Untold (23 March 1983 – 2005) 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 and

broodmare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four ...

. As a two-year-old she showed very promising form, winning two of her three races including the

Fillies' Mile The Fillies' Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is schedu ...

. In the following year she was campaigned exclusively at

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

level and emerged as a top-class middle-distance performer and stayer. She finished second in The Oaks and third in the

Irish Oaks The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it is s ...

before recording her biggest success in the

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 fu ...

. She finished third when matched against male opposition and made favourite for 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 ...

before ending her career by finishing sixth in the

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

. She had little success as a dam of winners.

Background

Untold was a "robust, well-made, quite attractive" chestnut mare with a large white

star A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...

and four white

socks A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. In the late ...

bred by her owner Robert Cowell at his Chevington Stud in

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 ...

. She was one of the most successful horses sired by Final Straw whose wins included the Champagne Stakes,

July Stakes The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it ...

and

Greenham Stakes The Greenham Stakes 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 7 furlongs () at Newbury in ...

. Untold's dam Unsuspected was a successful racemare who won eight races between 1974 and 1976. As a broodmare she produced several other winners including Shoot Clear (

Waterford Candelabra Stakes The Prestige Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place ...

Sally Brown Sally Brown is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Peanuts'' by Charles Schulz. She is the younger sister of main character Charlie Brown. She was first mentioned in May 1959 and throughout a long series of strips before her first appeara ...

(

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 fu ...

) and Mohican Girl ( Gala Stakes). She lived until the exceptionally advanced age (for a Thoroughbred) of 36, dying in June 2008. The filly was sent into training with

Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute (born 22 October 1945) is a Barbadian British Thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Career Stoute, whose father was the Chief of Police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assis ...

at the Beech Hurst stable in Newmarket.

Racing career

1985: two-year-old season

After finishing unplaced on her racecourse debut Untold won a seven

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 ...

maiden race In horse racing a maiden race is an event for horses that have not won a race. Horses that have not won a race are referred to as maidens. Maiden horse races are held over a variety of distances and under conditions with eligibility based on the se ...

Yarmouth Racecourse Great Yarmouth racecourse is a horse racing course located a mile north of Great Yarmouth, owned by Arena Racing Company. The track takes the form of a narrow oblong of a mile and five furlongs round, with two long straights about five furlongs in ...

in August. Later that month she was assigned top weight of 133 pounds in a nursery handicap over one mile at

Sandown Park Racecourse Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse racing ...

. She struggled to obtain a clear run in the straight but finished strongly to win by a head from the colt Hills Bid. Untold was then moved up in class and started 6/4 favourite for the

Ascot Racecourse 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 ...

in September in which she was ridden by

Walter Swinburn Walter Robert John Swinburn (7 August 1961 – 12 December 2016) was a flat racing jockey and trainer who competed in Great Britain and internationally. Biography Swinburn was born in Oxford. He was the son of Wally Swinburn, who won the ...

. Her main rivals appeared to be Tender Loving Care and Moonlight Lady (second and third in the

May Hill Stakes The May Hill Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each ...

) and the

runner-up Meteoric. After taking the lead early in the straight she got the better of a sustained struggle with Moonlight Lady to win by half a length, with the pair finishing three lengths clear of Sue Grundy in third place.

1986: three-year-old season

Untold sustained a minor training setback in the spring of 1986 and did not appear on the track until 7 June when she was one of fifteen fillies to contest the 208th running of the

Oaks Stakes 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 ...

Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse on the hills associated with Epsom in Surrey, England which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. The "Downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course, which has a crowd capacity of 13 ...

. She started a 20/1 outsider in a fifteen-runner field headed by the

1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

winner

Midway Lady Midway Lady (foaled 1983) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won two British Classic Races in 1986. In a racing career lasting from August 1985 until June 1986, the filly ran six times and won her last ...

. Swinburn opted to ride the Stoute stable's more fancied runner Maysoon (winner of the

Fred Darling Stakes The Fred Darling Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs () at Newbury in April. History The eve ...

and runner-up in the 1000 Guineas) leaving Paul Eddery to take the ride on Untold whilst Brian Rouse rode the stable's other runner

Colorspin Colorspin (16 March 1983 – 14 August 2012) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed great promise as a two-year-old in 1985 when she won both of her races in convincing fashion. In the following y ...

. Untold took the lead early in the straight and maintained her advantage until the final furlong when she was overtaken and beaten a length into second place by Midway Lady, with Maysoon and Colorspin in third and fourth. Following the race the filly was bought privately by

Sheikh Mohammed Sheikh Muhammad (1560–1650) was a Muslim saint-poet who is venerated by Hindus. Sheikh Muhammad or alternatively Sheikh Muhammed, Sheikh Mohammad, Sheikh Mohammed may also refer to (in chronological birth order): * Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wah ...

. Untold was then sent to Ireland for the

at the

Curragh The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...

on 12 July and started 8/11 favourite against seven opponents. Swinburn chose to ride her in preference to Colorspin, but again made the wrong decision, as Untold appeared unsuited by the soft ground and finished a distant third behind her stablemate and the Irish filly Fleur Royale. On 19 August Untold was one of eleven fillies to contest the Yorkshire Oaks on good to firm ground 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 ...

. Once again, Swinburn had to make a choice between the Stoute stable's runners and decided to partner Colorspin, whilst

Greville Starkey Greville Michael Wilson Starkey (21 December 1939 – 14 April 2010) was an English jockey who rode almost 2,000 winners during a 33-year career on the flat. Starkey scaled the heights of his profession during his 33-year career in which ...

took the ride on Untold. Colorspin started favourite ahead of Gull Nook (

Ribblesdale Stakes The Ribblesdale Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and it is ...

and Park Express (

Lancashire Oaks The Lancashire Oaks is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 175 yards (2, ...

Nassau Stakes The Nassau Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong a ...

) with Untold next in the betting on 5/1. The other contenders included Fleur Royale, Queen Helen (later to win the

St Simon Stakes The St. Simon Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and ...

), Gesedeh Pretty Polly Stakes), Ivor's Image (

Oaks d'Italia Oaks may refer to: Plants * Oak trees or shrubs in the genus ''Quercus'' in the plant family Fagaceae * Other trees not in genus ''Quercus'', see Oak (disambiguation) People * Age Oks (known professionally as Agnes Oaks), Estonian ballerina * ...

) and Rejuvenate (

Musidora Stakes The Musidora Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards () at ...

). After chasing the leaders, Untold wore down the leader Park Express in the last quarter mile to win by three quarters of a length with Ivor's Image taking third ahead of Colorspin. The

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 ...

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 ...

on 13 September saw Untold, ridden by Swinburn, take on seven colts in the final

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 ...

of the British season. She was made the 5/2 favourite ahead of the

Gordon Stakes The Gordon Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 218 yards (2,412 metres), and it i ...

winner Allez Milord and

King George V Stakes The King George V Stakes is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), a ...

winner Moon Madness. She briefly struggled to obtain a clear run in the straight and despite making some progress in the closing stages she never looked likely to win, finishing third behind Moon Madness and

Celestial Storm Celestial Storm (18 April 1983–after 1 February 2000) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Although he never won above Group Two level, he was rated among the ten best racehorses in Europe in both 1986 and ...

. In October she was brought back in distance for the

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

over ten furlongs at Newmarket but failed to show her best form on rain-softened ground and finished sixth of the eleven runners behind

Triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...

Assessment

In 1985 the independent Timeform organisation gave Untold a rating of 112 p (the "p" indicating that she was expected to make more than usual improvement) twelve pounds behind their best juvenile filly Femme Elite. In the official International Classification she was rated ten pounds inferior to the top-rated two-year-old filly Baiser Vole. In their annual ''Racehorses of 1985'', Timeform stated that she "would certainly be on our short list for the Oaks". In the International Classification for 1986 she was rated the third best filly in Europe over 11 furlongs+ behind

Darara Darara (11 May 1983 – June 2012) was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Her racing career was restricted to six races between June and November 1983 and included three wins including the Prix Vermeille an ...

and Midway Lady. Timeform rated her on 124, five pounds behind their best three-year-old fillies

and

Sonic Lady Sonic Lady (15 February 1983 – February 1996) was an American-bred, British-trained racehorse and broodmare. A temperamental filly who was often difficult to ride, she was a specialist miler who won seven Group races. After winning her only ...

. In Racehorses of 1986 they described her as "thoroughly genuine".

Breeding record

Untold was retired from racing to become a broodmare for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud. None of her foals won major races and many never made it to the racecourse. Untold died in 2005. Her known foals include: *Unfold, a chestnut filly, foaled in 1988, sired by

Kris The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...

. Unraced. *Crystal City, chestnut filly, 1990, by Kris. Won one race in four starts as a three-year-old. *Sunningwell, bay filly, 1991, by

Sadler's Wells Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue in Clerkenwell, London, England located on Rosebery Avenue next to New River Head. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500-sea ...

. Unraced. *Muffle, bay filly, 1992, by Sadler's Wells. Unplaced in one start as a three-year-old. *Understood, bay colt, 1993, by

Green Desert ''Green Desert'' is the twenty-seventh major release and the fifteenth studio album by Electronic music, electronic artists Tangerine Dream. The music was recorded in Berlin in 1973, during a period when Peter Baumann had temporarily left Germany ...

. Unraced. *Marazi, chestnut gelding, 1994, by Arazi. Won eight races out of 33 starts. *Towaahi, chestnut filly, 1995, by

Caerleon Caerleon (; cy, Caerllion) is a town and community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies northeast of Newport city centre, and southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman ...

. Unraced. *Daiwa Spunky, chestnut colt, 1997, by Arazi. Placed once in 20 starts in Japan. *Morissett, bay filly, 1998, by Danehill. Failed to win in eight races. *Welltold, bay filly, 1999, by Danehill. Failed to win in four races. *Castlegrogan, chestnut colt 2000, by

Spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of colors i ...

. Failed to win in two races. *Unassuming, bay filly, 2003, by Orpen. Won one race. *Krismick, bay filly, 2004, by Orpen. Failed to win in three races. *Unnamed, bay colt, 2005, by Orpen. Unraced, most likely died young.

Pedigree

References

{{reflist 1983 racehorse births 2005 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 5-h