Whisker

Sire Line

Memnon, by Whisker

The Colonel, by Whisker

Whisker b c 1812 (Waxy - Penelope, by Trumpator). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 1-o.

Bred at Euston Hall by Augustus Fitzroy (1735-1822), 3rd Duke of Grafton, the owner of his sire and the breeder of his dam, Whisker was a full brother to the Derby winner Whalebone (br c 1807 Waxy). He was later purchased by William Henry Vane, Lord Darlington.

Said by "the Druid" to be as near perfection in appearance as a horse could be, Whisker regularly transmitted his good looks to his progeny, and even his great-grandson King Tom (b c 1851 Harkaway) was thought to resemble him. Whisker Mares were said to be of an "uncommon stamp".

He was trained by the well-known Robert Robson who had yards at both Lewes and Newmarket and who had also conditioned six other Derby winners including Waxy and Whalebone. Whisker won thirteen races in all, counting the forfeits paid to him, including the Derby Stakes.

"The Druid" also noted that in that era northern and southern horses were somewhat isolated from each other and when Whisker went north to Catterick he was well patronized by both Yorkshire and Durham breeders. In the stud he got two St Leger winners, Memnon and The Colonel, although his most significant son would be Economist, through whom the sire line extended to King Tom and beyond. One hundred and sixty-seven of his offspring won £55,140.

Whisker died in March of 1832.

Pedigree

Whisker	Waxy	Pot8os	Eclipse
			Sportsmistress
		Maria	King Herod
			Lisette
	Penelope	Trumpator	Conductor
			Brunette
		Prunella	Highflyer
			Promise

Race Record

At 3: Collected a 100 guineas forfeit at Newmarket, Craven, as well as a 50 guineas forfeit from the Duke of Portland's Dinmont (b c 1812 Orville), unplaced in the Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket, First Spring, won by Lord Rous' Tigris (ch c 1812 Quiz), finished 2nd in the 650 guineas Newmarket Stakes at the same meeting, won by Lord Lowther's Busto (br c 1812 Clinker), won the 1450 guineas Derby Stakes at Epsom, beating General Gower's Raphael (b c 1812 Rubens), unplaced in the St Leger Stakes at Newmarket, First October, won by Mr Payne's Quinola (br c 1812 Waxy), won a 200 guineas match at Newmarket, Second October, beating Mr Shakespeare's Donkey (b c 1812 Bobtail), lost a 300 guineas match at the same meeting to Mr Neville's Sir Joshua (ch c 1812 Rubens).

At 4: Won the Post Stakes at Newmarket, Craven, beating Mr Vansittart's Equator (ch c 1812 Zodiac), won a 200 guineas match at Newmarket, First Spring, against Lord Darlington's Paulus (br c 1811 Sir Paul) over the Rowley Mile, won a 300 guineas match at Newmarket, Second Spring, beating Sir Joshua, collected a 70 guineas compromise at Newmarket, Second October, from Paulus, starting for Lord Darlington lost a 200 guineas match at Newmarket, Houghton, to Equator, won 175 guineas at the same meeting, beating Lord Foley's Duenna (br f 1813 Sir David), started once more without success.

At 5: Did not start.

At 6: Won a 200 guineas match at Newmarket, First Spring, against Lord George Cavendish's Little Dick (br c 1814 Dick Andrews), won another 200 guineas match against Lord Jersey's Cannon Ball (b c 1810 Sancho), won a 200 guineas match at Newmarket, Second Spring, against Mr Prince's Manfred (b c 1814 Election), started another four times without success and retired from the turf.

Notable Offspring

Ada (b f 1824), bred by Mr Allison, sent to France, dam of Prix du Jockey Club winner Poetess (b f 1838 Royal Oak), the latter the dam of Prix de Diane winner Hervine (b f 1848 Master Wags) and Prix du Jockey Club and Goodwood Cup winner Monarque (b c 1852 The Emperor). Ada was also the 2nd dam of the Poule d'Essai and Prix du Cadran winner Annetta (ch f 1839 Ibrahim), who in turn was the dam of Prix de Diane and Poule d'Essai winner Bounty (b f 1849 Inheritor), of Prix du Jockey Club winner Celebrity (ch c 1851 Gladiator), and of Prix de Diane winner Dame d'Honneur (ch f 1853 The Baron).

Apollonia (ch f 1826), bred by Mr Petre, 2nd dam of Henckel-Rennen winner Leonidas (b c 1853 Bloomsbury), of Gimcrack Stakes winner Princess Royal (b f 1855 Slane), and of Ascot Stakes winner Buckthorn (b c 1849 Venison).

Caroline (b f 1828), bred by the trustees of Lord Strathmore and owned by Lord Queensberry, sister to Emma, Maid of Lune and Maria, taproot mare of Family 7-b, a family that flourished in eastern and central Europe.

Cast Steel (br f 1828), bred by Sir C Monk, unraced, 2nd dam of the St Leger winner Gamester (br c 1856 The Cossack), of Yorkshire Oaks winner Gondola (b f 1861 Weatherbit), of Champagne Stakes winner Prelude (br f 1856 Touchstone), and of Gimcrack Stakes winner Prudence (br f 1858 Voltigeur).

Sister to Catterick (b f 1821), bred by the Duke of Leeds, 3rd dam of the American stallion Planet (ch c 1855 Revenue) and of the Belmont Stakes winner Algerine (b c 1873 Abd-el-Kader).

Dido (ch f 1830), bred by Mr Burton, dam of the Two Thousand Guineas winner Meteor (ch c 1839 Velocipede), 2nd dam of Royal Hunt Cup winner Jasper (ch c 1864 King Tom), and 3rd dam of Jockey Club Cup winner Carnelion (b c 1872 Lecturer).

Economist (b c 1825), bred by Mr Metcalfe, sire of the good Irish stallion Harkaway (ch c 1834) and of Echidna (b f 1838) the dam of the St Leger winner The Baron (ch c 1842 Birdcatcher).

Fanny (ch f 1827), owned by Mr Ridsdale, later the Hon Orde-Powlett, dam of the Ascot Stakes winner Darkness (ch f 1837 Glencoe).

Maid of Lune (b f 1831), bred by the trustees of Lord Strathmore, taproot mare of Family 7-c, dam of Park Hill Stakes winner Mickleton Maid (ch f 1836 Velocipede), 3rd dam of Ascot Stakes winner Mouravieff (ch c 1856 Pyrrhus the First), of Criterion Stakes winner Klarikoff (b c 1858 De Clare), and of Great Yorkshire Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks winner Klarinska (b f 1862 De Clare).

Malibran (b f 8130), bred by Colonel Peel, dam of St James's Palace Stakes winner Ionian (b c 1841 Ion), and of the July Stakes winner and useful stallion Marsyas (ch c 1851 Orlando), 2nd dam of the Two Thousand Guineas and Ascot Gold Vase winner The Hermit (br c 1851 Bay Middleton).

Margellina (b f 1826), bred by Mr Watt, 3rd dam of of the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner King Alfred (b c 1865 King Tom), 4th dam of the Derby winner Kingcraft (b c 1867 King Tom), of the St James's Palace Stakes winner Great Tom (ch c 1873 King Tom), and of the Two Thousand Guineas winner Enterprise (ch c 1884 Sterling). Margellina was also the ancestress of the American Triple Crown winner and Leading Sire War Admiral (br c 1934 Man o' War).

Maria (b f 1827), bred by the trustees of Lord Strathmore and owned by Lord Queensberry, dam of the St James's Palace Stakes winner Euclid (ch c 1836 Emilius), of the One Thousand Guineas and July Stakes winner Extempore (b f 1840 Emilius), and of the Ebor Handicap winner Mathematician (b c 1844 Emilius), 2nd dam of the Gimcrack Stakes winner Exact (ch f 1850 Birdcatcher), and of the Two Thousand Guineas winner Diophantus (ch c 1858 Orlando). Extempore was herself the dam of Jeu d'Esprit (b f 1852 Flatcatcher), the taproot mare of Family 7-d.

Medea (ch f 1831), bred by the Duke of Leeds, 2nd dam of the Chester Cup winner Beeswing (b f 1863 Newminster), 3rd dam of Magyar Kancadij and Magyar St Leger winner Baber (b f 1870 Ely), and 4th dam of Oesterreichisches Derby, Trial Stakes, and Magyar St Leger winner Buzgo (c 1882 Kisber Ocscse).

Memnon (b c 1822), bred by Richard Watt, he won the St Leger Stakes, the Champagne Stakes, and the Ascot Gold Cup. He was sold to Lord Darlington for £3500 before his win at Ascot, and retired to his stud thereafter.

Nitocris (b f 1829), bred by Mr Watt, 3rd dam of the Ascot Gold Vase and the Ascot Gold Cup (twice) winner Fisherman (br c 1853 Heron), later a good stallion in Australia, and of the Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Strathconan (gr c 1863 Newminster), damsire of Le Sancy (gr c 1884 Atlantic).

Persian (b f 1829), bred by Mr Houldsworth, 2nd dam of Australian (ch c 1858 West Australian), an influential stallion in America who was a tail-male ancestor of Man o' War (ch c 1917 Fair Play), and 3rd dam of Kentucky Derby winner Ben Ali (br c 1883 Virgil).

Swiss (b c 1821), bred by W Peirse and owned by Colonel Craddock, he won the Champagne Stakes in England and was imported into America in 1835 by F B Ogden.

Tesane (b f 1830), bred by S L Fox, dam of the Ascot Stakes winner Teetotaller (br c 1839 Muley Moloch), 2nd dam of the Gimcrack Stakes, Great Yorkshire Stakes and Park Hill Stakes winner Ellerdale (br f 1844 Lanercost), and of Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Tunstall Maid (b f 1855 Touchstone). Ellerdale was herself a fine matron being the dam of the Derby and Champagne Stakes winner Ellington (br c 1835 The Flying Dutchman), the Champagne Stakes winner Gildermire (br f 1855 The Flying Dutchman), and the Oaks winner Summerside (br f 1856 West Australian), the latter an ancestress of the Derby winner April the Fifth (br c 1929 Craig an Eran).

The Colonel (ch c 1825), bred by Mr Wyvill of Constable Burton, he was purchased by the Honorable Edward Petre as a yearling. After his St Leger win he was sold to His Majesty George IV for £4000. He won the Champagne Stakes, the Craven Stakes twice, the Great Park Stakes and placed second in the Derby following a dead-heat and run off with Cadland. In 1831 he broke down in the run off against Mouche for the Oatlands Handicap. He retired to the Hampton Court Stud of His Majesty William IV on whose death he was purchased by Mr Tattersall. He was thought to be a magnificent specimen of the English thoroughbred. Among others he sired the Criterion Stakes winner D'Egville (ch c 1835), the July Stakes winner Chatham (ch c 1839), the dam of the Oaks winner Poison (ch f 1840 Plenipotentiary), the dam of the Chester Cup winner Red Deer (b c 1841 Venison), the dam of the Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Rifleman (b c 1852 Touchstone) and Cap-a-Pie (b c 1837) who did well as a stallion in Australia.

Wagtail (br f 1829), bred by Lord Derby, 3rd dam of Billet (b c 1865 Voltigeur), a Leading Sire in America in 1883.

Whisker Mare (ch f 1820), dam of the Royal Hunt Cup winner Knight of the Whistle (ch c 1838 Velocipede).

Whisker Mare (b f c1820), bred by Mr Rob, 2nd dam of the St Leger winner Blue Bonnet (b f 1839 Touchstone), the latter the 2nd dam of the July Stakes winner Drumour (ch c 1854 Big Jerry or Weatherbit).

Whisker Mare (b f 1822), bred by Lord Darlington, taproot mare of Family 3-c.

Whisker Mare (b f 1822), bred by Mr Watt, dam of the stallion Liverpool (b c 1828 Tramp), who got the Two Thousand Guineas winner Idas (b c 1842) and the stallion Moss Trooper (br c 1839), the latter the sire of Braxey (b f 1849), taproot mare of Family 10-d.

Whisker Mare (ch f 1823), 2nd dam of Gimcrack Stakes winner Mirage (br f 1853 The Flying Dutchman), 3rd dam of Egyesittet Nemzeti es Hazafi dij winner Dante (ch c 1865 Teddington), and of Magyar St Leger winner Landlord (b c 1878 Buccaneer), and 4th dam of Gosudaryni Imperatricy winner Secrete (bl f 1870 Diophantus).

Whisker Mare (b f 1830), dam of Cambridgeshire Stakes winner Nat (b c 1840 Langar or Jereed).

Whisker Mare (br f 1832), dam of the Two Thousand Guineas, King Edward VII Stakes, and Royal Hunt Cup winner Conyngham (b c 1844 Slane), 2nd dam of Royal Hunt Cup winner Brocket (b c 1850 Melbourne) the damsire of See Saw (b c 1865 Buccaneer), and of Yorkshire Oaks winner Miss Armstrong (br f 1860 Rifleman).

Emma (GB) ch f 1824 (Whisker - Gibside Fairy, by Hermes). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 7-a.