Brilliant

Sire Line

Alcock's Arabian

Brilliant bu c 1750 (Crab - Sister 1 to Buffcoat, by Godolphin Arabian). Sire Line Alcock's Arabian. Family 6-a.

Bred by the Earl of Portmore, he was sold as a 2 year old to William Crofts of West Harling, Norfolk. Racing from 1754 to 1757 he won 7 of his starts. A colour portrait of the Great Subscription in which Jason beat Brilliant clearly shows Brilliant's buckskin coat colour. He probably inherited his colour from his 2nd dam Silverlocks (d f 1725 Bald Galloway).

He was in the Winchester stud at Epsom, Surrey, from 1758 to 1763, except for 1761 when he stood at Richmond, Yorkshire. From 1764 to 1772 he stood at Crofts's farm in West Harling, where he commanded a fee of 10 guineas. His stock was said to be generally of good size and handsome. He got many good racers, including the noteworthy Don Dun (b c 1769), but his legacy is due to his daughters. An unnamed daughter, Sister to Gem, (b f 1767) was the dam of Crookshanks (b c 1777 Florizel) who twice won the Doncaster Cup, and the 2nd dam of the useful sire Hutchinson's Weazle (b c 1776 King Herod). Another unnamed daughter, Brilliant Mare* (f 1770), was sent to South Carolina.

Pedigree

Brilliant	Crab	Alcock's Arabian	.
			.
		Sister to Soreheels	Basto
			Sister to Mixbury
	Sister to Buffcoat	Godolphin Arabian	.
			.
		Silverlocks	Bald Galloway
			Sister to Chaunter

Race Record

In 1754 he won the King's Plate at Ipswich, beating Lord Godolphin's Buffcoat colt, the Duke of Ancaster's Lizard (gr c 1750 Ancaster Starling) and Mr. Keck's Ruby (b c 1750 Regulus). Won £50 at Huntingdon. Won £50 at Newmarket October, beating Mr. Panton's Pytho (gr c 1750 Crab), Sir J. Moore's South (b c 1750 Regulus), Lord Portmore's Stately (ch f 1750 Mogul), the Duke of Cumberland's Shock (b c 1750 Shock) and 3 others.

In 1755 he won 50 sovereigns at Newmarket, defeating Mr. Fenwick's Syphon (ch c 1750 Squirt), the Duke of Cumberland's Marske (br c.1750 Squirt), Mr. Keck's Ruby (b c 1750 Regulus) and 4 others. Won the King's Plate at Burford, beating Mr. Martindale's Adolphus (ro c 1750 Regulus) and Mr. Dutton's Boreas. Won £50 at Newmarket October, beating 2 others "very easily".

In 1756 he won the Hundred Guineas at Newmarket, distancing Pytho (gr c 1750 Crab), a brother to Allworthy.

In 1757, he raced at least once, coming 4th to Jason (gr c 1749 Old Standard) in the Great Subscription at Newmarket.

Antelope

Antelope bu c 1760 (Brilliant - Mare, by Bumper). Sire Line Alcock's Arabian. Family 27.
Antelope, owned by William Everett of Newmarket, was described as a beautiful, strong, substantial horse. Racing from 1763 to 1767 he recorded victories in seven King's Plates along with three other wins. His Royal Plates came at Burford, Lichfield, Guildford (walk-over), Winchester, Canterbury, Lewes and Salisbury. He later covered at Thomas Stamford's at Newmarket for a fee of three guineas. His best known son was Colonel Hunt's Gem (bu c 1770) who won the 120 guineas Hunters' Stakes at Chelmsford and the King's Plate at Canterbury in 1776.