Azor (foaled 1814) 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. In a career that lasted from April to October 1817 he ran five times and won two races. In the summer of 1817 he created a 50/1 upset by winning The Derby after being entered in the race to act as a

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for a more highly regarded stable companion. The rest of his form was well below top class, with his only other success coming when he was allowed to

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at Newmarket.

Background

Azor was a chestnut horse bred by his owner John Payne. Payne also owned Azor's dam Zoraida and his older sister Zora who won a race at Newmarket and finished second in the

Riddlesworth Stakes The Riddlesworth Stakes was a flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-olds. It was run on the Abington Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and was scheduled to take place each year in early or mid April on the ...

in 1815. Azor's sire Selim won the Craven Stakes and the Oatlands Stakes at Newmarket and went on to have a successful

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career, siring the classic winners Medora (

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

), Nicolo (

2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

), Turcoman (2000 Guineas), the filly by Selim (1000 Guineas) and

Turquoise Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula . It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone and ornamental stone for thousands of yea ...

(Oaks) as well as the British Champion sire

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. He was trained by Robert Robson, who sent out the winners of thirty-four

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

from his stable at

Newmarket, Suffolk Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred hor ...

. Azor was the first notable winner for James "Jem" Robinson, who went on to win twenty-four classics including a record six Epsom Derbies.

Racing career

1817: three-year-old season

Azor did not race as a two-year-old, and made his first racecourse appearance at the Newmarket Craven meeting. On 12 April he ran in the Billingbear Stakes, a 100

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race for three-year-olds over the Ditch Mile course. He was not among the favourites and finished unplaced behind The Flyer. On 22 May, Azor started as a 50/1 outsider for the

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...

. The Student, trained like Azor by Robert Robson, started the 7/4 favourite in a field of thirteen runners. Azor was thought to be in the race to act as a pacemaker for The Student and Jem Robinson was ordered to take the ride by his employer to prevent him from riding for a rival trainer. When Azor set off in front he was ignored by the other jockeys and allowed to build up a huge lead. Although his margin was reduced in the straight, he hung on to win from Young Wizard, another 50/1 outsider. His victory was considered the most inexplicable upset in the race up to that time. Following his Epsom win Azor was sent to the Newmarket July meeting for a 200 guinea Sweepstakes. He was allowed to

when his two opponents, both owned by the Duke of Grafton, were withdrawn. Azor returned to Newmarket in autumn for two races at the "First October" meeting. On 30 September he ran in a 200 guinea match race over ten

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...

s against the five-year-old Anticipation. He was beaten by the older horse despite carrying twenty-eight pounds less than his rival. Two days later, Azor finished second of the six runners behind Fitz-Orville in the two mile Town Plate.

Stud career

Azor did not race after his defeats at Newmarket in autumn 1817 and late in the following year he was offered for sale as a potential stallion. According to the

General Stud Book The ''General Stud Book'' is a breed registry for horses in Great Britain and Ireland. More specifically it is used to document the breeding of Thoroughbreds and related foundation bloodstock such as the Arabian horse. Today it is published e ...

Azor was exported to Austria ("sent to Vienna").

Pedigree

References

{{Epsom Derby Winners 1814 racehorse births Epsom Derby winners Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 25 Byerley Turk sire line