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| Family 30 |
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| Family 30 |
Profiles  Bolton Looby |
DUC DE CHARTRES' HAWER MARE (GB) f
1690c Hawker [Chartres'] Hog Mare (GB) f 1700c Hog (GB) Golden Locks (GB) gr f 1715c Grasshopper [Bristol] (GB) | Gentleman (GB) gr c 1723 Alcock's Arabian | SYPHAX (GB) bl c 1727 Bay Bolton (GB) ..... GB QP | LOOBY [Bolton] (GB) br c 1728 Bay Bolton (GB) | Fleacatcher (GB) gr f 1733 Sloven [Bolton] (GB) Sister To Golden Locks (GB) f 1716c Grasshopper [Bristol] (GB) ____________________ Alcock Arabian Mare (GB) gr f 1725c Alcock's Arabian | Governor Mare (GB) f 1730c Governor (GB) | | ------------------------- | | Wynn Arabian Mare (GB) f 1735c Wynn's Arabian | | Rib Mare (GB) gr f 1745c Rib (GB) | | | Sprightly (GB) gr f 1753 Starling [Ancaster] (GB) | | | | Sylvia (GB) gr f 1768 Blank (GB) | | | | Apothecary (GB) b c 1779 Evergreen (GB) | | | | Seedling (GB) b f 1784 Pumpkin (GB) | | | | MASTER JACKEY (GB) ch c 1804 Johnny (GB) ..... GB AGC | | | | Miss Seedling (GB) b f 1806 Totteridge (GB) | | | Countess (GB) gr f 1760 Blank (GB) | | | Vizard (GB) gr c 1771 Marske (GB) | | | Horatia (GB) ch f 1778 Eclipse (GB) | | | | Little John (GB) b c 1786 Highflyer (GB) | | | | STAMFORD (GB) br c 1794 Sir Peter Teazle (GB) ..... GB QP | | | | ARCHDUKE (GB) br c 1796 Sir Peter Teazle (GB) ..... GB D | | | | PARIS (GB) br c 1803 Sir Peter Teazle (GB) ..... GB D | | | Achilles (GB) ch c 1779 Eclipse (GB) | | | Delpini (GB) gr c 1781 Highflyer (GB) | | Sober John (GB) br c 1748 Rib (GB) | Grasshopper Mare (GB) gr f 1740c Grasshopper [Ancaster] (GB) | Exotic (GB) gr g 1756 Cullen Arabian Creeper [Ancaster] (c 1733 Cinnamon) |
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| According to the General Stud Book the table for Family 30 should appear much like the above. However, it also seems likely that the compiler of the 1891 edition has grafted some Ancaster stud pedigrees onto earlier pedigrees from the Bolton stud. Mr Prior reproduced papers from the Ancaster stud in his book Early Records of the Thoroughbred Horse, London, 1924. Many of these records contradict the information given by the General Stud Book. Recent research appears to support Mr Prior's speculation that Gentleman belongs to Family 28 and that his dam was neither Golden Locks or her sister. Whilst Delpini's pedigree can be extended with some certainty as far as the Wynn Arabian Mare, Creeper's pedigree is less evident although there is no support for a connection to Family 30. | ||
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| When Delpini died in 1808, the Sporting Magazine reported: On Saturday, July 23, at four o’clock in the afternoon, died, aged 27, at Mr Thomas Kirby’s Stables, without Walmgate-Bar, York, that once celebrated racer and favourite stallion, DELPINI.--He was bred by the Duke of Bolton, and sold, at three years old, to Sir Frank Standish, Bart. He was got by Highflyer, out of Countess, by Blank:--Countess was the dam of Cobscar, Vizard, Greybeard, Achilles, and Horatia, the dam of Stamford, Archduke, Paris, &c. On Monday, at York August Meeting, 1786, he won the 25gs stakes for all ages, four miles, beating Verjuice, Grey Highflyer, and Optimus. On Wednesday, he won the Subscription Purse for five-year olds, four miles, beating Pitch, Leveret, and Posthumous; and on Thursday, he won (giving his year) the Subscription Purse for six-year old and aged horses, four miles, beating Faith and Glancer. He also won several Stakes and matches at Newmarket, and was the best runner of his year, Rockingham excepted. The article went on to list 56 winners he had sired, also commenting “and several others.” Nowhere is there a hint that Delpini’s pedigree had undergone a number of changes over the years, or that the pedigree now enshrined in the General Stud Book is still subject to question in light of existing early sources. The Duke of Bolton Delpini’s first start was the Bolton Stakes at Newmarket in the Spring of 1784. He ran first of 4 and was recorded in Weatherby’s Racing Calendar as Duke of Bolton’s gr c Hackwood, by Highflyer, out of the dam of Achilles He ran once more for the Duke that year, placing 4th of 4 for the renewed 1400gs at Newmarket in the first October meeting. The Duke had raced a series of other foals out of Delpini’s perennially anonymous dam. In 1775, she was referred to as Cobscar’s dam; in 1777 and later, Vizard’s dam; by 1784, she was “dam of Achilles.” Sir Frank Standish Sir Frank already owned one of Delpini’s siblings - Horatia, by Eclipse. He had raced her in 1783, and thought enough of her to start her for the King’s Plate for 5 year old mares at Newmarket in April 1784 (she finished 3rd of 6). Perhaps his experience with Horatia prompted him to also acquire Hackwood (re-named Delpini) from the Duke of Bolton. In his 1786 Vade Mecum, W Pick’s list of Sir Frank’s horses included Delpini ... bred by the Duke of Bolton, got by Highflyer; dam, (Achilles, Greybeard, and Vizard’s dam) by Blank, grandam by Starling, out of a Rib mare, which was Cyclops’s dam Hackwood ... own brother to Giant [evidently the reason Delpini was re-named] It is worth noting that Pick, in the first volume of his Sportsman and Breeders’s Vade-Mecum had specifically solicited pedigree information, writing *** Such Gentlemen as wish to have the pedigrees of their horses, &c inserted in the succeeding volumes, are requested to send copies of such pedigrees before the 1st of November in each year, which shall have a proper attention paid to them. Delpini raced for Sir Frank into 1788, and made his first appearance as a stallion the following year in Pick’s Alphabetical List of Stallions [1789 Vade Mecum:1789]. DELPINI, at Skelton Castle, at 3gs, and 5 s. Got by Highflyer, dam by Blank, Starling, Rib. He appeared regularly in Pick’s stallion lists from then on until his death. In comparison, he was advertised in Weatherby’s Racing Calendars only in the volumes for 1798-1800, without pedigree. The General Stud Book (GSB) In 1791, An Introduction to a General Stud-book was published. Delpini & his siblings appeared there as produce of an unnamed Blank mare. BLANK MARE, Blaze – Greyhound – Curwen Bay Barb. 1769 b c Cobscar, by Bell’s Arabian ... D of Bolton 1771 gr c Vizard, by Marske ... D of Bolton 1772 gr f by Bell’s Arabian ... D of Bolton 1774 b f Madcap, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1775 gr c Greybeard, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1776 c by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1778 ch f Horatia, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1779 ch c Achilles, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1781 gr c Hackwood, (afterwards Delpini,) by Highflyer ... D of Bolton 1782 f by Eclipse ... D of Bolton In the 1793 edition of the General Stud Book, this entry was amended to: COUNTESS, Bred by Lord A BERTIE, foaled in 1760, got by Blank – Rib – Wynn Arabian – Governor – Alcock Arabian – Grasshopper – Sister to Gentleman’s dam. 1768 gr f by Hero (a son of Shepherd’s Crab, out of Mirza’s sister) ... Dr Chittick 1769 b c Cobscar, by Bell’s Arabian ... D of Bolton 1771 gr c Vizard, by Marske ... D of Bolton 1772 gr f by Bell’s Arabian ... D of Bolton 1774 b f by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1775 gr c Greybeard, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1776 c by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1778 ch f Horatia, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1779 ch c Achilles, by Eclipse ... D of Bolton 1781 gr c Hackwood (afterwards Delpini) by Highflyer ... D of Bolton 1782 f by Eclipse ... D of Bolton This entry remained essentially unchanged until the 5th edition of volume I, in 1891, when the pedigree of Delpini’s dam was revised to read COUNTESS, Bred by Lord A BERTIE, in 1760, got by Blank – Rib – Wynn Arabian – Governor – Alcock Arabian – sister to Gentleman’s dam, by (Bristol) Grasshopper. The Turf Register The 1891 revision of the 2 earliest generations of Countess’s pedigree may have been based on her entry in the Turf Register (vol. III, 1822, R Johnson). COUNTESS, (dam of DELPINI,) a Grey Mare, foaled in 1760, bred by Lord A BERTIE.—She was got by Blank; her dam by Rib; grandam by Wynne’s Arabian – Governor – Alcock Arabian – out of a Sister to Gentleman’s dam, (Vol. 1, page 22,) by Lord Bristol’s Grasshopper. and from Vol. 1, (1803, W Pick), page 22 GENTLEMAN, (A GREY HORSE—FOALED IN 1723,) Bred by and was the Property of the Duke of ANCASTER. GENTLEMAN was got by the Alcock Arabian, (sire of Crab); his dam by Lord Bristol’s (afterwards Moyston’s) Grasshopper, son of the Byerley Turk. Stallion Advertisements As mentioned above, Delpini was advertised regularly in W Pick’s racing calendars starting in 1786 and ending with the 1807 volume (Stallions to cover in 1808). From 1791 through 1793, Delpini’s pedigree was given as Got by Highflyer, dam by Blank, Ancaster Starling, Rib, Winn’s Arabian, Governor, Alcock Arabian. In 1794 and 1795, no pedigree was given. Beginning with the volume for 1796, and continuing until his death, Delpini’s dam was named as Countess, as in the General Stud Book (1793 and later editions). However, Countess’s pedigree is slightly different, appearing in the later advertisements – with a single exception* – and varying only in the number of generations mentioned, as by Blank, Rib, Wynn’s Arabian, Governor, Alcock’s Arabian, out of a sister to Gentleman’s dam, by Lord Bristol’s Grasshopper. * The exception occurred in 1799 when the advertisement read Delpini ... was got by Highflyer; his dam, Countess, by Blank, grandam by Rib, g grandam by Wynn's Arabian, g g grandam by Governor, out of a sister to the Duke of Ancaster's Gentleman, by Alcock's Arabian, (sire of Mr Panton's Crab); out of a daughter of Lord Bristol's Grasshopper, (son of the Byerley Turk). In summary, Delpini's pedigree developed like this
This situation raises several questions. Delpini’s breeder, who would ordinarily have been the best source of information regarding pedigree, never appears to have divulged to the compilers of the calendars the name or breeding of the mare in question. Sir Frank Standish probably received a breeder’s certificate and pedigree when he acquired his horse from the Duke, so he would also be regarded as a good source of information. However, his version adds a cross of the Ancaster Starling, making Delpini’s dam appear to have been out of Countess’s half-sister, Sprightly. According to GSB, Sprightly had 4 foals in the Ancaster stud, including a grey Blank filly, Sylvia, however, Sylvia was foaled in 1768, so can scarcely have been dam of Cobscar in 1769. Perhaps in response to the very incorrect pedigree given in An Introduction to a General Stud-book of 1791, the Duke of Bolton himself (died 1794) was the source of a corrected pedigree in the 1793 edition. Whomever the source, an advertisement for the upcoming edition of the General Stud Book in Weatherby’s 1792 Racing Calendar mentioned “the many additions and alterations now making, from the best authorities”. It is probably not a coincidence that Delpini’s pedigree, given in the stallion ads, dropped the Ancaster Starling cross after the GSB edition of 1793. Delpini’s proprietor offered no pedigree in his ads of 1794 and 1795, so perhaps had taken the time to verify the pedigree as published in GSB, before resuming inclusion of Delpini’s pedigree in ads from 1796 on. Lord Albermarle Bertie’s Rib Mare Another addition to the 1793 edition of the General Stud Book was the dam of Countess. RIB MARE, Her dam by the Wynn Arabian – Governor – Alcock Arabian – Grasshopper – Sister to Gentleman’s dam. 1753 gr f Sprightly, by the Ancaster Starling (grand dam of Grey Pumpkin) ... Ld A Bertie 1754 gr f Harlot, by Blank ... Ld A Bertie 1757 gr f Heroine, by Blank ... Ld A Bertie 1758 gr c Cyclops, by Blank ... Ld A Bertie 1759 gr c Cerberus, by Blank ... Ld A Bertie 1760 gr f Countess, by Blank ... Ld A Bertie Lord Albermarle Bertie, having died in 1765, cannot have been the submitter of this information. And in fact the last races by a Duke of Ancaster were at Grantham and Stamford in June, 1779. Pick mentions "the late Duke of Ancaster’s sale" [Vade Mecum 1786:185]. It appears, then, that at least some of the racing stud was disposed of after the deaths of Lord Albermarle Bertie’s brother and nephew, the 3rd and 4th Dukes in 1778 and 1779 respectively. Thomas Panton, Jr, was one of the executors of the 3rd Duke’s estate, and provided at least one pedigree certificate (for Antonio, bred by the late Duke [Newcastle Courant, 4 May 1782]); perhaps he was the source for pedigrees of Ancaster-bred horses included in GSB. That the above entry represents an authentic record of the RIB MARE’s produce is suggested by the presence of two fillies, Harlot and Heroine, not known to the racing calendars. Harlot has been found in an American pedigree, detailed in Fairfax Harrison’s Early American Turk Stock [E1:278]. A mare called Harlot was imported into Connecticut in 1797, and had 3 known offspring. The Hampton Stud Book includes two of her daughters, 1800 and 1801 fillies. The elder was described as Drone-mare, foaled 1800, bred by Col. Tallmadge, got by the imported horse Drone (son of Herod): her dam Harlot imported by Col. Tallmadge was got by a full bred son of Herod: out of a Snap mare: she was out of Lord Albermarle Bertie’s Harlot. Another surviving American pedigree allowed Harrison to identify the “full bred son of Herod” as Phœnomenon. References to the other four Blank Mares may be found in the calendars. Sprightly Sprightly ran 1756 – 1760; the Sporting Kalendar listed her as: "Sprightly, Lord Albermarle Bertie's, was got by the Ancaster Starling; her Dam by Rib, her Grandam by Wynne's Arabian" [Pond’s 1757]. Other published versions of Sprightly’s pedigree appeared in 1791 and later. Her granddaughter appeared in Pick: Mr C Wilson's "Seedling ... by Pumpkin, out of Apothecary’s dam, by Blank, Ancaster Starling, Rib, Wynn’s Arabian, Governor [Vade Mecum 1791]. Although Sprightly was not named in An Introduction to a General Stud-book (1791), her daughter, Sylvia was entered as an unnamed BLANK Mare, [dam by the] Ancaster Starling – Rib – Wynn’s Arabian – Governor. These two pedigrees appear to be the earliest to name Governor. In the 1793 edition of GSB, Sprightly appeared with her own entry reading: "Sprightly, Bred by Lord Albermarle Bertie, foaled in 1753, got by the Ancaster Starling – Rib – Wynn Arabian – Governor – Sister to Gentleman’s dam". Cyclops Cyclops ran 1762 – 1766, with his sire given as Blank, but his dam not mentioned. In 1762, he ran for both Lord Albermarle Bertie and his brother, Lord Vere Bertie; in 1765 for Lord Brownlow Bertie and Mr Brackenbury (one of the executors of Lord Albermarle Bertie’s will), and in 1766 again for Lord Brownlow Bertie. Cerberus Cerberus ran in 1764 making one start for Lord Albermarle Betie, and one for Lord Vere Bertie. His breeding was not given. Countess Countess ran in 1764 for Lord Albermarle Bertie, winning one of her two starts, and in 1765, she started once without winning for Mr Brackenbury. In 1766 she may have raced once more without winning; a Mr Threadkill started Countess, a mare of the right age and coat color. Her breeding was not given in the calendars. Original Records of the Ancaster Stud Records of the Ancaster Stud 1725-1737, 1772-1778 (Peregrine, Duke of Ancaster & Kestevan. Stud Book 1772 - 1778), and the Duke of Ancaster’s Trial Book, 1719-1737, have been preserved in the Lincolnshire Archives. The earlier stud records and extracts from the Trial Book were published by C M Prior in Early Records of the Thoroughbred Horse, 1924. The stud records are found in a document which says "23 Novr 1737 [Fr]ed Ward his book"* on the first page. They are presented as a list of stallions and broodmares, some with descriptions, that had been used to produce the horses listed in the stud as of 1725. Starting with 1725 and continuing through 1736, the foals each year were listed with descriptions, sires, dams, and in later years, exact foaling dates. That not all the horses produced by the stud were included in Ward’s book becomes apparent from comparing his lists with the horses mentioned in the Duke’s Trial Book. Some examples include a Musick colt (Trial Book 1719), a Lady colt (Trial Book 1720) and Maggot (Trial Book 1720). In addition early racing records mention a few other horses: the Ancaster Blacklegs ran at York in 1719, Clubb in 1721, Castaway was to run at Peterborough in 1722. * Note that Mr Prior interpreted this as "23 Novr 1737 [di]ed Ward his book." Lord Albermarle Bertie was the 2nd son of the 2nd Duke, his older brother, Peregrine, becoming the 3rd Duke after their father’s death in 1742; Lord Albermarle Bertie was still a minor at that time, and did not race his first horse listed in the calendars until 1744. He raced on a rather limited scale, often only a single horse each year and one or two races. He seems to have been better known as a judge of fighting cocks despite being blind [several Hogarth prints are said to show him in this role]. Therefore it seems doubtful that he maintained his own separate stud. Although his Rib mare was foaled during years missing from the Ancaster records, her dam, the mare by Wynn’s Arabian, may very well be among the 22 foals (11 of them fillies) got by the Wynn Arabian and recorded in the years 1726-1734. Since the Rib Mare produced all grey foals, 5 of them to a non-grey sire, she was probably the product of 2 grey parents herself. Grey fillies got by Wynn’s Arabian in the Ancaster records are: 1726, out of the Lady mare, by Pert 1732, out of Sweetlips, by Merlin 1732, out of Polly 1733, out of Polly 1733, out of Julia, by Governor 1733, out of the "chesnut mare by Alcocks Arabian out of Blink Eye" Julia, a grey mare aged 4 in 1725, was out of the Favourite Mare; the Favourite Mare, a bay, was by Pert, out of the Blink Eyed Mare; the Blink Eyed Mare, also bay, was got by St Martin, and out of the Oldfield Mare "whose sire was Sir Edward Hale’s Bay Turk." Polly’s name is not to be found among the produce in the Ancaster stud records, but she does appear in the Trial Book in 1727 and 1728, where “Polley” has been inserted as an afterthought in both entries above "Musick filly." This indicates that she was the grey filly, aged 2 in 1725, got by Governor, out of the Musick Mare; the Musick Mare, a bay, was got by St Martin, out of the old Musick Mare (also dam of Pert), a daughter of old Brimmer. Neither Governor mare from the Ancaster records had a pedigree that corresponds to that given for Delpini.
Based on these surviving records, it looks as if something is wrong with the extension of the currently accepted pedigree for the Rib Mare. Since Governor had foals recorded in 1721, 1723 and 1724, and the Alcock Arabian in 1723 and 1724, it looks as if either the Governor cross, or the Alcock Arabian cross may not be correct. Perhaps the Delpini pedigree is the result of inserting Gentleman’s pedigree, as it was known to Pick (and probably others) in the late 1700’s.
Perhaps the existing pedigree has been corrupted from one now lost that meant to say that the Governor mare’s dam was a sister to Gentleman’s dam. Ancaster Gentleman The Duke of Ancaster’s Gentleman was a well-known race horse, foaled in 1723; his career was recited by Pick in volume I of the Turf Register (1803). At Newmarket in April, 1728, GENTLEMAN won the Wallasey Stakes of 300gs. In 1729, He won the King’s Plate at Nottingham, beating, at three heats, Mr Adams’s Miss Vane, Mr Shepherd’s D’Arcy, Mr Williams’s Sloven, and distanced 5 others.--At Newmarket in April, 1730, He beat Sir Robert Fagg’s Golden-locks, 8 st 7 lb each, four miles, 200gs. In 1731, He won 50gs at Leighton; and 80gs at Stamford, beating Miss Neesham, and 6 others. In 1731 and 1733, He won 40 l at Huntingdon, beating Mr Grisewood’s Diamond, and Mr Fleetwood’s Foxhunter; he also won 40gs at Burford, beating Mr Major’s Whitestockings. And in 1734, He won 40 l at Boston, beating Capt. Appleyard’s Quiet Cuddy, &c. Although Gentleman is referred to by name in the Duke of Ancaster’s Trial Book, none of the foals listed in the Stud Records is so named, and none of the foals by the Alcock Arabian had pedigrees that correspond to that given by Pick. In 1725, there were two 2 year old colts listed as sired by Alcock’s Arabian. These were a sorrel colt, out of the Peg Mare, and a grey colt, out of the Virgin Mare. Based on coat color, the Virgin Mare’s colt should have been Gentleman. This has been recently confirmed by a stallion advertisement for Gentleman, which says he was "bred by the late Duke of Ancaster ... and got by Alcock’s Arabian, out of a Mare call’d Virgin, which was got by Old Merlin" [Stamford Mercury, 1742]. Virgin and her Sisters According to the Ancaster Stud records, "Ye Vigin mare was out of ye Somerset Mare got by Marling. A sorell wth saddle spots" and "Ye Somerset Mare was out of ye Coppin Mare, and got by Old Commoner" [ER:79]. Virgin produced:
Virgin’s sisters were: 1. The dam of Greathead, by St Martin. It is not known if she was the same as one of following, but perhaps not since names are given for the other sisters to Virgin. 2. The Pudding Mare, by St Martin, produced Sweetlip Mare (sorrel), by Merlin and Rusty mare, by Merlin. 3. The Darling Mare, by St Martins or Merlin (the author wrote St Marlings), produced Tunstall Mare (grey) by Mr Ely’s Turk (son of Mr Lister’s Gray Turk). 4. Venus, a “soreld mare,” by Merlin, 4 years old in 1725. Venus does not appear again in the Ancaster Stud Book, but is mentioned in the Trial Book. In April of 1725 she won a trial against Julia and the Slaping Mare; in November of 1725 she won again against the same two; in October of 1726 she beat Miss Hip and Creeping Kate. In December of 1726 she ran second to Pert in a 4 mile trial: Pert beat Venus “a Litle a bove a Distance: mis hip and kreepeing kate near 3 Distances.” Given Venus’s form, she was probably raced, and she is a possible candidate is Mr Panton’s Venus, who received forfeit from the Earl of Godolphin’s grey colt for a match of 200gs in March of 1725; and paid forfeit to the Duke of Bridgewater’s Hawker for a match of 300gs in October of 1725, both at Newmarket [Pond 1751]. Mary, daughter of Thomas Panton, master of the King’s running horses, married Peregrine, the 3rd Duke of Ancaster, although this was not until 1750. What became of this mare is not known, but because the last mention of Governor in the Ancaster records is as sire of a yearling in 1724, and Venus was in training in 1725 and 1726, it seems unlikely that she was bred to Governor and then disposed of. 5. Sweetlip Mare, by Merlin out of the Pudding Mare, produced Dainty Mare (sorrel) by Pert grey filly by Alcock’s Arabian, 2 years old in 1725 [“Gentleman’s sister”]. 6. Rusty Mare, by Merlin out of the Pudding Mare produced Pert, by Pert, a chesnut horse, 6 years old in 1725. 7. Slaping Mare, by Merlin out of the Tunstall Mare. 8. Creeping Kate, by Merlin out of the Blink Eyed Mare, 3 years old in 1725, produced a bay filly, by Sir Michael Newton’s Arabian, in 1730. 9. Bay filly, by Merlin out of the Favourite Mare, 2 years old in 1725. 10. Sorrel filly, by Merlin out of the Lady Mare, 1 year old in 1725. 11. Sorrel filly, by Merlin out of the Lady Mare, foaled in 1725. One of these mares, probably the younger, produced a bay filly, by Wynn’s Arabian in 1733, a bay colt, by Sir Michael Newton’s Arabian in 1734, and a bay filly, by Lord Walpole’s Turk in 1735. 12. Sorrel filly, by Merlin out of the Musick Mare, foaled in 1725. So, unfortunately, as far as verifying Delpini’s pedigree goes, neither Virgin herself nor any of her sisters had offspring recorded by Governor. Gentleman’s Sister Not finding in the Ancaster records a sister to Gentleman's dam who matches Delpini’s pedigree, leads to the idea that perhaps a “sister to Gentleman” was instead intended. There are two references to Gentleman's sister in the Ancaster records, one from the Trial Book & one from Ward's book. The Trial Book has this entry:
Assuming that the colts & fillies who ran on 31 Mar 1736 were the same age, the list of foals in one year should have included a grey filly, a grey filly out of Polly, a bay colt, and a colt out of Julia. Dolly was an older filly.
Polly’s and Julia’s produce suggest that the youngsters tried in 1736 were foals of 1732. The entire list of foals of that year is shown below.
It is reassuring that this list also includes a bay colt, and 2 more grey fillies. The dam of one of these other grey fillies must then, it seems, have been referred to as "sister to Gentleman" in the Trial Book. Of the dams above, both Miss Hip and the Grey Mare could be considered sisters to Gentleman.
Miss Hip had the same dam, the grey mare had the same sire. The other mention of “Gentleman’s sister” provides a clue, since, in 1736, she was recorded as dam of a grey filly by Stumps. Since Stump(s) was not grey, Gentleman’s sister must have been grey herself, and so must have been the 1723 grey mare by Alcock’s Arabian. Further, her damsire was the same as Gentleman’s, making her, according to some usage, a sister in blood to Gentleman. And, in fact, she was even more closely related to Gentleman since her grandam was out of Gentleman’s grandam. Foals from the Ancaster records produced by Gentleman’s sister were recorded as 1728 gr c by Ball 1730 b f by Ball 1732 gr f by Wynn’s Arabian 1736 gr f by Stumps Although there is a grey filly by Wynn’s Arabian, there is no filly by Governor listed. From the available evidence of the surviving Ancaster records, the alternatives appear to be that the Wynn Arabian Mare (dam of Lord Albermarle Bertie’s RIB MARE) was a daughter of Gentleman’s sister (the Governor cross is an error), or that she was one of the three fillies by Wynn’s Arabian, produced from two Governor mares (the intrusion of Gentleman into the pedigree is an error). Lord Albermarle Bertie’s Wynn Arabian Mare The only other horse raced by Lord A Bertie whose dam was given in the calendars was his 1754 ch f Dainty. She was listed in the Sporting Kalendar as a "Chesnut Filly, Lord Albermarle Bertie's, three Years old, was got by Blank; her Dam by Gentleman, the Son of the Alcock Arabian which got Mr Panton's Crab, her Grandam by Windsor's Arabian, out of a Merlin Mare [Pond 1757]. If Windsor’s Arabian was an error for Wynn’s Arabian this would appear to be a pedigree from the Ancaster Stud, and indicates Lord Albermarle Bertie's association with another mare. An American pedigree detailed by Fairfax Harrison notes that Sober John (Weaver’s in England; sent to Virginia in 1754) was also bred by Lord Albermarle Bertie [E2:55]. Harrison found an advertisement in a lost file of the Virginia Gazette, calendared in Randolph’s Register containing a pedigree from James Littlepage, of Louisa Co, Va, dated April 1763: "Sober John, late John Baylor's, bred by Lord Albermarle Bertie, got by Rib: Ancaster Arabian". The horse here called Ancaster Arabian was probably the horse known in the Ancaster records as Wynn’s Arabian. Although Alcock’s Arabian also got foals for the Duke of Ancaster (4 in 1723, 1 in 1724), he was used much less than Wynn's Arabian. The Mr Weaver mentioned had also acquired the Ancaster Driver, bred by the 2nd Duke, when several Ancaster-bred stallions were offered for sale in 1742 [Stamford Mercury:1742]. This information suggests that Sober John was a full brother to Lord Albermarle Bertie’s RIB MARE. If Lord A Bertie had only a single mare by Wynn’s Arabian, her produce list would include
* Gentleman had 2 foals recorded in 1735 before Ward's book ended, and was offered for sale early in 1742, after the death of the 2nd Duke, Lord Albermarle Bertie’s father. However, once again complications abound in trying to match this information with that from the surviving Ancaster records.
Whynot Mare There is evidence for a mare by Wynn’s Arabian out of a Merlin mare, derived from a pedigree for yet another Ancaster-bred stallion. This unnamed horse was advertised for the season of 1745 in the Stamford Mercury, and in subsequent years, 1748-1754, in the York Courant, where his pedigree was attested by Thomas Hawkins, Gentleman of Horse to the late and present Duke. "A Beautiful Grey Stone-Horse ... He was bred by his Grace the late Duke of Ancaster, and got by the famous Winn’s Arabian, Sire of Crab, Driver and Musick; his Dam was call’d the Whynot Mare, and she was got by Pullen’s White Foot Merlin". However, this pedigree leads to yet another different mare line, and cannot exactly be matched with records of the two Whynot Mares in the Ancaster Stud: Whynot mare, by St Martin - out of Old Whynot Blind mare, bt Grantham - out of Whynot mare Bay filly with no white, by Smiling Tom - Whynot mare Dainty Mare In addition, there was a Dainty Mare in the Ancaster Stud which cannot be shown to have any relationship to Lord Albermarle Bertie’s Dainty. Dainty Mare, by Pert - Sweet Lip Mare, by Marling - Pudding Mare, by St Martin - Somerset Mare 1725 gr c, by Suttons Arabian 1727 b f, by Wynn's Arabian 1730 b f, by Wynn's Arabian 1731 gr c, by the Duke of Rutlands Crab 1734 ch f, by Newton's Arabian All in all, the idea that a single Wynn Arabian mare was involved in producing the several horses of Ancaster bloodlines linked to Lord Albermarle Bertie does not appear to be correct, and certainly does not help to extend Delpini’s pedigree. Charles Bertie, of Uffington The lack of any existing Ancaster records for mares who flesh out the names in Delpini’s pedigrees, yet another possibility presents itself for consideration. Perhaps the line was derived from the Ancaster Stud and diverted elsewhere, returning one of its representatives into Lord Albermarle Bertie’s hands. Another "racing" Bertie is mentioned in the Duke of Ancaster's Trial Book; he appears to have been Charles Bertie, Esq; of Uffington (and perhaps his father of the same name). That there was some exchange of bloodstock is demonstrated by the fact that the Duke of Ancaster raced in 1746 a chesnut colt by Grey Ward, out of the Bertie Lady Thigh, "a Mare which won many valuable Prizes about sixteen or eighteen Years ago" [Cheny 1746]. No pedigree of the Bertie Lady Thigh has yet come to light. Likewise Charles Bertie’s best running horse, a King’s Plate winner, was clearly bred from a mare of Ancaster bloodlines, although it looks as if she was later owned by Mr William Garthsides. Mr Bertie’s Sobersides was advertised for a stallion: "He was got by Doctor, whose Sire was the Duke of Rutland’s Cyprus, out of a Commoner Mare. His dam was got by Oyster-Foot, out of a Daughter of the famous Merlin, belonging to the late Duke of Ancaster out of a Leister Mare, that was Sister to his Grace’s Black Legs" [Stamford Mercury:1740]. This, along with other advertisements, provides evidence of another line from the Ancaster Stud although, as with Delpini, it is not possible to match it exactly with the surviving records from the stud. There are one or two “Lister Mares” mentioned in Ward’s book: Black Lister Mare, by Lister's Grey Turk - Oldfield Mare f Peg Mare, by St Martin ch f Young Peg Mare, by Old Pert Gray Lister Mare b f Precious Mare, by St Martin Mr Prior thought there was probably only one mare who turned grey as she aged. In any case there is no filly by Merlin to be found, so once again a firm connection is lacking. Summary In summary, Delpini’s pedigree has appeared in several variations since 1784. Although some records of the Ancaster Stud have been preserved, the gap from 1737 to 1772 makes it impossible to extend Delpini’s pedigree with certainty any earlier than Countess’s grandam by the Wynn Arabian. While it is possible that Lord Albermarle Bertie’s Rib mare was produced outside the Ancaster Stud, it seems more likely that, like almost all the other horses raced by his father and brother, she was the product of continuous breeding in their own stud. The fact that Governor’s name is known to occur in thoroughbred pedigrees only in this line, and that two mares by Governor produced three fillies by Wynn’s Arabian suggests that it is not there by mistake. How Gentleman, his sister, their dam, or her sister came to be inserted into the pedigree is a mystery. |
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