Faugh-a-Ballagh (IRE) 
 
 


Courtesy of Richard Green

 

Sire Line


Sir Hercules


Whalebone


Waxy


Pot8os

 

 

 Faugh-a-Ballagh [ex-Foig-a-Ballagh] br c 1841 (Sir Hercules - Guiccioli, by Bob Booty). Sire Line Pot8os. Family 11-d.

Bred in Ireland by George Knox of Brownstown House, Kildare, from a mare bred by Mr Blake he was a full brother to the Champion Sire Birdcatcher (ch c 1833). He was purchased by E J Irwin in July of 1842. He ran under the name of Foig-a-Ballagh which is said to mean "Take yourself off! bag and baggage!". Standing a hair under 16 hands he was said to be a well-made horse, full of courage, with great power and a fine temper.

In his three year old season he paid a forfeit for all his engagements prior to the St Leger, including the Derby, due to a bad curb. Winning the St Leger handily "by a length" he went on to annex the Grand Duke Michael Stakes, the Cesarewitch, and finish second for the Cambridgeshire the same year. In the stud he got a number of good winners, including Leamington (br c 1853) who twice won the Chester Cup and was later a leading sire in America, The Hadji and Master Bagot. Following the 1855 season was sent to France. There he got the superb filly Fille de l'Air (ch f 1861) who won the Oaks Stakes and in France the Prix de Diane and Grand St Leger de France.

Pedigree
Faugh-a-Ballagh Sir Hercules Whalebone Waxy
Penelope
Peri Wanderer
Thalestris
Guiccioli Bob Booty Chanticleer
Ierne
Flight Escape
Young Heroine
Race Record

In 1843 he finished 3rd for the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, won by Mr Salvin's The Cure (br c 1841 Physician), with Mr Osbaldeston's One Thousand Guineas winner Sorella (ch f 1841 The Saddler) placing 2nd, beating Colonel Anson's Oaks winner The Princess (ch f 1841 Slane), Lord Westminster's Fanny Eden (br f 1841 Touchstone), Brunel (br c 1841 Velocipede) and 4 others.

In 1844 he won the Great St Leger at Doncaster (£2475), beating The Cure by a length, The Princess, Mr Meiklam's Ebor Handicap winner Godfrey (br c 1841 Inheritor), Mr John Scott's Bay Momus (b c 1841 Bay Middleton), Mr Hampson's Liverpool Cup winner Lightning (br c 1841 Sheet Anchor), the Duke of Richmond's Chester Cup winner Red Deer (b c 1841 Venison) and 2 others. At the same meeting won a 1000 sovs match from Mr Collett's Cesarewitch and Chester Cup winner Corranna (b c 1839 Hymen) by 6 lengths "in a trot". Won the 1000 sovs Grand Duke Michael Stakes at Newmarket First October in a canter, beating Red Deer, Lord Exeter's Merope (b f 1841 Voltaire), Colonel Peel's Zenobia (b f 1841 Slane) and Lord G Bentinck's All-Round-My-Hat (b f 1841 Bay Middleton). Won the £1175 Cesarewitch at Newmarket Second October, beating Mr Dawson's Lightning, Sir J Hawley's Venus (br f 1840 Sir Hercules), Lord G Bentinck's Discord (b c 1837 Mulatto), John O'Gaunt (ch c 1838 Taurus), Semiseria (br f 1840 Voltaire), Ionian (b c 1841 Ion), The Emperor (ch c 1841 Defence) and 18 others. Finished 2nd for the £1105 Cambridgeshire at Newmarket Houghton, won by Lord Stradbroke's Evenus (b c 1840 Alpheus), beating Mr Payne's Walpole (b c 1841 Clearwell), Ma-Mie (b f 1839 Jerry), Newcourt (b c 1840 Sir Hercules), Croton Oil (b c 1841 Physician), The Cure and 12 others. At the same meeting collected a 150 sovs compromise from a 500 sovs match against Mr Salvin's Alice Hawthorn (br f 1838 Muley Moloch) and paid a half forfeit to Lord G Bentinck's Naworth for a 200 sovs match.

In 1845 finished 2nd for the 500 sovs Emperor of Russia's Plate at Ascot Heath, won by Lord Albemarle's The Emperor (ch c 1841 Defence), beating Alice Hawthorn and Lord G Bentinck's Cowl (b c 1842 Bay Middleton), the latter going lame at the last turn.
 
Notable Faugh-a-Ballagh Mares
1. Babette (ch f 1849), dam of Cambridgeshire winner Bathilde (ch f 1858 Stockwell), the latter dam of the stallions Lincolnshire winner Tomahawk (ch c 1871 Thormanby) and Stewards' Cup winner Lowland Chief (ch c 1878 Lowlander). Family 23-a.
2. Fashion (br f 1853), dam of Nagroda Iwna winner Hirondelle (bl f 1864 Seahorse). Family 2-b.
3. Garnish (br f 1855), dam of Chester Cup winner Our Mary Ann (br f 1865 Voltigeur). Family 19-c.
4. Rachel (b f 1856), dam of Manchester Cup winner Dunsany (ch c 1862 Claret). Family 2-s.
5. Conquete (b f 1860), won Furstenberg-Rennen, dam of Nagroda Derby winner Concorde (b f 1878 Vermouth) and Nagroda Liry winner Korona (b f 1885 Kaiser). Family 1-f.
6. Fille de l'Air (ch f 1861), bred by Count Lagrange at Dangu in Normandy, was thought "one of the finest movers ever seen on the turf". She won the Woodcote, Criterion, Molecomb, Queen Alexandra and Oaks Stakes in England and the Prix de Diane and Prix Royal Oak in France, dam of Reine (b f 1869 Monarque), winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks Stakes, the latter the dam of Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Regain (b c 1880 Mortemer). Family 5-g.
 
Other Notable Offspring

Goldfinder (ch c 1848), owned by Mr W Palmer, won the Chester Cup.

Lucio (bl c 1849), won the Ascot Stakes.

Barrel (ch c 1851), owned by J Saxon, won Gimcrack Stakes.

Ethelbert (ch c 1850), sire of Isoline (ch f 1860), 2nd dam of the mighty Isonomy (b c 1875 Sterling).