Alcide (1955–1973) was a British

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. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse. It is widely believed that Alcide would have won Epsom's 1958 Derby had not probable foul play prevented him from running. A form line through Nagami, who was third in the Derby, gives credibility to the theory that a fully fit Alcide would have won the race. During this period there was an alarming amount of apparent villainy in racing and it seems likely that the broken rib that Alcide sustained in his stable after he had won the

Lingfield Derby Trial The Derby Trial Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 133 yards () a ...

was deliberate. As a two-year-old Alcide had won the

Horris Hill Stakes The Horris Hill Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and i ...

Newbury Racecourse Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat r ...

and his first success in his second season was in the

Chester Vase The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 63 yards () at Ches ...

. He then romped home in the Lingfield Derby Trial and after he had recovered from his injury he won the

Great Voltigeur Stakes The Great Voltigeur Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 18 ...

by 12 lengths and the

St. Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a d ...

by eight. He was held up in his preparation for the

Ascot Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 ...

the following season, but even so was only just beaten by Wallaby II. Six weeks later he won the

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

and retired to stud as the winner of eight races worth £56,042.

Stud career

Alcide's stud career was reasonably successful with many of his sons exported to Australasia including Approval, Alderney, Alfonso, Atilla, Colours Flying, Flagon, Gatekeeper, Mironton, Oncidium, Persian Garden II and Swallowtail II.Wicks, B.M., “The Australian Racehorse”, Libra Books, Canberra, 1973 Another son Remand was a good racehorse who was exported to Japan.

References

* ''The Complete Encyclopedia of Horse Racing'' - written by Bill Mooney and George Ennor
Alcide's pedigree and racing stats
{{St Leger Winners 1955 racehorse births 1973 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 2-f St Leger winners King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winners