Bend Or (GB)
 
 

Courtesy Fores Gallery









Eaton Hall





Sire


Doncaster









Kendal, by Bend Or


Blairfinde, by Kendal


Galtee More, by Kendal


Tredennis, by Kendal








Laveno, by Bend Or


Valens, by Laveno







Martagon, by Bend Or


Buckwheat, by Martagon


Martian, by Martagon


Wool Winder, by Martagon







Ornament, by Bend Or







Orvieto, by Bend Or


Picton, by Orvieto


Light Brigade, by Picton







Radium, by Bend Or


Clarissimus, by Radium
Bend Or ch c 1877 (1877 ch c by Doncaster - Clemence by Newminster). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 2-h.

Bred and owned by Hugh Lupus Grosvenor (1825-1899), 1st Duke of Westminster, neither his dam, his grand dam, nor his great grand dam had produced a really good winner, and, as the saying goes, therein hangs a tale. In 1877 Rouge Rose (ch f 1865 Thormanby) had foaled a colt that was called  Bend Or to Doncaster and Clemence (ch f 1865 Newminster) had foaled a colt that was called Tadcaster (ch c 1877) to Doncaster.

Bend Or's two year old campaign passed uneventfully, if successfully, with victories in all five of his engagements. The following spring he came up for the Derby a little short of work due to leg problems, and an injured jockey, Fred Archer, who had been recently been attacked by another horse and rode with a piece of iron supporting his arm. Nevertheless, Archer managed to secure the victory from Robert the Devil (b c 1877 Bertram) by a head. The racing crowd at Epsom was said to have gone wild with an excitement never equalled in the history of the race, although Bend Or himself was apparently so sore he could scarcely walk back to his box.
At this point, based on the allegations of Mr Arnull, a former stud groom at Eaton, Messrs Brewer and Blanton, owners of Robert the Devil, lodged a complaint that Bend Or was really Tadcaster and that the two had been mixed up when taken into training at Russley. Once the dust had settled, the stewards ruled in favour of the Eaton version of Bend Or. Joe Palmer provides a thorough coverage of the altercation (Names in Pedigrees:166), which appears to have remained unresolved in the minds of many people for decades to come. As Mr Palmer points out, both were chesnut colts, one golden with black spots and a white hind heel, the other red with with one black spot, lop ears and no white, evincing sufficient difference to be told apart by the stable staff.
 
According to the General Stud Book, Rouge Rose is the dam of Bend Or and Clemence is the dam of Tadcaster. Edward Kennedy, breeder of The Tetrarch (gr c 1911 Roi Herode), a descendant of Rouge Rose, thought that the famous "Bend Or spots" descended from Pantaloon (ch c 1824 Castrel) who sired Windhound (BBR:1913). However, Mr Gurry from the training stables at Russley said that Tadcaster also had a black spot on his off hindquarter.

Both Bend Or and Sandiway (a daughter of Clemence) were said to have peculiar dark markings and John Porter, trainer of Sandiway, said, "In my opinion, Sandiway did bear a strong resemblance to Bend Or," although Mr Tattersall expressed the opinion that "there was no resemblance as far as I could see."
 
Rouge Rose
Family 1-k		 Thormanby Windhound
Alice Hawthorn
Ellen Horne Redshank
Delhi
Clemence
Family 2-h		 Newminster Touchstone
Beeswing
Eulogy Euclid
Martha Lynn
 
Despite this many felt that Clemence was the more likely of the two mares to have produced a Derby winner. Clemence was a half sister to four good winners: the One Thousand Guineas and St Leger winner Imperieuse (b f 1854 Orlando), the Cambridgeshire winner Eurydice (b f 1855 Orlando), the Park Hill Stakes winner Imperatrice (b f 1859 Orlando) and the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Martyrdom (ch c 1866 St Albans). No one suggested that the Duke had anything to gain by switching the two colts and in 1882 Clemence was mated with Bend Or to produce Lenity (ch f 1883) which would seem to illustrate that the matter was not an issue in the Duke's own mind.

Several years ago mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was extracted from the remains of Bend Or.  Sequencing of a short fragment of the mitochondrial genome did not yield the type expected for Rouge Rose's matrilineal descendants but was consistent with the type expected for Clemence's.  While this finding rules out Rouge Rose as dam of Bend Or, it is not quite as conclusive as it could be that his dam was Clemence because at markers within the tiny fragment of Bend Or mtDNA sequenced her type is identical with another mtDNA type that occurs in the Thoroughbred.
 
 
Bend Or finished his three year old season with a win in the St James's Palace Stakes and three losses to Robert the Devil for the St Leger, the Second Great Foal Stakes and the Champion Stakes. His four year old season was considerably better, with wins in the City and Suburban, the Epsom Gold Cup, beating Robert the Devil, and the Champion Stakes.

He entered the stud alongside his sire Doncaster, however, the latter was sent to the Kisber State Stud in Hungary in 1884 leaving Bend Or as the main stallion at Eaton, a position he unerringly fulfilled. His two great sons were the undefeated triple crown winner Ormonde (b c 1883) and the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes winner Bona Vista (ch c 1889). From the former descend the triple crown winner Flying Fox (b c 1896 Orme) and Teddy (b c 1913 Ajax), of great influence especially in France and America. From the latter descend Polymelus (b c 1902 Cyllene) and Phalaris (br c 1913 Polymelus), of great influence everywhere.

Richard Chapman, who replaced Arnull as stud groom at Eaton, when reminiscing about Bend Or, noted that he had the "courage of a lion" although in demeanour he was as "docile as a lamb". He was sent out to walk during each season, led by his attendant Ben Johnson, and died of heart failure one morning at the age of twenty-six after having gone about a half mile through the park. "He just crouched down at his attendant's feet and died without a struggle" [BBR 1914:5].
 
 
Race Record
 
In 1879 Bend Or won the Chesterfield Stakes at Newmarket, beating Petal (ch f 1877 Hermit) by a length and nine others. Won the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, beating Forager (ch c 1877 Adventurer) three quarters of a length and six others. Won the Prince of Wales's Stakes at York, beating Brotherhood (b c 1877 Rosicrucian) by a half length and seven others. Won the Triennial Produce Stakes at Newmarket, beating Song (br f 1877 The Beadle) by a length and nine others. The next day won the Rous Memorial Stakes at the same place, beating Cannie Chiel (b c 1877 Scottish Chief) by two lengths and seven others.
 
In 1880 he won the Derby Stakes at Epsom, beating Robert the Devil (b c 1877 Bertram) by a head. Won the St James's Palace Stakes at Ascot, beating Fernandez (b c 1877 Sterling) by a head and three others. Finished 6th for the St Leger at Doncaster, won by Robert the Devil. Finished 2nd by a head for the Second Great Foal Stakes at Newmarket, won by Robert the Devil. Finished 2nd by 10 lengths for the Champion Stakes at the same place, won by Robert the Devil, beating the Two Thousand Guineas winner Charibert (ch c 1876 Thormanby) and Reveller (br c 1876 Brown Bread).
 
In 1881 he won the City and Suburban Handicap at Epsom, beating the Ascot Gold Cup winner Foxhall (b c 1878 King Alfonso) by a length and twenty-two others. Won the Epsom Gold Cup by a head from Robert the Devil. Won the Champion Stakes at Newmarket by three quarters of a length from Scobell (b c 1878 Carnival), the Derby and St Leger winner Iroquois (br c 1878 Leamington) and five others. Finished 5th for the Cambridgeshire, won by Foxhall.
 
Notable Offspring
 
Ben Strome (GB)
 
b c 1886 (Bend Or - Strathfleet, by Scottish Chief). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 14. A half brother to the St James's Palace Stakes winner Cambusmore (b c 1881 Doncaster), his dam won the July Stakes and was also the grandam of the great Argentine stallion Pippermint (gr c 1899 St Mirin). A Leading Sire in America in 1903, Ben Strome died in Kentucky in 1909.
Doremi (GB)
 
ch f 1894 (Bend Or - Lady Emily, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 2-n. She managed a third place finish in the Zetland Plate and the Ascot Gold Vase, however she later became the grandam of the influential French stallion Teddy (b c 1913 Ajax). Another descendant of hers is the Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Point Given (ch c 1998 Thunder Gulch).
Fairy Gold (GB)
 
ch f 1896 (Bend Or - Dame Masham, by Galliard). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 9-e. A winner of the Stamford Two Year Old Plate at Chester, the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom, in which she defeated Desmond (br c 1896 St Simon) and the Welter Handicap at Lingfield Park. Sold to America in 1903 for 3600 guineas she joined the Nursery Stud of August Belmont II in New York. Fairy Gold was the dam of (1) the Ebor Handicap and Ascot Gold Vase winner Golden Measure (ch c 1902 Florizel), and after export to America (2) the good horse Fair Play (ch c 1905 Hastings), sire of Man o' War (ch c 1917), and (3) the Belmont Stakes winner Friar Rock (ch c 1913 Rock Sand).
Fuse (GB)
 
ch f 1888 (Bend Or - Fusee, by Marsyas). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 22-b. A half sister to the Derby winner St Blaise (ch c 1880 Hermit), she won several races including the Grand Two Year Old Stakes at Kempton Park and the British Dominion Two Year Old Plate. In the stud she produced the Dewhurst Stakes and St James's Palace Stakes winner Vesuvian (b c 1894 Hampton) and the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Plum-Centre (ch c 1902 Persimmon). More recent descendants include the American stallion Sailor (ch c 1952 Eight Thirty) and the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp winner Handsome Sailor (ch c 1983 Some Hand).
Golden Iris (GB)
 
ch f 1891 (Bend Or - Gardenia, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 3-n. A second place finisher for the Prince of Wales's Plate and the Falstaff Handicap, she is ancestress to the Derby winner Dante (br c 1942 Nearco), the Irish Derby and St Leger winner Sayajirao (b c 1944 Nearco) and the Grand Prix de Paris winner Sans Souci (b c 1904 Le Roi Soleil).
Golden Rod (GB)
 
b f 1892 (Bend Or - Penance, by Hermit). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 5-i. Her dam Penance was a half sister to the Ascot Gold Cup winner Morion (b c 1887 Barcaldine). Golden Rod won several small races including the Brownlow Nursery Handicap and the Greenstede Handicap. She foaled the Prix du Jockey Club winner Ex Voto (b c 1900 Le Sancy).
Gulbeyaz (GB)
 
ch f 1886 (Bend Or - Sultana, by Oxford). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 3-i. A winner of the Dyke Plate, the Exning Plate, the Severals Plate and the Biennial Stakes, she was later the 2nd dam of the July Stakes winner Ambassador (br c 1911 Dark Ronald) and the Cambridgeshire winner Brown Prince (br c 1914 Dark Ronald). She was also the ancestress of the excellent Argentinian stallion British Empire (br c 1937 Colombo) and his dam the Oaks winner Rose of England (br f 1927 Teddy). Others tracing to her include the St Leger winner Chulmleigh (b c 1934 Singapore), the Manchester Cup winner Winalot (br c 1921 Son-in-Law), and the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini winner Fain (br c 1982 Dancing Moss).
Kendal (GB)
 
ch c 1883 (Bend Or - Windermere, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-b. He ran only as a two year old, winning six of eight career starts including the July Stakes and the Rous Memorial Stakes at Newmarket. Owned by John Gubbins at Bruree in County Limerick, Kendal got the Irish Derby winner Blairfinde (b c 1892), the triple crown winner Galtee More (b c 1894) who was sold to the Russian Government for £21,000 and later went Germany, and the notable stallion Tredennis (ch c 1898). Kendal was the Champion Sire in England in in 1897. He was later sent to Argentina and did well there as well, getting the Gran Premio Nacional winner Floreal (ch c 1902). Kendal died on September 11, 1908.
Laveno (GB)
 
b c 1892 (Bend Or - Napoli, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 1-h. Bred by J H Houldsworth, who also owned Springfield (b c 1873 St Albans), Laveno was full brother to the Great Yorkshire Stakes, New Stakes and Rous Memorial Stakes winner Orvieto (b c 1888 Bend Or), and half brother to the Park Hill Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks winner Ponza (b f 1887 Springfield). Mr Houldsworth had acquired his gramdam, Sunshine (b f 1867 Thormanby) from Mr James Merry when the latter disposed of his stud. During his turf career Laveno won two of eleven starts, including the Jockey Club Stakes and Champion Stakes, in the latter beating the Duke of Westminster's Grey Leg (gr c 1891 Pepper and Salt). He also finished 2nd to Kirkconnel (b c 1892 Royal Hampton) for the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, beating Sir Visto (b c 1892 Barcaldine). He was purchased by Major Eustace Loder, the owner of Pretty Polly (ch f 1901 Gallinule) at the finish of his turf career. In the stud he got better fillies than colts, with his only classics winner the Irish Oaks winner Topstone (b f 1901), and his daughters themselves achieved more in the stud than on the race course. Veneration (b f 1900) was the dam of the Champagne Stakes, Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket Stakes and New Stakes winner Craganour (b c 1910 Desmond), later a great stallion in Argentina, the Ascot Gold Vase winner Glorvina (b f 1911 Desmond), and the Princess of Wales's Stakes winner Nassovian (b c 1913 William the Third). Another daughter, Padula, attained significance in America as the dam of Black Servant (br c 1918 Black Toney), and the 5th dam of Raise a Native (ch c 1961 Native Dancer), the latter the sire of one of the most successful twentieth century stallions, Mr Prospector (b c 1970). Laveno stood among the top twenty sires three times. He died in August of 1909.
Martagon (GB)
 
b c 1887 (Bend Or - Tiger Lily, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-g. Bred by Mr Snarry, he won three of his eleven career starts including the Ascot Gold Vase, the Goodwood Cup and the Triennial Produce Stakes at Newmarket. He was said to stand 16 hands and covered at Newmarket for a fee of 48 sovereigns. Got (1) the Duke of York Stakes winner Buckwheat (b c 1906) sire of Waffles (b f 1917) the dam of the three colts, the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby winner Manna (b c 1922 Phalaris), the City and Suburban Handicap winner Parwiz (b c 1925 Phalaris) who achieved great success in the stud in Argentina, and the St Leger winner Sandwich (b c 1928 Sansovino); (2) the Randwick Plate winner Martian (b c 1901) who was a most successful stallion in Australia and six times Champion Sire in New Zealand; and (3) the St Leger winner Wool Winder (b c 1904) who achieved Champion Sire status in the stud in Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Medora (GB)
 
ch f 1890 (Bend Or - Agneta, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-d. A half sister to the St James's Palace Stakes winner St Angelo (b c 1889 Galopin) she herself won the Bradford Plate, the Rous Memorial Stakes and the Stewards' Cup. In the stud she produced the Ascot Gold Cup winner Zinfandel (ch c 1900 Persimmon). Among her descendants are the French horse Fox Cub (ch c 1936 Foxhunter) and the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby winner Crepello (ch c 1954 Donatello).
Orbit (GB)
 
ch c 1885 (Bend Or - Fair Alice, by Cambuscan). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 4-k. A winner of the Champion Nursery Handicap, the Criterion Nursery Handicap, the Doveridge Stakes, the Craven Stakes and the Eclipse Stakes, he also finished third for the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes. Sent to Argentina he established himself as a top class stallion and sired the outstanding Argentinian horse Old Man (ch c 1901), a Leading Sire in 1912, 1917 and 1918. Orbit died early in 1910.
Ornament (GB)
 
b f 1887 (Bend Or - Lily Agnes, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-h. She started only once, as a two year old, and when beaten by a "very moderate" solitary opponent she was promptly put into the stud. A full sister to the great Ormonde (b c 1883) and to the good winner Ossory (ch c 1885), Ornament herself foaled (1) Star Ruby (b c 1892 Hampton), who was exported to America and there achieved great success in the stud, (2) the Champion Stakes winner Labrador (br c 1893 Sheen), (3) the splendid Sceptre (b f 1899 Persimmon) and (4) the Hardwicke Stakes winner Collar (b c 1895 St Simon) who was sent to South Africa in 1898. Among her descendants are Derby winner Relko (b c 1960 Tanerko), Two Thousand Guineas winner Craig an Eran (b c 1918 Sunstar), Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Chateaugay (ch c 1960 Swaps) and Belmont and Preakness Stakes winner Little Current (ch c 1971 Sea Bird). Ornament died in 1910.
Ortegal (GB)
 
br f 1889 (Bend Or - Lizzie Agnes, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-g. A third place finisher for the Priory Stakes she was exported to America and there became the dam of the Dwyer Handicap and Withers Stakes winner Octagon (ch c 1894 Rayon d'Or). Among her descendants are the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Shut Out (ch c 1939 Equipoise), the Breeders Cup Turf winner Manila (b c 1983 Lyphard), the Prix de la Salamandre winner Miswaki (ch c 1978 Mr Prospector), and the good winner Holy Bull (gr c 1991 Great Above).
Orvieto (GB)
 
b c 1888 (Bend Or - Napoli, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 1-h. Bred by J H Houldsworth, Orvieto was a full brother to Mr Houldsworth's Laveno (b c 1892). His dam ran eleven times without a win. One of her lads was often quoted as saying the "fastest pace she ever went was when she ran away with me while at exercise one morning". She was described as a "nice stamp of brood mare, standing on good short legs, and her disposition was all that could be desired". Orvieto, said to be Napoli's best son, was thought a very promising foal. A light bay, he was said to turn his toes out slightly but had fine quarters and well-placed hocks. He finished second to the triple crown winner Common (br c 1888 Isonomy) for the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, and won the Great Yorkshire Stakes, the Sussex Stakes, the Newmarket Derby and the Newmarket St Leger. Sold to Mr Burdett-Coutts he retired to that gentleman's stud at Southfield, Newmarket. There he got the Dewhurst Plate winner Picton (ch c 1903), who ran second to Spearmint (b c 1903 Carbine) for the Derby, and who in turn got Lord Derby's Light Brigade (br c 1910), a good winner who made a success as a stallion in America. Orvieto died in June of 1910.
Radium (GB)
 
b c 1903 (Bend Or - Taia, by Donovan). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 3-c. Radium was bred by Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917), who also had success in the Derby with St Amant (b c 1900 St Frusquin), in the Two Thousand Guineas with St Frusquin (br c 1893 St Simon) and St Amant, and in the St Leger with Doricles (br c 1898 Florizel). Radium won the Jockey Club Cup (twice), the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup. In the stud he got the Two Thousand Guineas winner Clarissimus (ch c 1913), the Ascot Gold Cup winner Periosteum (b c 1917). His son, Night Raid (b c 1918), sired the famous New Zealand horse Phar Lap (ch g 1926).
Rydal (GB)
 
ch f 1886 (Bend Or - Windermere, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-b. A winner of the Findon Stakes and the Home-Bred Produce Stakes, her main contribution to the stud book occurred in the breeding shed. She became the dam of the Coronation Stakes winner Lowood (br f 1895 St Serf), the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Rydal Head (br c 1901 St Frusquin), and the 2nd dam of the St Leger Stakes winner Troutbeck (bbr c 1903 Ladas). Among her descendants are the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Molvedo (b c 1958 Ribot), the Cesarewitch winner Hunters Moon (b c 1936 Foxhunter), the good winner Bellypha (gr c 1976 Lyphard), the Prix du Jockey Club winner Pearlweed (b c 1932 Hotweed), and the sensational filly Pearl Cap (b f 1928 Le Capucin) who won numerous top races in France including the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and foaled the Derby winner Pearl Diver (b c 1944 Vatellor).
Sylvabelle (GB)
 
ch f 1887 (Bend Or - Saint Editha, by Kingley Vale). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16. A half sister to the Derby and Ascot Gold Cup winner St Gatien (b c 1881 The Rover), she was sent to America. Her daughter foaled the good stallion Broomstick (b c 1901 Ben Brush).
Tinsel (GB)
 
ch f 1889 (Bend Or - Frivolous, by Friponnier). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-c. A winner of the Eglinton Stakes, the Zetland Stakes and the Harewood Stakes, she did little in the stud herself. Her grand daughter foaled the Cambridgeshire winner Pullover (br f 1929 Twelve Pointer). She is however the ancestress of the great German mare Schwarzgold (b f 1937 Alchimist) who won the Deutsches Derby and founded a superlative family of runners which includes the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sagace (b c 1980 Luthier), the Derby winner Slip Anchor (b c 1982 Shirley Heights), and the Breeders Cup Mile winner Steinlen (b c 1983 Habitat) to name only three.
Tressure (GB)
 
ch f 1890 (Bend Or - Bonny Jean, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-c.  A second place finisher for the Oaks Stakes and the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and a third place finisher for the One Thousand Guineas Stakes, she is ancestress to such horses as the excellent New Zealand horse Zabeel (b c 1986 Sir Tristram), the very good French stallion Herbager (b c 1956 Vandale) and the winner of the Breeders Cup Mile (twice), Da Hoss (b g 1992 Gone West).
   
   
Bona Vista (GB) ch c 1889 (Bend Or - Vista, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 4-f.
   
Ormonde (GB) b c 1883 (Bend Or - Lily Agnes, by Macaroni). Sire Line Bend Or. Family 16-h.