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Catton
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Catton, a tough, game north country stayer -- unbeaten in fourteen consecutive races -- continued the Eclipse sire line extending from Mercury, although it would effectively terminate with his great-grandson, Sting, in France. Two of his sons, Royal Oak and Trustee, were champion sires, in France and the U.S., respectively, and his grandson Slane was a leading sire in England. Some of his daughters, and those of his various sons, had a significant impact on thoroughbred bloodlines
Catton's dam, the chestnut Lucy Gray (1804), out of a Florizel daughter, Lucy, was bred at Sir Thomas Gascoigne's Parlington stud, near Aberford. Gascoigne was the scion of a prominent Yorkshire hunting and racing family, and had won many races in the north country over several decades, including the 1778 St. Leger with Hollandaise (by Matchem) and the Doncaster Cup with Tuberose (later a good broodmare for Henry Peirse at Bedale). Gascoigne married the widow of Charles Turner at Kirkleatham in the 1780s; when he died in 1810, his son-in-law, Richard Oliver, assumed the name Gascoigne, and continued the racing and breeding stable.
Lucy Gray's sire, the bay Timothy (1794), was by the arab-like grey Delpini, a Highflyer son that could "stay forever" and a good sire of winners, including Noble (Epsom Derby) and Spadille (St. Leger). Timothy, bred and raced by Gascoigne, won races at York and Doncaster, including a sweepstakes over four miles at York August in 1799, beating Stamford, Tartar, and Wonder, and a match at Doncaster over three miles, beating Ambrosio; he ran Stamford to a dead-heat in the 1798 Doncaster Gold Cup (then over 4 miles), but lost the run-off. Timothy served as a stallion for Gascoigne. His foals included the chestnut Thomasina (1804, out of Violet, dam of Gascoigne's 1798 Doncaster St. Leger winner Symmetry and 1803 Oaks winner Theophania, both by Delpini). Thomasina was a "mare of rare excellence, who won nearly every race she started for," later second dam -- through different daughters -- of the good stayers Red Rover (1831) and of R. O. Gascoigne's Jerry (1831, Doncaster St. Leger winner), and of the useful stallion Medoro.
Lucy Gray was sold to the partnership of William Horsley and the trainer "Sammy" King. She ran a few times without placing, and at age four was put to Horsley's stallion, the "hardy," but unraced, Golumpus (1802, by Gohanna and from Catherine, by Woodpecker), who was standing at a fee of three guineas at Low Catton, near Kexby Bridge, seven miles from York. Golumpus was, like his sire, "a plain hunter type ... to look at," and in fact initially mostly served hunter and coaching mares. After Catton -- and his crop-mates, Uncle Toby, a royal plate winner, and Doncaster St. Leger winner Otterington -- began racing, Golumpus' reputation improved considerably (and his fee, which went to 10 guineas), and he got a number of sound winning north country stayers, including Aimwell, the famous half-bred mare Jenny Horner (1814, H-B Family 25, a winner of twelve races at Penrith, Morpeth, Dumfries and Northallerton, and also second in two King's Plates, and tail-female ancestress of the noted steeplechaser and hunter sire Snowstorm), and Savernake. Golumpus also got the second dam of Melbourne
Lucy Gray dropped Catton, who was named for his birthplace, in 1809. He was a typical Gohanna, with the broad forehead , small nose and prominent eye typical of his grandsire's get, and with the short legs and powerful body so in evident Gohanna. He was, said The Druid, "stout and useful, with unsurpassable legs." Richard Lumley Saunderson, the sixth Earl of Scarborough, bought Catton from King, who was the earl's trainer, at the same time purchasing Lucy Gray with Catton's brother, Kexby (1810) at foot, and in foal to Golumpus again with a filly, Miss Catton. Kexby won some races, and Miss Catton's tail-female line continued through the end of the 19th century. King would later train all of Catton's youngsters owned by Scaroborough, and after the earl's death would establish his own stable at Grove House, Malton.
Catton on the Turf
Catton ran for five seasons in thirty-two races, winning twenty-two of them (including a walk-over), all but three run at York or Doncaster. He sustained an unbeaten fourteen race streak beginning at the end of his third season, when he was age five.
King, said The Druid, "...always had the credit of being rather tender with his horses." Catton's first race was in August of his three-year-old year (1812), when he won a 235 guineas sweepstakes over two miles for three-year-olds at York, beating Langold, Boadicea, Euryalis, and two others. In the Doncaster St. Leger, won by Otterington (by Golumpus), he was unplaced in a big field. At the same meeting he was beaten into second place in the Gascoigne Stakes. That was it for his first season, and the pattern of racing almost exclusively at York and Doncaster, with a few forays to other Yorkshire venues, continued throughout his long career.
At age four he came out at York spring to place second to Sligo in a sweepstakes, with five others in the field, including Otterington. He was second again to Sligo in York's Constitution Stakes, beating seven others. At Preston in July he ran second to Viscount in the Preston Gold Cup, and then easily won a plate over three miles in two heats, beating Navigator, the 1812 Oaks winner Manuella, and one other. At York August he won the four mile King's Plate, beating Otterington and Knight Errant. At Doncaster he won a sweep for four-year-olds over the St. Leger course, beating Algernon, and the next day took a 100 sovereign plate over two miles in two heats beating four three and four year olds.
He began his third season on the turf at York Spring, running unplaced in a sweepstakes won by Cannon Ball, and was second to Cannon Ball in the Constitution Stakes. At Newcastle he ran a dead heat with XYZ in the Northumberland Stakes, with XYZ taking the compromise and Catton taking the walk-over. At York August he was second to Altisidora in a sweepstakes, won the Great Subscription Purse, beating one horse, Skip, and the next day won another Subscription Purse over four miles, beating two other horses. In September at Doncaster he won the Fitzwilliam Stakes (1-1/2 miles), beating Tramp, Cossack, Ranger and Fairville, "one of the fastest races ever run, and won with difficulty." Two days later he won the Doncaster Stakes over four miles, beating two other horses easily.
King came to believe that in some of Catton's races "...all was not run on the square," and convinced the earl to allow him to ride the horse himself in the upcoming season. He spent the off-season wasting his "fair round body" down to jockey weight, and was so successful that for the rest of horse's career, "Catton and King were inseperable in public." The Druid said: "Catton was a very firm well-seasoned horse, and took punishment from Sammy King, in his races, like a hero."
At age six, 1815, Catton and King began the season by winning the York Gold Cup (3 miles) in a canter, beating three others, and followed that the next day by winning the Constitution Stakes (1-1/4 miles). At York August he won a 250 guineas sweepstakes over two miles in a canter, beating Altisidora and Viscount, and four days later the Great Subscription Purse over four miles, beating Altisidora in a very tough race in which both horses where whipped and spurred from start to finish. At Doncaster he easily won the Gold Cup, beating five other horses, and the same day beat Altisidora in the Doncaster Stakes in "an uncommon fine race, won with great difficulty."
The next season, 1816, he won the York Gold Cup a second time, beating Fulford and four other horses; in this race Fulford dived at Catton and bit him on the ear; Catton retaliated and both horses "had nearly gone over the rails." At Newcastle-on-Tyne he won the four mile Gold Cup easily, beating one other horse. At York August he easily beat two horses in a 250 guineas sweepstakes, and walked-over for the York Great Subscription Purse. At Doncaster he beat Dinmont in the Doncaster Stakes, and then, for the first time in the King-Catton partnership, ran second, beaten by Rasping in the Club Stakes.
In the spring of 1817 he was sent to George Smallwood's stud at Middlethorpe, near York, where he covered mares for a fee of ten guineas. After the stud season was over, he was taken to York, where, at age eight, he ran third in a sweep at York to King David and Dinmont. At Pontefract, in September, he won a sweepstakes worth £831, beating Dinmont and one other horse. He was unplaced in his last race, Doncaster's Fitzwilliam Stakes.
Catton in the Stud
Catton was understandably Scarborough's "favorite and his pride." But the earl stood him as a public stallion in Yorkshire, preferring to leave the horse "to fight his own battle for fame," although he did allow Catton one year at Hampton Court Stud, in 1819, at a fee of 11 guineas. Other than that he stood at Smallwood's in Middlethorpe (1818, 1820), at Brompton on Swale in York (1821), at Helperby in Yorkshire (1822-25), at The Salutation in Doncaster (1826-1829), and at the Turf Tavern in Doncaster (1830-32), the latter leased by his old trainer, Sam King. His fee was highest -- 16 sovereigns -- between 1827 and 1829, but did not drop below 11 guineas after 1821. He spent the last year of his life at Tickhill Castle, serving mares at 11 sovereigns.
He was a successful north country stallion with over 90 winners in his fourteen seasons at stud. He got two classic winners, TARRARE, a winner of the Doncaster St. Leger (and Doncaster Cup), and Epsom Derby winner MUNDIG, who also won a number of Royal Plates. Most of his youngsters were stayers, and many of them were fast. The overwhelming majority raced in the north, primarily Yorkshire, but some did well at Newmarket and Goodwood. He did not get a leading sire son in Great Britain, but before his export to France, Catton's son ROYAL OAK got Slane (1833), who was at the top of the sire's list in 1845. ROYAL OAK himself was the dominant stallion in France in the late 1830s and 1840s, commanding the highest stud fee, at 250 francs, for many years. Catton's son TRUSTEE became a leading sire in the U.S. in 1848, and got a leading sire son in Revenue, champion U.S. sire in 1860. Two of Catton's daughters produced classic winners in England, one bred a classic winner in France, and one went to the U.S. where she established a hugely influential family.
Catton and his sons also got many good hunters and some high-priced coach horses out of Yorkshire coaching mares. "Few lines of blood," said The Druid, "have done more for Yorkshire."
Catton got two winners as a result of his first season in 1817 at Middlethorpe, before he returned for his last hurrah on the turf. CORONATION (1818, from a Paynator mare) was bred by King and sold to and raced by Lord Scarborough; he won one race and was third in Jack Spigot's Doncaster St. Leger. The second, SANDBECK (1818) was bred by Lord Fitzwilliam from Orville's sister, Orvillina (1804, by Beningbrough), and was also purchased by Scarborough, for whom he won three races, including Doncaster's Club Stakes in 1823 and the Fitzwilliam Stakes at York in 1824. In the stud SANDBECK got Redshank, a good runner, but is more signficant as dam's sire of the grand runner and important stallion The Flying Dutchman and of the Ascot Gold Cup and Doncaster St. Leger winner Van Tromp. Another foal from that first season, a CATTON MARE (1818), out of Hannah, by Sorcerer, was bred by Sir Walter Milner, and sold to Scarborough; in 1827 she produced Windcliffe, by Waverley, a winner of Doncaster's Fitzwilliam Stakes (2 miles) at age three and at age four of the King's Purse at Doncaster (2 miles), and second in the Great Subscription Purse over the same distance that year.
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Swap
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SWAP (1819, from a Hambletonian mare) was bred by the Malton squire William Garforth, who had owned Florizel and bred a number of good north country runners. Purchased by Thomas Orde Powlett, another noted Yorkshire sportsman, the grey colt was one of the Cattons that did well racing in the south, like Catton both fast and sturdy. He was later a modest stallion for Colonel Yates; one of his better runners was Lochinvar.
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SWAP ran once as a juvenile, winning the Castle Stakes for two year olds at Newcastle-on-Tyne. The next year he was unplaced in the Doncaster St. Leger, won by Theodore, but several days later won the rich Gascoigne Stakes, beating Theodore. At age four he was taken to Newmarket, where he was second in the Craven Stakes to Catton's three-year-old son SCARBOROUGH, beating a big field of thirteen other horses. The Duke of Richmond bought him after this showing, and ran him back in the Claret Stakes, where he was third to Moses and Morisco, beating three other horses. He went on to Brighton, failing to place in the Gold Cup, but winning the Brighton Stakes, beating a Gohanna grandson, Monk. At Lewes he beat the filly Sprite (by Phantom) in a match for 100 guineas. He was taken to Goodwood, where he was second to Brother to Antonio in the Sussex Stakes. At Southampton he won the 100 sovereign town plate in three mile heats, beating two others, and the same day won a stakes in two two-mile heats. His last race was a 100 sovereign match at Newmarket Houghton against the mare Prosody, which he won by ten lengths.
Other winners in Catton's 1819 crop included daughters FAIR CHARLOTTE and REGALIA, both raced by Scarborough, and AKARIUS, a winner of two small races that was one of Catton's sons that became a noted coaching horse stallion. In the U.S. Catton's son TRUSTEE (1829), a much better race horse than AKARIUS, would also gain fame as a sire of trotters. FAIR CHARLOTTE (1819, Henrietta by Sir Solomon) won seven races; her daughter Fanny (1830, by Jerry), won the two mile Northumberland Plate. FAIR CHARLOTTE'S female line bred on, and she was second dam of Park Hill Stakes winner Peggy (1840), the dam of Epsom Derby winner Musjid. REGALIA (1819), a sister to CORONATION, won four races, including a handicap sweep at Doncaster over the St. Leger course, and was second in the four mile Pontefract Gold Cup and York St. Leger.
Between 1820 and 1822 Catton got eleven winners, including: SCARBOROUGH (1820, Little Queen by Haphazard), PANMURE (1820, Lady Grey by Stamford), and THE COUNTESS (1822, from a Hambeltonian mare). SCARBOROUGH, raced by the Duke of Rutland, won five races, including Newmarket's Craven Stakes (beating SWAP), the Oatlands at Newmarket, a sweepstakes and the Town Plate at Newmarket July, and the Leicester Gold Cup. He died at age four, before he could make a mark in the stud. PANMURE won ten races, including the Kelso Gold Cup and the Royal Plate at the Caledonian Hunt, both over 4 miles. THE COUNTESS won four small races for John Robinson and later bred some winners; her sister, an unnamed CATTON MARE (1824) produced the good Yorkshire runner Godfrey (1841), who won the Great Ebor Handicap at age three and was second in Liverpool's Stanley Stakes and the Derby Handicap, and his half-brother, The Black Diamond (1833, by Jerry), winner of Newcastle's Tyro Stakes and second in the Newcastle St. Leger. Through a daughter this mare was also second dam of the Champagne Stakes winner A British Yeoman (later a useful stallion) and his brother, Manchester Cup winner Sheraton.
Another unnamed CATTON MARE (1822, from the Paynator mare that was dam to CORONATION) produced Taglioni (1827, by Whisker), a winner of many races over six seasons on the turf, including a sweepstakes at Lewes at age three. Taglioni was later the dam of Retriever -- who won Goodwood's Chesterfield Cup and the Goodwood Stakes, the Worcester Cup, the Royal Whip (4 miles) and the Madrid Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland -- and Tearaway, also a winner of the Madrid Stakes. Tearaway was later a successful stallion in Ireland, and leading sire there in 1854 and 1855, getting such winners as Royal Whip and Irish Cesarewitch winner Dough, and the very first Conyngham Cup (steeplechase) winner, Torrent.
The 1823 and 1824 Catton crops made up his largest group of winners born in one year, and those that exhibited the highest class. There were 18 winners in his 1823 crop, including TARRARE, ROYAL OAK, and MULATTO, and eleven in 1824, including NONPLUS.
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Mulatto
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MULATTO (1823), was out of Desdemona, by Orville, a great four-miler and two-time leading sire that was owned by Charles W. Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Fifth Earl Fitzwilliam, a very wealthy landowner and sportsman in Yorkshire, whose family had been involved in racing for generations, and who"was distinguised by the princely way in which he conducted his stud..." Desdemona was bred at Fitzwilliam's stud, and was a pretty good race mare, winning a sweepstakes at Doncaster over the St. Leger course in 1814, and second to St. Leger winner Altisidora in a four mile race at Doncaster the following year. MULATTO was her sixth foal and first one by Catton. She also produced the Catton filly QUADRON (1826), whose tail-female family extends through the 20th century.
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MULATTO, according to The Druid, was "more blood-like than the majority of the Cattons," with "much more style, and was more round and plump, and with the most blood-like head and neck." He was sent to the Fitzwilliam stables at Swinton and put in training with Kit Scaife; MULATTO was, said The Druid, "Like all Lord Fitzwilliam's horses in Scaife's day...very badly broken. Clift [William Clift, who rode horses at Swinton for Fitzwilliam, and became a successful jockey on Fitzwilliam's many winners] used to say of him, and in fact every one of them 'Here's a pretty brute! I never get on one but I've a chance of getting my neck broke; no mouth, no nothing; I've to make all."
MULATTO began his turf career at age three at York Spring, where he ran third to Belzoni in the York St. Leger. In August he took a walk-over for the Peregrine Stakes, and at the same meet was second to Actaeon in a sweepstakes, with Catton's daughter FAIR CHARLOTTE third. He was second to TARRARE in the Doncaster St. Leger, and at the same meeting ran second to the grand race mare Fleur-de-Lis in the Doncaster Cup. He ended the season by winning a race at Lincoln.
At age four, 1827, he was unbeaten, all his races at York and Doncaster -- the earl never sent his horses south to run. At York Spring he won a sweep beating Bedlamite and three others. At York August he took a walk-over for £200, and at the same meeting he won both the Great Subscription Purse, beating Fanny Davies and Mary Ann, and the third Great Subscription beating Actaeon, Sirius, and LADY GEORGIANA. At Doncaster he won the Fitzwilliam Stakes, beating NONPLUS and two others by three lengths and then went on to win the Doncaster Cup (now two miles-five furlongs), beating Memnon (winner of the St. Leger and Ascot Gold Cup), Fleur-de-Lis, Longwaist, Actaeon, Starch, Reviewer, and TARRARE. Also at Doncaster he took a walk-over for £250.
In 1828 something was amiss with him; the best he could do in five starts was a third at York Spring in the Constitution Stakes, won by Laurel. The next year he somewhat redeemed himself by winning the Fitzwilliam Stakes at York July, beating Moonshine and Actaeon. He had been third in a two mile sweep to CAMBRIDGE at York Spring, and after the Fitzwilliam Stakes was second in the four mile Great Subscription, won by Granby, with Actaeon third. He did not place in two more races, and was retired to stand at The Lodge, at Wentworth and also spent time as a stallion at Thorp e Hall, near Peterborough.
MULATTO was not an exceptional sire, but he did get some good ones, many of which won as juveniles, and his daughters were successful producers. He had one classic winner, Bloomsbury (1836, from Arcot Lass by Ardrossan), a handsome colt and good runner that won the Epsom Derby, the Ascot Derby, Liverpool's Croxteth Stakes, and a sweepstakes and was second in some good races. Bloomsbury was sold as a stallion to Germany where he got two winners of the 8 furlong Mehi Mulhens Rennen at Koln and some other runners.
Another good running MULATTO son, Old England (1842, from Fortress by Defence) won all his juvenile races, including Ascot's New Stakes, and at Newmarket, the July Stakes, Steppingley Stakes and a sweepstakes. At age three Old England won Goodwood's Drawing Room Stakes and the Queen's Plate at Salisbury, and was third in the Derby. At age four he won the Queen's Plate at Winchester, and was retired to stud after an injury soon thereafter. Described as a 15.3. hands "beautiful bay" with "great muscular power," he had a touch of temper, combined unattractively with a tendency to be sluggish. He stood at Ackworth Park Low Farm, 2-1/2 miles from Pontefract, and was Catton's best hope for a continuation of the sire line in England. He did get two good runners in Cesarewitch winner Haco (1850) and Defiance (1850, "his forehand was good, but he fell off behind the saddle"), a winner of the Great Northamptonshire Stakes in a fine race in which he beat Weathergage, but the line petered out with these colts.
Some MULATTO'S other runners included Armenia (1834), a winner of Newmarket's July Stakes; Antigua (1836), who took Liverpool's Sefton Stakes at age three, and two other races at York; Sepoy (1833), winner of Newmarket's Town Plate and other races; Hill Coolie (1837), a winner of Stockbridge's Champagne Stakes and races at Bath and elsewhere. Other winners included Oak Branch (1837), Discord (1837), African (1839), Maroon (1837, second in the Doncaster St. Leger, later a sire of hunters and coach horses), and Louisa (1836, at age three the winner of a sweepstakes at Newmarket First Spring, and third in the Epsom Oaks).
Another MULATTO winner was Mr. Ramsay's Martha Lynn (1837, from Leday by Filho da Puta), "...a deep, rather than a broad mare, with fine hips and hocks..a muscular neck and ribs well arched." She won the Two Year Old Stakes at Eglinton Park, a sweepstakes at Paisley and one other race, but she ensured MULATTO'S presence in pedigrees by producing Voltigeur --winner of the Derby, Doncaster St. Leger, and one of the most famous Doncaster Cups ever run -- and his good sisters, several of which bred on in tail-female. Voltigeur later got Vedette, the sire of Galopin. Martha Lynn's daughters included Yorkshire Oaks winner Vivandiere (sister to Voltigeur), and Eglinton Stakes winner Mosquito.
MULATTO was also got Morsel, who stood no more than 14-1/2 hands and was sold at age two for 50 guineas to Mr. Wetherell, an auctioneer. He sent her to Physician, who had established a reputation for getting smart two-year-olds, and in 1841 she dropped The Cure, a winner of Doncaster's Champagne Stakes as a juvenile and Newmarket's Suffolk Stakes at age three, and other races, also placing second in the Doncaster St. Leger. He was later a useful stallion that got the 1861 Grand National Steeplechase winner Jealousy. The Cure's half- brother, Grimston (1843, by Verulam - Morsel), won both the Goodwood Cup and the Ascot Gold Vase at age three. MULATTO was also dam's sire of Goodwood Stewards Cup winner Cotton Lord (1846, Stockport - Manilla); of Doncaster's Portland Handicap winner Skylark (1861, Brother to Bird on the Wire - Lady Milton), and of the excellent French filly Ronzi (1852, Sir Tatton Sykes - Florida), winner of the Prix de Diane and at age four the 4000 meter Prix Gladiateur. The Alarm son Frantic (1849, from an unnamed Mulatto mare) won the Northampton Triennial as a juvenile, and won some good matches at Newmarket.
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Tarrare
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TARRARE (1823), was out of Henrietta, by the stout Sir Solomon. Henrietta, bred and raced by Scarborough, was a good four-miler and weight-carrier, winning a Royal Plate at Doncaster at age four, carrying 10 st-4 lbs. and one at York at age five, carrying 10 st. To the cover of Catton she also produced FAIR CHARLOTTE, SISTER TO TARRARE (1824), a winner of two races, including the Royal Plate at York August over four miles when age four, CLARION (1828), a winner of four races, including the two mile Royal Plate at Lichtfield (later sent to France as a stallion), and ANNE (1830), a winner of the Nottingham Gold Cup and some other races, that was exported to Hungary where she produced Alert (1841), a winner of the Nemzeti dij Budapest (1600 meters).
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TARRARE, like Catton, was trained by Sam King for the earl. He wasn't the horse his sire was, nor, it was later seen, as good as his crop-mate, MULATTO, either as a runner or a stallion. He ran twice as a juvenile, winning a sweep for two-year-olds at Pontefract, beating three other youngsters, and placing second in Doncaster's Champagne Stakes to KING CATTON, with six others in the field.
His first race at age three, 1826, was the Doncaster St. Leger, run in the mud. He popped a splint a few days before the race, which greatly affected the odds, and he went off at 20:1, which enticed some big wagers. The distance of the race had been shortened to 1 mile-6 furlongs, 132 yards, reduced 60 yards, and the weights were also reduced; in addition, a new grandstand, "the Nobleman's Stand,"had been built. There was a false start, after which the field of 27 got off well. At the Red House Bedlamite, Tarrare and Mulatto took up the lead, and although it looked first as if Bedlamite might pull ahead, and then as if Mulatto would win, neither caught Tarrare, who won by half a length, and pulled up lame.
TARRARE wasn't seen again until York August, 1827, where he ran second in a sweep over two miles to the 1824 St. Leger winner Jerry, beating NONPLUS and one other. At the same meeting he took a walk-over for a 100 sovereign sweepstakes. At Doncaster he was nowhere in the Doncaster Cup, won by MULATTO. In 1828 he was equally undistinguished: he was second to Medoro in a sweepstakes over two miles at York August. His last race was the two mile Doncaster Stakes at Doncaster a month later, won by NONPLUS, in which TARRARE was unplaced.
TARRARE was purchased by William Theobald, whose Stockwell Stud was located near Clapham. A later, more famous, resident at the stud was the superior broodmare Pocahontas. At Stockwell TARRARE was "a great strapping sire" of "job" horses, none of which were big winners. In 1839, after some years of undistinguished service, he was shipped off to France, where the merits of ROYAL OAK had by then become readily apparent. There he got some good winners, including Alexandre Aumont's filly Cavatine (1841, from Destiny (dam of Royal George) by Centaur), third in the Prix de Diane, and second in the Prix du Jockey Club, both times behind Lanterne, at age three, and five government races and the Grand Prix Royal (4,000 meters, later called the Prix Gladiateur), beating Monarque, at age four.
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Royal Oak
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ROYAL OAK (1823, from a Smolensko mare) was bred at R. Harrison's Aislabie Stud at Ripon, in Yorkshire. He bore a strong resemblance to Catton, but had only a fraction of his racing ability. He changed hands four times during his two years on the turf, starting first for Harrison in Yorkshire at age three, then passing to a Mr. Dickenson who ran him in the midlands under the name "Mr. Catton," and at the end of the season to Thomas Houldsworth in ran him in one race. He was sold to Francis Conyngham, Lord Mountcharles, the heir to the Marquis Conyngham, and ran in his colors throughout his second season. He won eleven of his nineteen starts, mostly at the plate level in small fields, but did take the Abingdon Stakes, beating King George IV's good mare, Maria, over 1 mile-2 furlongs, and the Surrey and Middlesex Stakes over 2-1/4 miles, beating four others, including the good runner Link Boy.
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At the end of the 1827 season, ROYAL OAK was retired to Lord Tavistock's stud at Oakley, in Bedfordshire. He got some winners there; the best, by far, was Slane, a higher-class racehorse than his sire. Slane got four classic winners when at stud, and was leading sire in England in 1845. Slane's son, Sting, was sold to France, where he was a good sire of fillies. Slane, likewise, was a good filly getter, and broodmare sire. He was dam's sire of the French stallion, Dollar; of the stayer Cambuscan -- later sire of the unbeaten race mare Kincsem; and of the beautiful Kingston, the sire of Queen Bertha.
ROYAL OAK was purchased by Lord Henry Seymour, the "Father of the French Turf," in late 1832 and in 1833 was sent to stud in France, where he became the dominant stallion in the early development of French racing and French bloodstock. He got numerous classic winners in France, and many good daughters that became important producers. His most notable daughter was Poetess (1838), a classic race winner and dam of Hervine, a champion runner that later established an important female line in France. Poetess also produced Monarque, a tough, game winner that won the top races in France and the Goodwood Cup and Newmarket Handicap in England. He became one of France's most important stallions, getting the French-bred Gladiateur, winner of England's Triple Crown, and Consul, who sent Monarque's sire line forward in France for many generations.
Another winner from the 1823 crop was Scarborough's LADY GEORGIANA (sister to CORONATION, REGALIA, and Taglioni's dam), a winner of six races, including the Royal Plate at Lincoln in two mile heats, and second in the Beverley Gold Cup and in a four mile Great Subscription Purse at York. Yet another sibling from this family was JUBILEE (1824), later dam of Ascot's New Stakes winner Joy (1843, by Bay Middleton) and the winners Cattonian and Cattonite, both by Muley Moloch.
Other good winners in Catton's 1823 crop included CROMARTY (1823, from a Remembrancer mare), a winner of twenty races, mostly in Scotland; Doncaster's Champagne Stakes winner KING CATTON (1823, from a Shuttle mare); GRECIAN QUEEN (1823, Queen Coil by Sweetwilliam), who won four good races, including the Black Hall Stakes at Black Hall; and TRUTH (1823, from Caifacaaratadaddera by Walton), who took six races, including the Produce Stakes at Catterick Bridge, and two Gold Cups at Canterbury. Catton's frequent opponent on the turf, St. Leger winner Altisidora, produced an unnamed chestnut filly (1823) by Catton for Richard Watt; this Catton filly won three races worth £780, and later became the dam of Ralph (1838), winner of Newmarket's Criterion Stakes at age two, the Two Thousand Guineas at age three, Newmarket's Cambridgeshire at age four, and the Ascot Gold Cup at age five.
NONPLUS (1824, Miss Garforth by Walton), won five races in three seasons on the turf, including the York St. Leger, the Northallerton Gold Cup (2 miles), and the Doncaster Stakes. He was later sent to the U.S. where he got some winners. Miss Garforth also produced KATE (1823, by Catton); KATE produced Ainderby (1832, by Velocipede), a good, fast weight-carrier that was imported into the U.S. in 1838 by Lucius Polk and was a successful stallion there. Another Catton colt that went to the U.S., CONTRACT (1823, Helen by Hambletonian) is seen in some 19th century U.S. pedigrees. JOCELINE (1824, from a Williamson's Ditto Mare), bred and raced by Sir T. Stanley, won eleven races and £1,450 during his career, and was later purchased by Baron Biel, "Father of the German Turf" for his stud in Prussia near Wiswar. Another SCARBOROUGH (1824), by Catton, almost certainly named in honor of the one that broke his leg in 1824, won the Manchester Royal Plate and other races for the earl.
CORONET (1825), a brother to CORONATION, REGALIA, LADY GEORGIANA, etc., was the best of the brood, winning 29 races and over £2,398 for his owner, Lord Mountcharles, in the course of his long career at mostly minor venues. One of his wins was a £50 plate at Ascot, which he won in the dark after four heats. Lord Scarborough's CAMBRIDGE (1825, from a Sir David mare) won six races, including the 4 mile Royal Plate at Doncaster. He was purchased by Dr. Merritt of Virginia, and got some useful runners in the U.S.
CISTERCIAN (1826, out of a Paynator mare (not the dam of CORONET, etc.)), was bred by King's partner, Horsely, and sold to Scarborough. He won five races, including the Doncaster Stakes twice (the first time in 1829, dead-heating with Medoro), and was second in the Pontefract Gold Cup and Lincoln's Grand Falconer's Cup. DIANA (1826), bred by Gascoigne from Trulla, his Sorcerer mare, won twelve races worth £1,525, including, at age seven, both the Leamington Stakes and the Royal Plate at Warwick (two mile heats), the Gold Cup and another race at Abingdon, the Gold Cup and Worcester Stakes at Worcester, and the Oxford Stakes and one other race at Oxford. Unfortunately, she did not breed on.
CAROLAN (1827, from a Dick Andrews mare) won five races, including the Royal Plate at Newcastle (four mile heats) at age four. CONTEST (1828, from Miss Maltby by Filho-da-Puta), bred by Filho-da-Puta's owner, Mr. Houldsworth at his stud at Farnsfield, near Southwell, from his home-bred mare, won ten races, including the Royal Plate at Doncaster over four miles; his sister, CECILIA (1829), produced daughters that bred on.
Another 1828 foal, GALOPADE (Camellina by Camillus), bred and raced by Colonel King of Ashby, Lincolnshire, ran twice as a juvenile, winning a mile sweepstakes at Lincoln worth £69. She was sold to Canada, and ended up in James Jackson's Forks of the Cypress farm in Alabama, where she established an important female family -- still producing stakes winners -- through her good daughters, including Reel (1838, by Glencoe). Another of Catton's 1828 daughters was an unnamed filly out of Lord Exeter's excellent broodmare Dulcinea by Cervantes; in France she bred the Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Philip Shah (1843).
Catton's 1829 crop included Lord Mountcharles' (later Marquess Conyngham) BASSETLAW (1829, from Oracle by Soothsayer), a winner of six races, including a 100 sovereign match against Miss Mary Ann at Newmarket Craven, and Mountcharles' colt MINSTER (1829, from an Orville mare), who won seven races. MINSTER was sold to France in 1834. Stanlake Batson's (owner of 1834 Derby winner Plenipotentiary) MIXBURY (1829) won two good races, including the 1832 Newmarket Stakes.
TRUSTEE (1829, from the superior broodmare Emma, by Whisker), was "a smart sort of horse," that was small, but "full of quality," although with a plain head. He was bred at Streatlam Castle stud in County Durham and purchased, along with Liverpool, for 3,675 guineas by Lord Darlington (later the Duke of Cleveland). He won four races, including Newmarket's Claret Stakes in 1833, beating MINSTER by "a stride," and a match against MINSTER at the same meeting, which he won by a length, and the same year won Doncaster's Clarence Stakes. In 1832 was second in York's Great Subscription Purse, and ran third in St. Giles' Epsom Derby.
Sold in 1835 and imported into the U.S. by Commodore Robert Stockton of Princeton, New Jersey, TRUSTEE was purchased after a year at stud to Walter Livingston, and in the course of his career as a stallion stood in Long Island, Virginia, and Kentucky before dying in 1856. He got many good runners, and a superior trotting horse, named Trustee Jr. He got 90 winners of 165 flat races in the sixteen years his offspring ran. His winners included Fashion (1837), one of the all-time great race mares in America, and Revenue (1843), a good runner and later a leading sire in the U.S.; one of Revenue's sons was Planet, the best racehorse in the U.S., bar Lexington, prior to the Civil War. Planet, like Catton and TRUSTEE, also got some superior trotting horses, including Dame Winnie, the dam of Palo Alto.
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Mundig
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The chestnut MUNDIG (1832) was Catton's second good son out of Emma, and his only Derby winner. Like TRUSTEE, he was bred at Streatlam and raced by his young owner, John Bowes. He bore a strong resemblance to Catton in his short, powerful legs and "coarse" look. The Druid said he had "remarkably fine and sweeping" action when "fhoroughly extended." He won his first race, the Epsom Derby, after three false starts, by half a neck in a field of thirteen. He went to Doncaster, where he failed to place in the St. Leger, but he won the Foal Stakes the following day, beating three others. At age four he won two Royal Plates -- at York and Nottingham -- and was second to Venison in the King's Plate at Doncaster, in six starts. Another Catton son that did not succeed at stud in England, MUNDIG was sold to Prussia in 1843, where he got some foals at several state studs.
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Catton's daughter LADY CHARLOTTE (1830, from Lady Easby by Whisker) was a hard-knocking filly that changed hands several times during her year (1833) on the turf. She won eight races in total, among them a match against Temperance over a mile at Epsom, the Huntingdon Stakes (Huntingdon, also placing second in a sweepstakes and in the Members' Plate), the Town Plate and a two mile handicap at Yarmouth (placing second in the Yarmouth Gold Cup), the Town Plate at Southwold (Suffolk), the Hedley Stakes (one mile heats) and Nork Stakes at Epsom. She was also second to Camarine in Newmarket's Craven Stakes, and placed second in several other races at various venues. She was one of the many English mares purchased by Baron Biel and sent to his stud in Germany, where her line bred on for several generations.
FLORESTAN (1832) was out of Darioletta, by Amadis. Two years later Darioletta would produce ST. BENNETT (1834) to the cover of Catton, and in 1836 Barbelle, by Catton's son SANDBECK, that became the dam of The Flying Dutchman and Van Tromp. Running for the Duke of Rutland, FLORESTAN won the Oatlands Stakes and a handicap sweepstakes at Newmarket First Spring and a handicap sweep at Newmarket Second Spring in 1837. He was sold to the East India Company and exported. ST. BENNETT, raced by Lord Eglinton, won a number of good races, including the Liverpool Summer Cup (beating a high class field), the Northumberland Plate (2 miles) and the Wolverhampton Stakes in 1838, and the Northumberland Plate a second time in 1839.
Catton's daughter MISS BOWE (1834, from an Orville mare) ran for Lord Stanley; her wins included the Stanley Stakes at Heaton Park and the Royal Plate at Manchester over three miles. In the stud at Knowsley she was an excellent producer. Her daughter Iris (1848, by Ithuriel) won the Epsom Oaks and was second in the Yorkshire Oaks and third in the One Thousand Guineas. Iris's brother, Longbow (1849) won York's Eglington Stakes, Goodwood's Gratwicke Stakes, Newmarket's Royal Stakes and the Doncaster Stakes at age three, and Goodwood's Stewards Cup, and the Meiklam Handicap and the Union Cup at Manchester at age four. MISS BOWE'S son Tom Bowline (1857, by The Flying Dutchman) won the St. James's Palace Stakes, and her sons Boiardo (1861, by Orlando) and De Clare (1852, by Touchstone) were also good runners.
Scarborough died in 1830, and all his horses were sold by Tattersall's at York, "save our favourite, Catton." Scarborough's widow gave Catton to Frederick Lumley, a close relative, whose family operated a stud at Tickhill Castle near Bawtry, where many a famous stallion has occupied its boxes. Catton stood for two more years as a public stallion at the Turf Tavern, and for his last season was taken to Tickhill. He had developed a swelling below his jowl, and efforts to drain it were to no effect. It grew in size -- almost certainly cancer -- and on December 24, 1833, age 24, he died.
--Patricia Erigero
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