Othello (GB)
 
 


Othello

 

 

 

Sire Line


Crab


Alcock's Arabian

 

 

 

 Othello [Portmore's] bl c 1743 (Crab - Miss Slamerkin, by Young True Blue). Sire Line Alcock's Arabian. Family 7.

Bred by William Crofts (1711-1770) of West Harling, Norfolk, he was later sold to Charles Colyear (1700-1785), 2nd Earl Portmore, and after the 1749 season, to Sir Ralph Gore (1725-1802), 6th Baronet of Magherabegg in County Donegal, who sent him to Ireland. He was described as a horse of size, fashion and beauty, and his 1754 stallion advertisement claimed that he was "judged to be as fine a Horse as has been train'd since the famous Childers". He was a full brother to the good runner Bustard (gr c 1741 Crab), to the stallion Oroonoko (bl c 1745 Crab) and half brother to the racemare Duchess (b f 1748 Portmore's Whitenose).

He was mistakenly identified in the American Stud Book as the imported Othello, however, he was never sent to America. Also called Black-and-all-Black, he ran with considerable success for five years.

Othello retired to stud in England at Dr Everett's, Stow Hall, Cambridgeshire, remaining there from 1754 to 1756. His fee at this time was five guineas. His daughter, Mr Tuting's winner Creeping Polly (ch f 1756), was the dam of Champion Sire King Fergus (ch c 1775 Eclipse), and another daughter, Jett (bl f 1757) was the dam of Whirligig* (b c 1765 Captain) who proved his worth as a stallion in America. Othello died in 1767.

 
Pedigree
Othello Crab Alcock's Arabian  
 
Sister to Soreheels Basto
Sister to Mixbury
Miss Slamerkin Young True Blue Honeywood's Arabian
Byerley Turk Mare
Oxford Dun Arabian Mare Oxford Dun Arabian
Blacklegs Royal Mare
Race Record
 
In 1748 he won 50 guineas at Lewes, defeating Mr Dutton's King Pepin (b c 1743 Old Cartouch) in both four-mile heats, each carrying 9 stone 2 pounds. At Stockbridge he won £50, beating Mr Harrison's Black Eyes (br f 1741 Old Crab) in both three-mile heats, each carrying 10 stone.
 
In 1749 he lost the King's Plate at Guildford to the Duke of Ancaster's Tartar (ch c 1743 Old Partner), each carrying 12 stone in four-mile heats. At Salisbury he won the King's Plate, beating Mr Grisewood's Tom Jones (b c Old Partner), each carrying 12 stone over four miles. He also won the King's Plate at Lewes, again defeating Tom Jones, each carrying 12 stone over four miles. He is also said to have won the King's 100 guineas at Canterbury and Newmarket.
 
In April of 1750, now owned by Sir Ralph Gore, he won 100 guineas, given by the Society of Sportsmen, at the Curragh of Kildare, beating his full-brother, Lord Antrim's Bustard (gr c 1741 Crab), Sir Marmaduke Wyvill's Primate (bl c Young Belgrade), Sir Edward O'Brien's Old England (b c 1741 Godolphin Arabian), and two others. All carried 12 stone in four-mile heats. In September he won the King's Plate at the Great Heath, near Marybrough, worth 50 guineas, carrying 12 stone over four miles.
 
In September of 1751 he won a 1000 guineas match against Lord March's Bajazet (b c 1740 Godolphin Arabian) at the Curragh, each carrying 12 stone over four miles. Also at the Curragh he won the first heat of the King's Plate, beating Sir Marmaduke Wyvill's Primate, the latter winning the second heat. Sir Ralph Gore, noting that Primate had crossed Othello during the heat, claimed the plate, which was subsequently disallowed, whereupon Sir Ralph withdrew Othello from the third heat, resulting in a walk-over for Primate.
 
In April of 1752, now the property of Mr Prior (or Fryer), Othello won the 50 guineas Sportsmen's Subscription Purse at the Curragh, beating Mr O'Neil's Chimney Sweeper (br c) and Sir Edward O'Brien's Cumberland (b c 1741 Fletcher's Arabian) in both four-mile heats. At the Curragh in September he won the King's Plate, defeating Lord Antrim's (previously Mr Martindale's) Gustavus (br c 1745 Crofts's Forester) and Mr Morris Keating's Trimmer (b g 1744 Hobgoblin), full-brother to Shakespeare. All carried 12 stone in four-mile heats; Othello won the first and third heats, despite having been used as a stallion the previous spring. He was now sent back to England.