Vaucluse (1912 – 1928) 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 ...

. In a brief racing career which consisted of five races in three seasons she finished second on her only start as a juvenile, fell on her three-year-old debut and then recorded her first and only victory when taking 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 ...

. She ran poorly when favourite for the Oaks Stakes and finished second on her only subsequent start. After her retirement from racing she had considerable influence as a broodmare.

Background

Vaucluse was a bay mare bred and owned by Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. She was trained throughout her racing career by Frank Hartigan at

Weyhill Weyhill is a village, 2.5 miles (3.8 km) west of Andover, Hampshire. It sits within the civil parish of Penton Grafton, which includes the village of the same name. The village is famous for having a medieval fair and then later a livestock ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...

. Her sire Dark Ronald won the Royal Hunt Cup and

Princess of Wales's Stakes The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlo ...

in 1909 and went on to become a very successful breeding stallion. The best of his other foals was probably

Son-in-Law Son-in-Law (22 April 1911 – 15 May 1941) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, especially for sport horses. The National Horseracing Museum says Son-in-Law is "probably the best and most distinguished stayer this count ...

. Vaucluse's dam Valve was a half-sister to

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and a close relative of Ladas. Valve also produced Verve, who was the female-line ancestor of numerous major winners including

Greek Money Greek Money (foaled 1959 in Virginia) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, the Preakness Stakes. Background Greek Money was a chestnut horse sired by Greek Song whose wins ...

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and

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. Vaucluse's racing career took place during

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. Many racecourses were closed for the duration of the conflict and all five of traditional

British Classic Races The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their own ...

were run at Newmarket.

Racing career

1914: two-year-old season

On her first and only appearance as a two-year-old in 1914, Vaucluse finished second to the

colt Colt(s) or COLT may refer to: *Colt (horse), an intact (uncastrated) male horse under four years of age People * Colt (given name) *Colt (surname) Places *Colt, Arkansas, United States *Colt, Louisiana, an unincorporated community, United States ...

Roseland in the Fitzwilliam Stakes at

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

1915: three-year-old season

On her first run as a three-year-old Vaucluse contested the Tudor Plate at

Sandown Park 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 ...

but slipped up and fell in a race that she looked likely to win. On 30 April Vaucluse started the 5/2 favourite in a fifteen-runner field for the 103rd running of the 1000 Guineas over the

Rowley Mile Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of British horseracin ...

course. Ridden by Fred Rickaby, she took the lead soon after the start and won by three quarters of a

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from Silver Tag, with a length and a half back to Bright in third place. With Rickaby again in the saddle, Vaucluse started 11/10 favourite for the New Oaks over one and a half miles at Newmarket on 17 June but finished unplaced behind the outsider

Snow Marten Snow Marten (1912 – 1928) was a British thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed promise as a two-year-old in 1914 when she won once and finished second three times from six starts. In the following year she finished unplaced in ...

who won "in a canter".

1916: four-year-old season

After an absence of almost ten months, Vaucluse returned to the track for one final race in April 1916, and finished second by a neck to Cerval in the Spring Cup at Newbury Racecourse.

Assessment and honours

In their book, ''A Century of Champions'', based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Vaucluse an "inferior" winner of the 1000 Guineas.

Breeding record

Vaucluse was retired from racing to become a broodmare. She produced at least five foals between 1918 and 1926: *Forerunner, a bay colt, foaled in 1918, sired by

Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer (; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for '' The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He w ...

. Winner. *High Force, bay colt, 1919, by Tracery *Lake Leman, bay filly, 1920, by Tracery. Winner. Grand-dam of Hippius (

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 ...

). *Bongrace, bay filly, 1923, by Spion Kop. Won Doncaster Cup and

Jockey Club Cup A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual w ...

. Female-line ancestor of

Blushing John {{Infobox racehorse , horsename = Blushing John , image = , caption = , sire = Blushing Groom , grandsire = Red God , dam = La Griffe , damsire = Prince John , sex = Stallion , foaled = 1985 , country = United States , colour = ...

, Royal Diamond,

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and

Hurricane Run Hurricane Run (2002–2016) was a world champion Irish-bred thoroughbred racehorse. He was the second French-trained horse, after his sire Montjeu, to win both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He w ...

. *Athenais, filly, 1926, by

Hurry On Hurry On (7 May 1913 – 1936) was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire that revived the Matchem sire line.Leicester, Sir Charles, "Bloodstock Breeding", J.A. Allen & Co, London, 1969 English trainer Fred Darling called Hurry On ...

Vaucluse died in 1928.

Pedigree

*Vaucluse was inbred 3 × 4 to Hampton, meaning that this stallion appears in both the third and fourth generations of her pedigree.

References

{{1000 Guineas Winners 1912 racehorse births 1928 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 1-l 1000 Guineas winners