Polymelus (1902–1924) 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.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English ...
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic ...
who was
the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for five years (1914, 1915, 1916, 1920, 1921). Among his most famous descendants are
Secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:
* Secretariat (administrative office)
* Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ameri ...
and
Northern Dancer
Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred who, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He then became one of the most successful sires of the 20th century. He is considered a Canadi ...
. However, it was through his son
Phalaris
Phalaris ( el, Φάλαρις) was the tyrant of Akragas (now Agrigento) in Sicily, from approximately 570 to 554 BC.
History
Phalaris was renowned for his excessive cruelty. Among his alleged atrocities is cannibalism: he was said to have e ...
that he will forever be remembered. His great grandsire was
Bend Or
Bend Or (1877–1903) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1880 Epsom Derby. His regular jockey Fred Archer, winner of thirteen consecutive British jockey titles, said Bend Or was probably the greatest horse he had ever ridden.
N ...
.
Background
Polymelus was a bay horse bred by
Lord Crewe. He was sired by
Cyllene, an
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,01 ...
winner, who went on to become a highly successful stallion. In addition to Polymelus, he sired
The Derby winners
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the est ...
,
Minoru,
Tagalie and
Lemberg
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
and was champion sire in 1909 and 1910.
Polymelus's dam Maid Marian was a half-sister to the outstanding racemare
La Fleche
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
and later became an influential broodmare in her own right, being the foundation mare of Thoroughbred family 3-f. Her other descendants have included
Big Red Mike
Big Red Mike (foaled 2007 in Ontario) is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance ...
,
Mioland
Mioland (1937–1951) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Oregon by H. W. Ray, he was out of the mare Iolanda. His German-born sire was Mio D'Arezzo, a winner of the Deutsches St. Leger who had been imported to stand ...
,
Mont Tremblant
Mont may refer to:
Places
* Mont., an abbreviation for Montana, a U.S. state
* Mont, Belgium (disambiguation), several places in Belgium
* Mont, Hautes-Pyrénées, a commune in France
* Mont, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a commune in France
* Mont, Sa� ...
,
Pont l'Eveque,
Right Royal
Right Royal (1958–1973) was a French Thoroughbred race horse and sire. He was the best two-year-old in France in 1960 when his wins included the Grand Critérium. He was the dominant three-year-old of his generation in Europe in the spring ...
and
Saint Estephe.
Racing career
Poymelus showed great promise as a two-year-old, winning both the
Criterion Stakes
The Criterion Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...
and the
Richmond Stakes
The Richmond Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is schedul ...
.
As a three-year-old in 1905 he showed form over a wide variety of distances, winning the
Duke of York Stakes
The Duke of York Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 6 furlongs () at York in May.
History
An ...
over six furlong and finishing second in the
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 a ...
.
In 1906 Polymelus was offered for sale at
Newmarket and bought for 4,200
Guineas by
Solomon Joel
Solomon Barnato "Solly" Joel (23 May 1865 – 22 May 1931), born in London, England, moved to South Africa in the 1880s where he made his fortune in connection with diamonds, later becoming a financier with interests in mining, brewing and railw ...
.
The colt reached his peak later that year when he recorded victories in the
Duke of York Handicap,
Cambridgeshire Handicap
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlo ...
and
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 and 2 furlon ...
. He added a win in the
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlon ...
in 1907 before being retired to stud.
Stud record
Polymelus stood at
stud
Stud may refer to the following terms:
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* Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding
** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred
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* Stud (band), a British progressive rock group
* The Stud (bar), a gay bar ...
at
Solomon Joel's Maiden Erlegh Stud near
Reading, Berkshire
Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers Thames and Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway serve the town. Reading is east o ...
where he died in 1924. Among his progeny, Polymelus sired:
The skeleton of Polymelus is now on display in the entrance lobby of the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
Museum of Zoology
The Museum of Zoology () of National Taiwan University (NTU) is a museum about zoology at the NTU main campus in Da'an District, Taipei, Taiwan.
History
The museum was originally established in 1928 during the Japanese rule. In the early days ...
, where it is an example of the specialised adaptations to high-speed running.
Pedigree
References
* Details on page 44 i
Designing Speed in the Racehorse by Ken McLean (2005)
{{Reflist
1902 racehorse births
1924 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
British Champion Thoroughbred Sires
Horse monuments
Thoroughbred family 3-f