St Patrick (1817–1843) was a British

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racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

and

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best known for winning the

classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

St Leger Stakes 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 ...

in 1820. He was unbeaten in four races as a three-year-old, culminating with a success against twenty-six opponents in the St Leger at

Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. History Doncas ...

. In the following year he won Gold Cups at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

and

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before being defeated in the Fitzwilliam Stakes at Doncaster. He was then retired to stud where he had some success as a sire of winners.

Background

St Patrick was a

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horse with a white star and snip, bred by his owner Sir Edward Smith-Dodsworth. He was sired by Walton, a stallion based at

Boroughbridge Boroughbridge () is a town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is north-west of the county town of York. Until a bypass was built the town lay on the mai ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

. Walton won several King's Plates in his racing career and was successful as a sire of winners. Apart from St Patrick, he sired the classic winners

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and Nectar (

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 ...

). St Patrick was the third of fourteen foals produced by his dam, an unnamed mare sired by

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. St Patrick is not to be confused with another British colt named St Patrick, foaled in the same year, whose wins included the

Wokingham Stakes The Wokingham Stakes is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is schedule ...

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...

Racing career

1820: three-year-old season

St Patrick made his first appearance at

Catterick Bridge Racecourse Catterick Racecourse, sometimes known as Catterick Bridge Racecourse, is a thoroughbred horse racing venue one mile north west of Catterick in North Yorkshire, England, near the hamlet of Catterick Bridge. The first racing at Catterick was hel ...

on 6 April. Ridden by Bob Johnson, he won the Old Stakes over two miles, beating Cumberland, Borodino and High Sheriff. After a break of four and a half months, St Patrick reappeared at

York Racecourse York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England. It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...

on 24 August when he contested a sweepstakes over ten furlongs and "won cleverly" from Lady of the Vale and Fitz-Teazle. On 26 September, St Patrick was one of a record field of twenty-seven colts and fillies to contest the forty-fifth running of the St Leger at

. Henry Pierce's grey colt Arbutus started favourite at odds of 9/2 with St Patrick the second choice in the betting at 7/1. Dunsinane set a fast early pace and led into the straight but Johnson produced St Patrick with a strong run to take the lead a furlong from the finish and win "in a canter" from Copeland, Locksley and Lady of the Vale.

1821: four-year-old season

St Patrick made his four-year-old debut in the Gold Cup at York on 29 May. He started the 11/8 favourite and won "very easy" from Bergami, Consul and three others. On 5 September he started the 1/2 favourite for the two mile, seven

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Gold Cup at

Pontefract Racecourse Pontefract Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. Layout The track is left-handed undulating course with a sharp bend into the home straight. Horses drawn low (i.e. on the inside of the ...

and won by two

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from Dunsinane after a "severe run race" to extend his unbeaten run to six. Two weeks later he returned to the scene of his classic victory when he ran in the Fitzwilliam Stakes at Doncaster. He was made the odds-on favourite for the mile and a half race but sustained his first and only defeat as he finished second to Borodino.

Stud career

St Patrick began his stud career at Mr Hood's Grantham Arms in

at a fee of ten

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, before moving to Thornton Watlas, near

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in 1827. In 1830 he stood at Newmarket for an undisclosed fee, but moved back to Yorkshire to stand for a fee of five guineas at

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near

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in 1833. In the following year he moved to

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where he stood at a fee of fifteen guineas until 1839. The best of his progeny included St Francis, winner of 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 ...

, Shillelagh second to

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in the 1837

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

and Birdcatcher, the runner-up in the 1832 St Leger. Through his daughter Currency, he was the damsire of Saint Germain (

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a ...

) and Jouvence (Prix du Jockey Club,

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Goodwood Cup The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3,219 ...

). St Patrick died in early June 1843 at the age of 26.

Pedigree

* St Patrick is

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3S x 4D x 4D to the stallion

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, meaning that he appears third generation once on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation twice on the dam side of his pedigree. * St Patrick is inbred 4S x 4D to the stallion

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, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

{{St Leger Winners 1817 racehorse births 1843 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 4-p Byerley Turk sire line St Leger winners