Pharos (4 April 1920 – 30 April 1937) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

bred

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 Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

and a

leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland The title of champion, or leading, sire of Horse racing, racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland is awarded to the stallion whose offspring have won the most prize money in Britain and Ireland during the flat racing season. The current (2023) cham ...

Pedigree

Bred and raced by

Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby (4 April 1865 – 4 February 1948), styled The Hon. Edward Stanley from 1886–93 and Lord Stanley from 1893 to 1908, was a British peer, soldier, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politic ...

, he was a brother to the stakeswinners, Fair Isle (1927) and Fairway (1925) who won 31 races and £71,635 between them. They were by the successful sire, Phalaris, their dam the staying mare, Scapa Flow by Chaucer. Pharos's maximum distance was approximately 1¼ miles and Fairway could stay much further and was altogether a better racehorse. Both Pharos and Fairway were outstanding successes at stud where they both sired classic winners of a high standard. However, Pharos has proved more influential in the long run and now stands four-square on the pre-eminent sire line in world racing..

Racing record

Pharos won six of his nine starts at age two and three of his nine starts at age three when he also ran second to

Papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, ''Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'' or ''papyruses'') can a ...

in the 1923

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

. Racing at age four, Pharos won four of seven starts, notably beating

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...

winner Parth in the ten furlong

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...

Newmarket Racecourse Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of ...

. Racing at age five, Pharos did not win in his first four starts but, in the last race of his career, won his second consecutive edition of the

Duke of York Handicap The Duke of York Handicap was a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain. It was run at Kempton Park, usually over a distance of 1¼ miles (2,012 metres). History Established in 1892, the event was originally called the Duke of Yor ...

by six lengths.

Stud record

Retired to

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

duty having won fourteen of his thirty career starts, Pharos first stood at Woodland Stud in Newmarket for the 1926 season. In 1928 he was sent to stand at

Haras d'Ouilly The Haras d'Ouilly is a renowned horse breeding farm in Pont-d'Ouilly, Calvados in the Normandy region of France established in the 19th century. The property was purchased in 1895 by Auguste-Louis-Albéric, prince d'Arenberg for his son Pierre d ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

where he remained until his death in 1937.. Pharos was the leading sire in Britain and Ireland in 1931 and the

leading sire in France The list below shows the leading Thoroughbred sire of racehorses in France for each year since 1887. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season. Due to the huge prize money of the Prix de l'Arc de Tr ...

in 1938. Pharos sired 11 high class stallions including Pharis, an undefeated galloper whose wins included the 1939

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly ov ...

and the

Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...

and who was the leading sire in France in 1944. However, by far his most important son was the undefeated

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

, described by ''Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century".. Pharos sired the winners of 181 races worth £152,157.

Pedigree

External links

Pharos at ''Thoroughbred Heritage''

Pharos' pedigree and partial racing stats

References

{{Reflist 1920 racehorse births 1937 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Champion Thoroughbred Sires of France British Champion Thoroughbred Sires Thoroughbred family 13-e Chefs-de-Race

Pedigree

Racing record

Stud record

Pedigree

See also

External links

References