Sancho (1801–September 1809) 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
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
sire
Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French.
The words "sire" an ...
best known for winning the
classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...
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 ...
in 1804. In a racing career which lasted from May 1804 until October 1806 he won eight of his twelve competitive races. Originally trained in
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, he was undefeated in four races as a three-year-old in 1805, culminating with his victory in the St Leger 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 ...
. In the following season he was transferred to race in the south of England where he won a series of lucrative match races against some of the leading horses of the day. His five-year-old season proved disappointing and expensive for his owner as he was injured and beaten in both of his races. Sancho was retired from racing and showed considerable promise as a sire of winners in a brief stud career.
Background
Sancho was a
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...
horse owned and bred Colonel Henry Mellish, a veteran of the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
, who engaged in
duelling
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people with matched weapons.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the rapier and later the small sword), but beginning in t ...
,
prize-fighting
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...
and
dog-fighting. His enthusiasm for racing of any kind was such that he once trained a
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...
to race and gambled on which of two raindrops would be the first to reach the bottom of a window-pane. Sancho was trained by the former jockey Bartle Atkinson.
Sancho's, sire Don Quixote was a chestnut son of
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 ...
bred by Mr Taylor. Apart from Sancho, his most notable offspring was the successful breeding stallion Cervantes. Sancho's dam, an unnamed mare by Highflyer, was a sister of the St Leger winner
Cowslip and of the influential broodmares Maid of All Work and Rachel.
At the time of Sancho's racing career, sweepstake races, in which a number of owners contributed a relatively small sum towards the prize money, were popular, but the most valuable events were match races with two runners. In these events, each of the owners put up half the prize, with the winner taking all. If a horse failed to appear for a race its owner usually had to pay a forfeit, typically amounting to half his original stake. Sancho, for instance, won 600
guineas
The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
for winning the St Leger in 1805, but 3000 guineas for winning a match race in the following year.
Racing career
1804: three-year-old season
Sancho made his first appearance on 16 May 1804 at
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 ...
Racecourse where he defeated
Lord Strathmore's unnamed
roan colt (the
4/6 favourite) and two others in a two-mile sweepstakes. Later on the same day he turned out again for a three-mile race in which he was matched against older horses at
weight-for-age
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022
Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race.
History
The principle of WFA was developed by Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English Jockey Club. Rou ...
. On this occasion he started favourite and won from Lord Strathmore's four-year-old bay colt. Two weeks later at
York Racecourse
York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England.
It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...
Sancho was brought back in distance to contest a sweepstakes for three-year-old colts and
fillies
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, th ...
over one and a half miles. He was made the 3/1 second favourite in a field of eight runners and won from Mr Cradock's bay colt.
Sancho did not compete again until 25 September, when he was one of eleven three-year-olds to contest the twenty-ninth running of the St Leger 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 ...
. Mellish had gambled heavily on his horse, the 2/1 favourite, but was worried by the prevailing hot, dry weather, which left the course in a difficult and dangerous state ("hard as a granite road").
The conditions took their toll as three horses fell in the race and one jockey was seriously injured. Sancho took a decisive lead in the closing stages, and his rider
Frank Buckle waved his whip to Mellish (conspicuous in a white satin
vest
A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit) or vest ( US and Canada) is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. It ...
) as a signal that he had the race won. At that moment, Mellish rushed from the stand to begin collecting his winnings without waiting to see Sancho cross the line in front of Sir Henry Tempest Vane's bay colt by
Sir Peter.
1805: four-year-old season

For the 1805 season, Sancho was moved south and was campaigned at
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 ...
in spring, making his first appearance of the year in the New Claret Stakes over the two mile "Ditch-In" course on 2 May. The race brought together the three classic winners of the previous season, with Sancho starting favourite ahead of the
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
Hannibal
Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.
Hannibal's fat ...
and the
Oaks winner
Pelisse
A pelisse was originally a short fur-trimmed jacket which hussar light-cavalry soldiers from the 17th century onwards usually wore hanging loose over the left shoulder, ostensibly to prevent sword cuts. The name also came to refer to a fashiona ...
. The race produced an unexpected result, as
Lord Darlington's colt Pavilion, the outsider of the four-runner field, won from Sancho, with Hannibal third and Pelisse last. At the next meeting two weeks later, Sancho was beaten by Mr Boyce's ten-year-old Bobtail in a 500
guinea
Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sier ...
match race, but Mellish was able to claim 200 guineas later the same day, "receiving forfeit" when Sancho's two rivals failed to appear for a three-mile sweepstakes.
The St Leger winner's next run was at
Brighton Racecourse
Brighton Racecourse is an English horse racing venue located a mile to the northeast of the centre of Brighton, Sussex, owned by the Arena Racing Company.
Location and layout
It is situated on Whitehawk Hill, on the edge of the South Downs, ...
on 26 July, when he faced Hannibal in a match race over one mile at level weights. The Derby winner was slightly favoured in the betting, but Sancho led from the start and "won easy" to claim a prize of 1000 guineas for his owner. Six days later at
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
, Sancho contested an even more valuable match, when he was pitted against Pavilion for a prize of 3000 guineas. Frank Buckle on Sancho tracked Sam Chifney on Pavilion for most of the four mile distance before taking the lead in the closing stages to win by half a length. "Immense sums" had reportedly been wagered on the outcome. Two days after beating Pavilion, Sancho met Bobtail, the only other horse to have defeated him, in a one-mile match at the same venue. Receiving eleven
pounds from Boyce's horse, Sancho defeated his older rival to win a further 200 guineas. There was some controversy afterwards when it was discovered that the Clerk of the Course had started the race in the wrong place, meaning that the horses had run further than the agreed distance, but the result was allowed to stand.
Sancho returned to Newmarket for his final run of the year on 1 October. He defeated Boyce's four-year-old Sir David over the Rowley Mile course to win his fourth consecutive match, and a prize of 500 guineas. According to the ''Sporting Magazine'' Sancho had not been trained for the race but nevertheless won "cleverly".
1806: five-year-old season
Sancho's five-year-old season was adversely affected by injury: he made only two appearances and failed to win. Having missed the early part of the season he was scheduled to compete in a series of four matches at Lewes and Brighton in the summer. In the first of these races, he was ridden in a four-mile, 2000 guinea match against Pavilion at Lewes on 24 July. The event attracted heavy betting and a large crowd which included the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
and many members of the British aristocracy.
Before the race, Sancho looked less than fully fit and was opposed in the betting, but after tracking Pavilion in the early running, he took the lead ten furlongs from the finish and looked poised to win easily. With a quarter mile to go however, he began to show signs of lameness and then broke down completely with an injury to his left foreleg. Mellish also lost an estimated £18,000 in bets on the race and it was reported that Sancho would never race again.
After the race the Prince of Wales, who had backed Pavilion, attempted to commiserate with Mellish, saying that that was sorry for him: "No you're not, your Royal Highness," Mellish retorted, "for you've won your money". Sancho was unable to run in the remaining summer matches, leaving Mellish to pay forfeits of totaling 1,600 guineas.
Mellish again paid forfeit when Sancho failed to appear for a match at Newmarket's First October meeting, but the horse reappeared at the Second October meeting for a match against
Orville, the winner of the 1802 St Leger. His comeback proved brief however, as he again broke down injured in the race over the Abington Mile course and he was forced to miss two further matches scheduled that autumn. Sancho had been entered in three match races in the early part of 1807, but he did not reappear, and Mellish paid forfeit on each occasion.
Stud career
Sancho began his stud career at Hodsack, four miles from
Worksop
Worksop ( ) is a market town in the Bassetlaw District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located south of Doncaster, south-east of Sheffield and north of Nottingham. Located close to Nottinghamshire's borders with South Yorkshire and Derbys ...
, on the border of Yorkshire and
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...
, where he stood at a fee of 20 guineas, with half a guinea for the groom. Sancho stood as a stallion for only three full seasons, dying in September 1809 at the age of eight years. Despite his abbreviated stud career he had considerable success: the best of his progeny included Banquo (
Goodwood Cup
The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3 ...
), Cannon Ball (Craven Stakes), Cato (
July Stakes
The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and ...
) and the successful breeding stallion Prime Minister.
Pedigree
Sancho 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 ...
4S × 4D to the stallion
Squirt, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
Sancho is inbred 4S × 4D to the stallion
Regulus
Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo (constellation), Leo and one of the List of brightest stars, brightest stars in the night sky. It has the Bayer designation designated α Leonis, which is Latinisation of names, ...
, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
References
{{St Leger Winners
1801 racehorse births
1809 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
Thoroughbred family 17
St Leger winners