Ancaster Starling

Sire Line

Starling [Ancaster] gr c 1738 (Bolton Starling - Ringbone, by Croft's Partner). Sire Line Darcy's White Turk. Family 2-a.

Bred in Yorkshire by John Croft at Barforth, he was purchased at five years of age by Mr. Martindale and prior to the 1747 turf season by Peregrine Bertie (1714-1778), 3rd Duke of Ancaster, a member of the Jockey Club and Master of the Horse to King George III.

Starling was said to stand 14 hands 2 and 3/4 inches, and to have been undefeated when carrying 11 or 12 stone. By 1745 he had amassed a string of victories in King's Plates and Fifties which perhaps induced Mr. Martindale to issue a challenge to any horse in England. Lord Portmore accepted with Babraham (b c 1738 Godolphin Arabian) and the race was run in May of 1746 at Newmarket. Starling is said to have won easily.

He retired to the Duke's stud at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, and got several good runners along with some useful daughters. He probably covered as a private stallion until 1759 when he was advertised to stand at Croyden, Surrey, for a fee of £2. His last offspring recorded in the General Stud Book arrived in 1758. The Turf Register notes that Starling died around 1760 or 1761 [Pick1:76] although the General Stud Book says he died at Croyden in 1764 [GSB1:395].

Pedigree

Starling	Bolton Starling	Bay Bolton	Grey Hautboy
			Makeless Mare
		Camilla's Dam	Brother to Grey Grantham
			Old Lady
	Ringbone	Croft's Partner	Jigg
			Sister to Mixbury
		Lusty Thornton	Hampton Court Cripple Barb
			Chesnut Thornton

Race Record

In 1743 he finished 4th for £50 at Epsom in May, won by Mr. Langhorne's Venture (ch c 1738 Oroonoko), with Sir M. Wyvill's Garnet (br c 1738 Young Belgrade) placing 2nd, Lord Essex's Dimple (bl c 1738 Blacklegs) 3rd, the Duke of Beaufort's Dapper (gr c 1738 Hampton Court Childers) 5th, Lord Weymouth's Neptune (gr c 1738 Crab) 6th, Lord W. Manners's bl c Black Jack 7th, Mr. Hamley's gr c 8th, Mr. Ashley's Long Looked For (b c 1738 Childers) 9th and Mr. Thompson's Quiet (b g 1738 Quiet Cuddy) 10th. Won £50 at Reading in July, beating Mr. Edwards' ch f Welsh Lady, Sir Harry Harpur's Turpin (b c 1737 Smales's Childers) and Mr. Roberts' ch c Little John. Won £50 at Oxford in August, beating Mr. Greville's Oroonoko [ex-Venture] (ch c 1738 Oroonoko), Lord Weymouth's Neptune and Mr. Everet's b f Castaway. Won £50 at Chippenham, beating Mr. Bilton's Warrior.

In 1744 he won the 112.5gs Subscription Plate at Newmarket in March, beating Mr. Routh's Forfeit (b c 1738 Bartlet's Childers), Mr. Grisewood's Trifle (gr c 1738 Fox), Mr. Greville's Oroonoko, Sir Marmaduke Wyvill's Garnet, Sir J. Ramsden's b c by the Lonsdale Bay Arabian and the Duke of Devonshire's Collier (bl c 1738 Devonshire Blacklegs) in four-mile heats. Won the King's Plate at Guildford in May, beating Mr. Grisewood's Trifle, Mr. Aislabie's Bucephalus (ch g 1738 Robinson Crusoe) who was later named Arthur O'Bradley, and Mr. Roberts' ch c Little John. Won the King's Plate at Salisbury in June, beating Mr. Routh's Forfeit, the latter withdrawn after the first heat. Won the King's Plate at Winchester later in June, beating Mr. Aislabie's Bucephalus and Mr. Dalmon's b filly. Walked over for the King's Plate at Canterbury in August. Won the King's Plate at Lewes in August, beating Mr. Ashley's Long-Looked-For (b c 1738 Childers) and Mr. Barker's ch filly. Won the King's Plate at Newmarket in October, beating Mr. Croft's Drowsy (b c 1738 Fox Cub) and the Duke of Devonshire's bl c by Blacklegs.

In 1745 he won the King's Plate at Newmarket in April, beating Mr. Greville's Drowsy and Mr. Routh's bl c Othello in three heats. Won £50 at York in August, beating Mr. Routh's Othello (bl c 1738 Oroonoko) in four-mile heats. Finished 3rd for a £50 give and take Plate at Lincoln in September, won by the Duke of Ancaster's Strip (b c 1739 Lowther), with Sir Marmaduke Wyvill's Cloth Carrier (b g 1737c Young Belgrade) placing 2nd. Finished 2nd for a 50gs Subscription Purse at Newmarket in September, won by Mr. Aislabie's Bucephalus, beating Mr. Meredith's Cade (b c 1734 Godolphin Arabian) and the Duke of Devonshire's b colt.

In 1746 finished 2nd for 50gs at Newmarket in March, won by Mr. Grisewood's Teazer (gr c 1739 Bolton Starling), beating Mr. Greville's Drowsy, Lord Gower's Tortoise (b c 1737 Godolphin's Whitefoot), the Duke of Devonshire's Collier and the Duke of Ancaster's Brisk (b c 1737 Cinnamon). Won "easy" the above mentioned match between himself and Babraham at Newmarket on May 3rd, with each horse carrying 9st over four miles, for 200 guineas a side. Won £50 at Huntingdon in July, beating Mr. Bradley's Arthur O'Bradley. Collected 20 guineas at Windsor. Won 50gs at Newmarket in September, beating Mr. Panton's Veteran (b c 1742 Lonsdale Bay Arabian), Lord Gower's Tortoise and Mr. Bradley's Arthur O'Bradley, the latter having gone lame.

In 1747, running for the Duke of Ancaster he won 50gs at Newmarket in April, beating Lord Gower's Tortoise and Mr. Metcalfe's Lady Betty (b f 1740 Devonshire Blacklegs). Won the £50 give and take Plate at York in August "with ease", beating Mr. Sowdon's Darling and 1 other whilst conceding over 2 stone. Walked over for the £50 give and take Plate at Lincoln, which was his last appearance on the turf.

Ancaster Starling Mares
1.	Starling Mare, dam of the very good race horse Turf (b c 1760 Matchem), who was later a useful stallion, and 3rd dam of Champion Sire Trumpator (bl c 1782 Conductor), a contributor to the Matchem Sire Line.
2.	Starling Mare (bl f 1755), bred by the Duke of Ancaster, never trained and was first covered at the age of two, ancestress of most of Family 14.
3.	Starling Mare (f 1757c), 4th dam of the good Irish stallion Commodore (ch c 1793 Tom Tug).
4.	Sprightly (gr f 1753), bred by Lord Albemarle Bertie, 3rd dam of Ascot Gold Cup winner Master Jackey (ch c 1804 Johnny) and Woodcote stakes winner Miss Seedling (b f 1806 Totteridge).
5.	Sister to Turf's Dam (f 1751), bred by the Duke of Ancaster, dam of Lord March's race mare Rose (ch f 1754 Blank), and 2nd dam of his Koulikhan (b c 1772 Vernon Arabian).