst stayers it proved almost impossible to place him at stud despite a glittering career on the track. The problem is that winners over a much shorter 10 furlongs, or even a mile, on the flat are often found lacking pace as 2 mile novice hurdlers – a one and a half mile Derby horse will stay 3 miles over fences as a 6 year old!

Sceptre 1899:  No horse in racing history has ever won all five Classics, but Sceptre nearly did, winning all but the Derby – and was unlucky not to win that! She won the 2000 Guineas easily in the record time of 1 minute 39 seconds and two days later she collected the ‘1000’ even more easily. Sceptre was now aimed at the Derby, but with a bruised foot she was only fourth. Two days later, she won the Oaks. With better handlers she would have been unique – and unbeaten. 

Sea Bird II 1962: Sea Bird II was a chesnut with a big white blaze and two white stockings. He turned out his off-fore leg. But despite his looks he’s often described as ‘the best ever’. His wins in the Derby and Arc de Triomphe were the easiest ever seen. 

Sea Pigeon 1970: Sea Pigeon was an exceptional horse by any standards, and the excellence of his hurdling career has tended to overshadow his remarkable performances on the Flat. He won the Chester Cup and as a nine-year-old he won the Ebor Handicap with a record ten stone. It was after that he proceeded to win two Champion Hurdles!

Seattle Slew 1974: Seattle Slew was a dark brown colt by Bold Reasoning out of a mare called My Charmer – the first foal of his dam by a first-season stallion. He was bought for a bargain $17,000. ‘The Slew’ didn’t race until September as a two-year-old, but ended up winning the Eclipse Award for two-year-olds. The Slew had three races in the Spring of 1977 en route to the Triple Crown and retired the winner of fourteen from seventeen starts. Seattle Slew was regarded by some as a ‘freak’ and unlikely to make a stallion but proved the ‘experts’ very wrong. In fact Homebred Racing’s winning racemare Snowy Mantle is in foal to Seattle Slew’s Group 1 winning son Septieme Ciel – and shares will ultimately be available in this exceptionally well bred horse when it reaches the racecourse.

Secretariat 1970:  Secretariat is remembered not just as a winner of the Triple Crown but for his record breaking run in New York. The runners clocked 1 minute 9.8 seconds for the first six furlongs. To put this into perspective the course record for six furlongs at Ascot is 1 minute 13.29 seconds. Secretariat simply ran further and further away. Roared every inch of the way by the huge New York crowd, the big colt was eight lengths clear at the one mile in 1 minute 34.2 seconds; 20 lengths clear in 1 minute 59 seconds at the one-and-a-quarter mile; and finally, at the line, was a staggering thirty-one lengths clear in a world-record 2 minutes 24 seconds. Secretariat’s career was not without its set-backs but on his day he was unbeatable. 

See You Then 1980:  See You Then became in 1987 only the fourth horse to have won three Champion Hurdles. This was despite leg trouble and corns, which restricted racecourse appearances resulting in his nickname ‘See You When?’

Septieme Ciel 1987:  Septieme Ciel was the product of two of the best racehorses of the era – his sire and dam were both multiple Group winners who won at the highest level. His sire Seattle Slew was a legend on the racetrack and at stud whilst his dam Maximova won the Group 1 Prix de la Salamandre. So it was no surprise that Septieme Ciel became a multiple Group winner himself his wins including victory in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret. Septieme Ciel has continued to be a success at stud and is a Homebred Racing stallion having covered winning racemare Snowy Mantle. 

Sergeant Cecil 1999:  Every so often a racehorse captures the public’s imagination – Sergeant Cecil is such a horse. Born of modest stock (and by a 5 furlong sprinter!) Sergeant Cecil has climbed through the ranks to the top as a Group 1 stayer

Shergar 1978:  Shergar was inconspicuous as a two-year-old but first ran at Newbury on September 19th, in a one-mile maidens-at-closing event. Ridden by Lester Piggott and favourite at 11-8 in a field of twenty-three, he won easily by two-and-a-half lengths in course-record time. During the spring of 1981, Shergar made exceptional progress. Shergar was a 33-1 shot for the Derby, but not for long! Shergar made his seasonal reappearance in the Guardian Classics Trial at Sandown and won easily. He won the Chester Vase by twelve lengths. The 1981 Derby was not so much a race as a procession. Shergar took the lead three furlongs out and drew further and further away. Shergar was retired to the Aga Khan’s but was famously kidnapped and sadly never found. 

Signoretta 1905:  This is one of those stories that gives hope to all racehorse owners and members of racing syndicates – a horse that seemed devoid of ability who went on to complete a quite remarkable double. Signoretta ran as a two year old but after showing only poor form eventually scraped a win in a late season nursery. Her eccentric Italian owner insisted on running in the 1000 Guineas in which she was well beaten, but undeterred he then ran her in the Derby in which few fillies ever take part. Amazingly she shocked everyone with a 100/1 win – and even more surprisingly added a win in The Oaks 2 days later!

Sir Ivor 1966: After Sir Ivor’s first success his owners struck a bet of £500 each way at 100-1 for the Derby with William Hill. In one of the great 2000 Guineas, Sir Ivor won brilliantly by one-and-a-half lengths but William Hill, was happy that Sir Ivor, with his brilliant speed and mile-and-a-quarter pedigree, was unlikely to stay the distance of the Derby. Piggott gave the matter deep thought and waited and waited. Incredibly, he beat Connaught by one-and-a-half lengths, having hit the front less than fifty yards from the line. At stud Sir Ivor’s daughters have enjoyed considerably more success than his sons. 

Sir Ken 1947:  Few would dispute the status of Sir Ken as the greatest Champion Hurdler. Sir Ken went through his first three seasons in England unbeaten in sixteen hurdle races, including two Champion Hurdles when his rivals included Hatton’s Grace, who had won the race in the three previous seasons, and National Spirit, the winner in 1947 and 1948. By the following year Sir Ken was considered unbeatable and was made 5-2 on – the shortest prized favourite in the history of the race and won easily. In 1955, Sir Ken went lame in mid-season and was beaten for the first time at Cheltenham. The following season it was decided to try the Triple Champion over fences with considerable success. 

Soviet Song: Soviet Song proved that owning a racehorse who proves to be a superstar is not just the privilege of the wealthy few because she was owned by the 20,000 or so members of the racehorse ownership syndicate the Elite Racing Club. Soviet Song proved herself to be a top class racehorse winning at the highest level for her enthusiastic band of racehorse owners. 

St Simon 1881:  St Simon was a son of the 1875 Derby winner Galopin, out of a mare, St Angela, that had produced little of note. Ridden by Fred Archer on his debut St Simon won in a canter and reappeared the following day to beat a solitary opponent in a maiden race. St Simon was so volatile in the stable that only his groom could approach him. St Simon was retired to stud the unbeaten winner of nine races. He was a brilliant success at stud, and was champion sire nine times, including seven in a row. His ten Classic winners included Persimmon, Diamond Jubilee, St Frusquin and Le Flèche.

Stately Home 1991:  The horse that put Homebred Racing’s trainer Peter Bowen on the map winning a string of chases including eleven in a row to win the Channel 4 Trophy – after refusing to start on the flat! 

Sun Chariot 1939: Sun Chariot, a daughter of Hyperion, was temperamental. Unbeaten as a two-year-old Sun Chariot flopped at Salisbury before winning the 1000 Guineas by 4 lengths. In the Oaks Sun Chariot charged off to the left, losing all of 10 lengths. After a mile Sun Chariot had caught the others a furlong from home she struck the front and, held on to win by a length. “It was one of the most amazing performances I have ever known”, Gordon Richards said later. Sun Chariot’s final race was the wartime St Leger, which she won in brilliant style by three lengths from the Derby winner, Watling Street. 

Tantieme 1947:  One of the great French stayers who also had the class to win the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe twice – his influence for stamina is still seen today through the appearance of his son Reliance II in many jumping pedigrees.

The Flying Dutchman 1846:  Winner of the Derby and the St Leger who featured in epic matches against Voltigeur. If ever a horse epitomized the ups and downs of racing this is him because his aristocratic owner lost a fortune on his only defeat and his jockey ended up destitute in a workhouse.

The Tetrach 1911:  The Tetrach was a ‘freak’. ‘The Spotted Wonder’, as he was known was by an out-and-out stayer but was probably the fastest horse in history. He won on his debut so spectacularly that he never started at odds against in any of his other races, which included wins in the Coventry, Rous and Woodcote Stakes. Homebred Racing’s youngster Keep A Welcome is related to The Tetrach through his sire Most Welcome and displays the same family characteristics of dark blotches on his skin and grey patches in his coat. Shares are still available in this exciting young racehorse – please refer to the Choose Your Horse section elsewhere on this site for full details.

Troy 1976: Troy won the 200th Derby by the widest margin for over 50 years for the racing partnership of owners Sir Michael Sobell and Lord Weinstock. Troy went on to win the Irish Derby too but sadly died at stud before having the chance to really prove himself as a stallion.

Troytown 1913: Troytown was one of the outstanding winners of the Grand National. He was a powerhouse of a horse standing 17hh that travelled to Paris and also won the Grand Steeple-Chase. Always a strong puller with a mouth of iron, Troytown was almost un-ride able and his jockey Jack Anthony was far more exhausted than his tear away mount and confessed to his arms being completely numb after steering the 1920 National winner home. 

Tudor Minstrel 1944:  Tudor Minstrel was one of the best one-mile horses of the century and sprinted away to win the 2000 Guineas by eight lengths. Tudor Minstrel was odds-on for the Derby, but to Gordon Richard’s horror Tudor Minstrel could not ‘act’ left-handed. 

Viking Flagship 1987:  Remembered for his epic battles with the top 2 miler chasers of the day, Viking Flagship with regular partner Adrian Maguire, won 2 Champion chases after starting his career over hurdles on the all-weather!

Voltigeur 1847:  Voltigeur ran only once as a two-year-old, winning at the now defunct Richmond, and ridden by Job Marson, beat his twenty-three rivals in the Derby by a comfortble length. Voltigeur was 13-8 on for the St Leger, but was caught in the final stride by Russborough, a 20-1 shot. The judge awarded a dead-heat. According to custom, the two horses were pulled out again two hours later for the deciding heat, which Voltigeur narrowly won. Every one of the thirty-two sires and dams in his pedigree traced directly to the Godolphin and Darley Arabians. At stud, he enjoyed considerable success and was the great grandsire of St Simon. 

War Admiral 1934:  As a two-year-old he was good, without looking a champion but his three-year-old career was spectacular – winning the Triple Crown in brilliant style. The only blemish on his career was losing a match to the ‘rags to riches’ Sea Biscuit. 

West Australian 1850:  West Australian was the first horse to win the Triple Crown. West Australian won the 2000 Guineas, and in the Derby was a winning favourite at 6-4 and he duly won the St Leger in a canter by three lengths. As a four-year-old, West Australian won the Ascot Gold Cup. On retirement he was sold as a stallion and latterly became the property of the Emperor Napoleon in France, but was not a success.