Jack Spigot
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Jack Spigot (4 May 1818 –June 1843) was a British
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse that won the 1821
St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
and was a sire in the early 19th century. His paternity is attributed to either Ardrossan or Marmion. His mother was a blind mare with a difficult temperament, whose unpredictable behavior necessitated that he be raised by a foster mare. He was named after one of his owner's tenant farmers, Jack Faucet. He won four of his six career starts before being retired from racing in early 1823. He is not considered to be a good sire. Jack Spigot died in June 1843 and was buried at Bolton Hall.


Background

Jack Spigot was foaled on 4 May 1818 on Middleham Moor near Bolton Hall in
Leyburn Leyburn is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, sitting above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. Historic counties of England, Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the name was derived from 'Ley' ...
, the family seat of his breeder Thomas Orde-Powlett, who was a younger brother of the
Baron Bolton Baron Bolton, of Bolton Castle in the County of York, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1797 for the Tory politician Thomas Orde-Powlett, who had previously served as Chief Secretary for Ireland. Born Thomas Orde, he ...
. Thomas Orde-Powlett was also a cousin of William Orde, Jr. the owner of Beeswing. Jack Spigot's dam, a sister to the stallion Bourbon, was bred by two stallions in the year preceding Jack Spigot's birth. She was first bred to Marmion on 14 April and then by Ardrossan in June 1817. Given the timing of Jack Spigot's birth, Ardrossan is likely his sire. Ardrossan was an unbeaten racehorse in three starts and stood at
Rushyford Rushyford is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated between Darlington and Durham, close to Newton Aycliffe and Chilton. About west of the village is Windlestone Hall, a 16th-century country house which was significantly enlarged ...
near Durham. Marmion was only defeated once in eight career starts and is an ancestor of the influential broodmare
Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
. Jack Spigot's dam had a fractious temperament and had been blind and barren for four years before Jack Spigot's birth. Her first foal died at a young age in 1814 and she was owned by H. Peirse until she was sold to Powlett for a small sum. While owned by Peirse, the mare had killed other horses by kicking, notably
Reveller Reveller was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His most significant win came in the 1818 St Leger Stakes, but he remained in training until 1823, winning numerous races in the North of England. He had a long rivalry with another northern ...
's dam Rosette in 1816. She kicked about so much in the foaling paddock after Jack Spigot's birth that in order to prevent the death of her second foal, he had to be raised by a surrogate. A dapple grey foster mare similar in colouring to his own dam was procured from one of Powlett's tenants, Jack Faucet, to raise the foal. The sister to Bourbon mare also produced the grey colt Isaac in 1831 (sired by Figaro), who was considered to be the "best Cup horse of his day", running in flat and steeplechase races until he was 15 years old winning 53 races out of 172 starts. Before the horse's racing career, Powlett suggested that the colt be named "Jack Faucet" in honour of John Faucet. Faucet objected to the choice on the grounds that the horse was a good candidate for winning that year's
St. Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
. Powlett allegedly quipped, "Well John, a Faucet's nothing without a Spigot" and the colt was subsequently named "Jack Spigot." Jack Spigot was the first horse that
John F. Herring John Frederick Herring Sr. (12 September 1795 – 23 September 1865), also known as John Frederick Herring I, was a Painting, painter, sign maker and coachman in Victorian era, Victorian England.Middleham Middleham ( ; meaning "middle ''ham''", i.e. "middle village") is a market town and civil parish in the district and county of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales, on the south side of the valley, upstream fr ...
by Isaac Blades ("J. Blades") who worked exclusively for Powlett. The colt was ridden in his early engagements by Bill Scott. After his St. Leger win, Jack Spigot developed an intense dislike of the jockey and would react violently if Scott attempted to approach the horse or even spoke in his presence. Jack Spigot was not raced extensively, starting only six times and winning four races including the St Leger.


1820: two-year-old season

In his only start as a two-year-old, Jack Spigot, ridden by Bill Scott, won a 320
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sweepstakes race at
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's List of British flat horse races#Group 1, 36 annual Group One, Group 1 flat races, the St Leger ...
beating Mr. Riddell's colt Colwell.


1821: three-year-old season

Jack Spigot did not run until the autumn Doncaster meeting and on 17 September started in the
St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over ...
against 12 other horses including the 1821
Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
winner Gustavus. Coronation was the front runner until three quarters of a mile when Lunatic took the lead for another half-mile. Jack Spigot and the mare Fortuna overtook Coronation with Jack Spigot edging out Fortuna at the finish by a margin of half a
length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...
. Two days later he won the Foal Stakes over a distance of one and a half miles beating his only competitor, the filly My Lady, in a "very excellent race."


1822–1823: four and five-year-old seasons

Returning as a four-year-old and refusing to be ridden by Bill Scott, Jack Spigot won the 450-guinea Newcastle Convivial Stakes ridden by Robert Johnson. In his only other start of 1822, he was third and last in the 3.25-mile Preston Cup, losing to
Reveller Reveller was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. His most significant win came in the 1818 St Leger Stakes, but he remained in training until 1823, winning numerous races in the North of England. He had a long rivalry with another northern ...
and the 11-year-old Dr. Syntax. Jack Spigot only ran once more, on 14 April 1823 he was unplaced in the Craven Stakes won by the
Duke of Rutland Duke of Rutland is a title in the Peerage of England, named after Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. Earldoms named after Rutland have been created three times; the ninth earl of the third creation was made duke in 1703, in whos ...
's colt Scarborough. Thomas Orde-Powlett retired from racing in September 1823 and put his horses up for sale at the Doncaster meeting. Jack Spigot was retained as a breeding stallion at Bolton Hall.


Stud career

Jack Spigot was retired to stud duty at Bolton Hall in 1824. He is not considered to be a good sire. Jack Spigot died in June 1843 and was buried in Yew Tree Court at Bolton Hall, his grave at one time surrounded by eight
yew tree Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew ('' Taxus b ...
s. Some of his bones were exhumed when a water pipe was laid across his grave years after his death. A
cannon bone The limbs of the horse are structures made of dozens of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the weight of the equine body. They include three apparatuses: the suspensory apparatus, which carries much of the weight, preve ...
was recovered, set in silver and used to make a letter weight for Lord Bolton.


Pedigree

Jack Spigot is
inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders an ...
3S × 4D to the stallion
Diomed Diomed (1777–1808) was an English Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby in 1780. Sold and imported to Virginia, he was subsequently a successful sire in the United States after the American Revolutionary War ...
, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree. ^ Jack Spigot is inbred 4S × 5S x 6D x 5D x 5D to the stallion Herod, meaning that he appears fourth generation and fifth generation (via
Florizel Florizel (1768–1791) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was a bay son of Herod foaled in 1768. As a sire, he produced 175 winners who won a total of 75,901 pounds. Offspring included Eager (winner of the 1791 Derby), Tartar (St. ...
)^ on the sire side of his pedigree and sixth generation (via
Diomed Diomed (1777–1808) was an English Thoroughbred race horse who won the inaugural running of the Epsom Derby in 1780. Sold and imported to Virginia, he was subsequently a successful sire in the United States after the American Revolutionary War ...
)^ once and fifth generation twice (via Giantess and
Highflyer Highflyer, highflier or high flyer may refer to: * Highflyer (horse), a British Thoroughbred racehorse * High flyer (fishing), a vertical floating pole used to locate fishing lines * HMS Highflyer, HMS ''Highflyer'', various Royal Navy ships * Yamh ...
)^ on the dam side of his pedigree. ^ Jack Spigot is inbred 4S × 5D to the stallion
Eclipse An eclipse is an astronomical event which occurs when an astronomical object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three ...
, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fifth generation (via Tiffany)^ on the dam side of his pedigree.


References

{{St Leger Winners 1818 racehorse births 1843 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Thoroughbred family 5-a St Leger winners