Partner [Crofts] ch c 1718 (Jigg - Sister 1 to Mixbury, by Curwen's Bay Barb). Sire Line Byerley Turk. Family 9-a.

Bred by Charles Pelham of Brocklesby, in Lincolnshire, he was described as a horse of great power, fine shape and beauty, and the best racer of his time. He was purchased by Mr Cotton of Sussex, who also owned Old Crab (gr c 1722), a grandson of Partner's dam. He was then purchased by Lord Halifax who managed his racing career. Partner ran successfully for four years at Newmarket.

Retired to stud, he was said to be a common stallion and to have covered most of the best mares in the north for four years, then covering few but Mr Crofts mares.

His best known son was Tartar (ch c 1743), sire of King Herod (b c 1758). Traveller (b c 1735) and Sedbury (ch c 1734) were both good stallions, and in America Morton's Traveller* (b c 1746) exerted an enormous influence. Golden Ball (ch c 1735), Bolton Little John (ch c 1731), Merry Andrew (b c 1735) and Grisewood's Partner (gr c 1730) were all useful sires.

His daughters seem ubiquitous and were of immense influence. Ringbone (ch f 1732) is the taproot of Family 2-a, Partner Mare (f 1730c) the taproot of Family 4-o, and Meynell the taproot of Family 12-c.

Sister 2 to Miss Partner (f 1735) was the dam of Matchem (b c 1748). Spinster (ch f 1735) was the dam of Shepherd's Crab (ch c 1747) and Golden Grove, she the taproot mare of Family 4-l. Partner Mare (b f 1735) was the dam of Spectator (b c 1749) and Julia (b f 1756), the latter the dam of Promise (br f 1768), taproot of Family 1-d. Sister 1 to Miss Partner (f 1732) numbered Dormouse (br c 1738) and Cadormus (b c 1753) among her foals. Partner Mare (f) contributed to Family 38. Bay Brocklesby (b f 1731) was the dam of Crofts's Forester (ch c 1736). Brown Crofts (f 1731) produced Gower's Sweepstakes (b c 1749). Vane's Little Partner (b f 1731) was the dam of Bandy (b c 1747).

Caelia (gr f 1742) was grandam of the grand little Gimcrack (gr c 1760), whose sire was Cripple. Sister to Miss Barforth (ch f 1731) was the grandam of Old Lass of the Mill (b f 1745), taproot of Family 2-m. Partner Mare (f 1740) was the grandam of Amaranthus (b c 1766) and the priceless Cub Mare* (f 1762 Cub), taproot of Family 4-r. Sister to Spinster (f 1744) was the grandam of Otho (b c 1760). Miss Layton (gr f 1731), also called Lodge's Roan, and her sister were among the foundation mares of Family 43. Miss Partner (f 1730) is ancestress to Sweetwilliam (ch c 1768) and the St Leger winner Staveley (b c 1802).

Partner led the Sires' List four times and died at Barforth near the end of 1747.

Pedigree

Partner Jigg Byerley Turk     Charming Jenny Spanker Old Morocco Mare Sister to Mixbury Curwen's Bay Barb     Spot Mare Curwen's Spot Lowther Barb Mare

Race Record

In April of 1723 he defeated Sir R Fagg's Baxter (b c Snake) in a 200 guineas match over 4 miles. In May he beat Lord Drogheda's Tipler (b c Alcock's Arabian) over 4 miles to win a match worth 200 guineas. Later that year he collected a 100 guineas forfeit from Baxter.

In May of 1724 he won a 200 guineas match over 4 miles against the Duke of Bolton's Sloven (br c 1718 Bay Bolton), who was reported to have gone off course.

Partner did not run in 1725.

In April of 1726 he won a 500 guineas match over 4 miles beating Sloven again. In May he collected a 250 guineas forfeit from Lord Halifax's Bumper (ch c Jigg).

Partner did not race in in 1727.

In 1728 he lost a match for 200 guineas over 4 miles to Lord Essex's Smiling Ball. This was his only defeat, after which he was purchased by Mr Croft.

Spectre (GB)

ro c 1733 (Partner - Mare, by Acaster Turk. Sire Line Byerley Turk. Owned by Lord Portmore, he was later purchased by the Duke of Hamilton. In October of 1738 he won 300 guineas at Newmarket, beating the Duke of Bridgewater's Roger over four miles. In 1739 he won 40 guineas at Epsom as well as the Royal Plate at Nottingham, in the latter beating Mr Turner's Spotless (b c 1733 Bolton's Whitefoot), Lord Portmore's Oedipus (c 1733 Bartlet's Childers), Lord Weymouth's Mopping Jenny (b f 1733 Almanzor Colt) and Lord Derby's Whitefoot (c 1733 Bloody Buttocks) whilst distancing four others in the first heat and Oedipus falling in the second. He then lost a race at York to Mr Proctor's King's Plate winner Smallhopes (Bartlet's Childers) and was sold. He doesn't appear to have left any offspring.

Traveller [Morton's] (GB)

b c 1746 (Partner - Bay Bloody Buttocks, by Bloody Buttocks). Sire Line Byerley Turk. Family 4-b. Bred in Yorkshire by John Crofts at Barforth, he was a full-brother to the famous Widdrington Mare, Spinster (ch f 1735). He was purchased from the Crofts stud in 1748 by Joseph Morton who was visiting England that year and sent to Virginia in the autumn, probably along with Mary Grey*. Although no record exists Harrison speculates that he ran in Virginia during the years 1749 and 1750 [E2:40]. He was advertised for a stallion from 1751 to 1759 by Mr Morton, covering at Leedstown in King George County (now Westmoreland County) and at Richmond Court House. In 1760 he moved to John Tayloe's Mount Airy stud in Richmond County where he died in 1762. One of the earliest distinguished stallions in Virginia, he was a mate to the famous Selima (b f 1745 Godolphin Arabian), and with her produced Brent's Ariel (bl c c1754), Tayloe's Bellair 1st (c 1761) and Lightfoot's Partner (c 1755). Among his other notable offspring were McCarty's Silverlegs (b c 1761c) from Jenny Cameron* (b f 1742 Quiet Cuddy), Old Tristram Shandy (ch c c1762) and Tayloe's Yorick (ch c 1760).