Velocipede

Sire Line

Amato, by Velocipede

Queen Of Trumps, by Velocipede

Millipede, by Velocipede

Velocipede ch c 1825 (Blacklock - Mare, by Juniper). Sire Line King Fergus. Family 3-i.

Velocipede was bred by Mr Moss of York and first refused by Thomas Houldsworth (breeder of the One Thousand Guineas winner Destiny (ch f 1833 Sultan)) who was reputed to have said he would not pay sixpence for such a light-boned colt. When a yearling he was purchased for £120 by the jockey William Scott (up) on behalf of Mr W Armitage. He was a brother to Sir W Milner's King's Plate winner Malek (ch c 1824 Blacklock).

He was described by "the Druid" as a king among horses although blessed with a rough, "vulgar, Roman head," sporting a blaze with a pink nose which he transmitted to his offspring. He exceeded the height of his dam by about four inches, standing just over sixteen hands himself.

Racing from 1827 to 1829 he numbered among his victories the York St Leger and the York Gold Cup. In the Spring St Leger Stakes at York, run over one mile and three quarters, he was said to have "leaped out of the course" on starting before being straightened, after which he overtook the field, was never headed, and won in a canter by one hundred yards. Although he didn't start for the Derby he finished third in the Doncaster St Leger won by The Colonel (ch c 1825 Whisker), with Economist (b c 1825 Whisker) well back in the field. His four year old campaign was brilliant if short. He remained undefeated until his ongoing tendon problem forced this "magnificent cripple" to retire from the turf.

He covered first in Yorkshire at Ainderby and later, as the property of Mr Hobson, at the Shadwell Lane paddocks near Leeds. Several years afterward he made his way to the Hobson farm at Coney Hall, Cumberland. Velocipede has the distinction of getting a Derby winner, Amato, an Oaks and St Leger winner, Queen Of Trumps, and a Two Thousand Guineas winner, Meteor.

He apparently contracted some form of edema, "dropsy," along with respiratory difficulty which, it was said, made his breathing audible all over the yard. Unable to lie down, he "propped himself against the wall, refusing all kinds of food for three weeks before his death". The grand Velocipede was shot in 1859, "not a day too soon," says 'the Druid', "on a hill overlooking the Irish Channel."

Pedigree

Velocipede	Blacklock	Whitelock	Hambletonian
			Rosalind
		Coriander Mare	Coriander
			Wildgoose
	Juniper Mare	Juniper	Whiskey
			Jenny Spinner
		Sorcerer Mare	Sorcerer
			Virgin

Race Record

At 2: Won a 20 sovereigns each sweep at Catterick, beating Mr Darnell's Gameboy (ch c 1825 Octavian), Mr Riddell's Rector (b c 1825 Dr Syntax) and three others, won £360 at York Spring, beating Mr Watts' Jenny Mills (ch f 1825 Whisker), Mr Churchill's Jour de Noces (b c 1825 Blacklock), Earl Fitzwilliam's Ballad Singer (br f 1825 Tramp) and five others, 2nd in 500 sovereigns sweepstakes at Doncaster, won by Colonel King's Bessy Bedlam (br f 1825 Filho da Puta), beating Mr J Lee's Locket (b f 1825 Blacklock), Jenny Mills and two others, won £380 at Northallerton, beating Gameboy, Lord Cleveland's chestnut colt (Comus), Mr Horner's Redlock (ch f 1825 Blacklock) and three others.

At 3: Won the St Leger Stakes at York, beating Mr Broadhead's grey colt (Viscount), Lord Scarborough's Cambridge (b c 1825 Catton), Mr Watts' Coulon (b c 1825 Whisker) and one other, 3rd in the St Leger Stakes at Doncaster, won by Mr Petre's The Colonel (ch c 1825 Whisker), followed by Major Yarburgh's Belinda (br f 1825 Blacklock).

At 4: Won the Gold Cup at York Spring, beating Major Yarburgh's Laurel (br c 1824 Blacklock), Lord Cleveland's Nonplus (b c 1824 Catton) and Lord Kelburne's Actaeon (ch c 1822 Scud) over two miles, won a match for 200 sovereigns at the same meeting, beating Bessy Bedlam by several lengths, won the £935 Cup at Liverpool, beating Sir T M Stanley's Dr Faustus (br c 1822 Filho da Puta), Laurel, Mr J Mytton's Chester Cup winner Halston (b c 1825 Banker), Lord Grosvenor's Pelion (b c 1825 Blacklock), Lord Sligo's Economist (b c 1825 Whisker) and three others, came out for the Stand Cup the following day, found to be lame and retired.

Notable Offspring

Ainderby* (ch c 1832), bred by Captain Taylor and imported into Tennessee by Lucius J Polk of Mount Pleasant in December of 1838. "As a 3-year old Ainderby, carrying 118 lbs, ran in the then unprecedented time (for 3-year olds) of 1:43. Polk paid a 'high figure' for him." From 1843 to 1854 Ainderby sired 25 winners of 37 races.

Sister to Ainderby (ch f 1831), 2nd dam of Henckel-Rennen and Union-Rennen winner Emilius (b c 1857 Ephesus), of Preis der Diana winner Emiliana (ch f 1862 Ephesus), 3rd dam of Preis der Diana winner Libelle (br f 1869 Ostreger), of Zukunfts-Rennen and Egyesittet Nemzeti es Hazafi dij winner Sabinus (ch c 1875 Salamander), of Zukunfts-Rennen winner Espagnola (b f 1870 Palestro), and 4th dam of Kentucky Derby winner Buchanan (ch c 1881 Buckden).

Amato (br c 1835), was bred by Sir Gilbert Heathcote (1773-1851), 4th bt, resident at the Durdans, near Epsom, where he was a senior steward, prior to its purchase by the Earl Of Rosebery. Amato won his only start, the Derby Stakes, and died at the end of January in 1843 without having served any mares.

Amorino (b c 1840), bred by Sir Gilbert Heathcote, and brother to Amato, above, won the Ascot Derby, but shortly before Epsom pricked his foot with a nail and was prevented from starting for the Derby. He was described as a lengthy muscular horse standing 15.3 with a fine action, quiet temper and very sound legs. In 1847 he covered at Moulton Paddocks, near Newmarket, for a fee of 5gs. Via Queen Bee (br 1849) he appears in the pedigrees of a number of Australian winners, including Melbourne Cup winner Dark Felt (br c 1937 Spearfelt).

Blue Devils (ch f 1837), 2nd dam of Goodwood Cup winner Saunterer (bl c 1854 Birdcatcher), 3rd dam of Ascot Gold Cup and New Stakes winner Rupee (br f 1857 The Nabob), and of Prix du Jockey Club and Prix Lupin winner Suzerain (br c 1865 The Nabob).

Diggory Diddle (ch f 1841), 2nd dam of Prix de Diane winner Tyrolienne (b f 1872 Tournament), of Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Sire (b c 1870 Young Monarque), 3rd dam of Prix Morny winner Strelitz (br c 1878 Boiard), and of Prix Greffulhe winner Serge (b c 1881 Boiard).

Elopement (ch f 1839), 3rd dam of Middle Park Stakes winner and useful stallion Plebeian (b c 1872 Joskin), and ancestress of Ascot Gold Cup and Jockey Club Stakes winner Love Wisely (ch c 1893 Wisdom).

Flash Of Lightning (ch f 1843), dam of Royal Hunt Cup winner Jasper (ch c 1864 King Tom), and 2nd dam of Jockey Club Cup winner Carnelion (b c 1872 Lecturer).

Flight (br f 1831), 2nd dam of One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Governess (ch f 1855 Chatham), of Oaks winner Rhedycina (b f 1847 Wintonian), and ancestress of Belmont Stakes winner Blue Larkspur (b c 1926 Black Servant) and Hopeful Stakes winner Relic (bl c 1945 War Relic).

Florence (ch f 1839), dam of Champagne Stakes winner The Italian (b c 1847 Touchstone).

Her Majesty (ch f 1832), dam of Champagne Stakes and Nassau Stakes winner Princess Alice (b f 1843 Bay Middleton).

Hornsea (ch c 1832), won the Goodwood Cup and will be ever remembered as sire of the 3rd dam of St. Simon (br c 1881 Galopin).

Sister to Hornsea (b f 1837), 2nd dam of Chester Cup, Ebor Handicap, Goodwood Cup and Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Nancy (b f 1848 Pompey), and ancestress of the Irish Derby and Irish Two Thousand Guineas winner Baytown (gr c 1925 Achtoi).

Joe Lovell (b c 1841), won the Great Yorkshire Stakes.

Knight of the Whistle (ch c 1838), won the Royal Hunt Cup.

Lady Sarah (ch f 1841), head of Family 13-b, 2nd dam of Champagne Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Ely (b c 1861 Kingston), of Grand Prix de Deauville winner Bivouac (ch c 1868 Vermouth), of Magyar Kancadij winner Georgine (ch f 1866 St Albans), and 3rd dam of Prix du Jockey Club winner Florentin (ch c 1863 Florin), and of Irish Derby winner St Kevin (ch c 1882 Arbitrator).

Ladye of Silverkeld Well (ch f 1839), a daughter of the inestimable Emma (ch f 1824 Whisker), was the 2nd dam of the Royal Hunt Cup winner Forbidden Fruit (br c 1853 Birdcatcher or Gameboy).

Madame Pelerine (b f 1832), dam of the One Thousand Guineas, Doncaster Cup, Goodwood Cup (twice), Nassau Stakes and Park Hill Stakes winner Canezou (br f 1845 Melbourne), 2nd dam of the St James's Palace Stakes winner Paletot (br c 1852 Touchstone), of the Two Thousand Guineas and Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Fazzoletto (b c 1853 Orlando), and 3rd dam of the Ascot Gold Cup, Prix du Jockey Club, Grand Prix de Paris, Prix du Cadran and Prix Royal Oak winner Boiard (b c 1870 Vermouth).

Meteor (ch c 1839), won the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.

Millipede (ch c 1838), sometimes spelled Milipede, won the Chester Cup for H Wormald in 1843.

Mickleton Maid (ch f 1836), won the Park Hill Stakes, 2nd 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).

Omnibus (b f 1831), dam of Union-Rennen winner John Bull (ch c 1841 Actaeon).

Queen Of Trumps br f 1832 (Velocipede - Princess Royal, by Castrel). Sire Line King Fergus. Family 2-m. Bred by the Hon Edward Lloyd Mostyn M P, she was considered by many to be the best three year old of her generation and to her day the only horse to win both the Oaks and St Leger Stakes. Her low sweeping action was said to resemble that of her sire. Her speed was somewhat tempered by her delicate constitution. She was often required her to carry more weight than was desired which compromised her ability to train on. She ran at two (one start) and three, recording a string of victories that included the Champagne Stakes at Holywell Hunt, the £2654 Oaks Stakes, the £800 Dinner Stakes at Liverpool, the £1800 Great St Leger Stakes at Doncaster and the Stand Cup at Chester. In the stud she was the 4th dam of the Ascot Stakes, Chester Cup and Ascot Gold Vase winner Organist (b c 1871 Cathedral) and ancestress of the good Canadian stallion Chop Chop (b c 1940 Flares), sire of Queen's Plate winner Victoria Park (b c 1957), and the speedy National Stakes winner Wyndham (ch c 1933 Blenheim).

Rocbana (ch f 1831), dam of the stallion Paragone (b c 1843 Touchstone) who got the remarkable matron Paradigm (br f 1852), dam of the triple crown winner Lord Lyon (b c 1863 Stockwell), and ancestress of most of Family 1-j. Paragone was later highly successful in Germany, getting the Henckel-Rennen and Preis der Diana winner Doloritha (b f 1858), the Preis der Diana winner Margarethe (b f 1857), the Henckel-Rennen and Union-Rennen winner Pauline (b f 1861), and the Preis der Diana winner Sinope (b f 1854).

Valentinia (ch f 1845), dam of the Park Hill Stakes and Stewards' Cup winner Clotilde (b f 1852 Touchstone), and 2nd dam of the Nagroda Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej winner Prim (b 1882 Highlander).

Vanish (br f 1843), dam of the Park Hill Stakes winner Hepatica (br f 1855 Voltigeur), and 2nd dam of the Manchester Cup winner Cambuslang (b c 1870 Cambuscan).

Velocipede Mare (ch f 1833), dam of the New Stakes winner Garrick (b c 1846 Lanercost).

Verbena (ch f 1832), dam of the St James's Palace Stakes winner Uriel (br c 1846 Touchstone), the Great Yorkshire Stakes winner Umbriel (br c 1850 Touchstone or Melbourne), and of the stallion Ithuriel (br c 1841 Touchstone), the latter a link in the branch of the Camel sire line that descends to Spearmint (b c 1903 Carbine) and beyond.

Wood Pigeon (br c 1842), winner of the Ascot Stakes and the Ascot Derby.