Vedette (GB)
 
 


Vedette

 

Sire Line


King Fergus

Sire


Voltigeur

 

 


Speculum, by Vedette


Hagioscope, by Speculum

 

 

 

 

 

 Vedette br c 1854 (Voltigeur - Mrs Ridgeway, by Birdcatcher). Sire Line King Fergus. Family 19-b.

First called West Hartlepool, he was bred by R Chilton and was a full brother to Qui Vive (br f 1856) who won the Park Hill Stakes and became the dam of St James's Palace and King Edward VII Stakes winner King Cole (b c 1867 King Tom) and Cesarewitch and Queen Alexandra winner King Lud (b c 1869 King Tom). Prior to his turf career he was purchased by Mr "Billy" Williamson for his brother-in-law Thomas Dundas (1795-1873), 2nd Earl of Zetland, of Aske Hall, Richmond, Yorkshire. Lord Zetland also owned his sire, Voltigeur.

He was said to have a "very beautiful action" and was blessed with both speed and stamina, although troubled by rheumatism. Mr Williamson thought that but for his rheumatism he would never have been defeated, as he was by far the best horse of his day. He lost only two races during his three seasons on the turf, finishing second each of those times. Among his victories were the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, the Doncaster Cup (twice), the Great Yorkshire Stakes and the Ebor Handicap.

He covered at Roydon in Norfolk alongside Tadmor (b c 1846 Ion) and the Two Thousand Guineas winner The Promised Land (b c 1856 Jericho) and later at Dewhurst Lodge in Sussex with the Ascot Gold Cup winner Scottish Chief (b c 1861 Lord of the Isles). His best son was doubtlessly Galopin (b c 1872), a top two year old and later sire of the legendary St Simon (br c 1881). He also got the Goodwood Cup winner Speculum (b c 1865) who was champion sire in 1878 and generated significant sire lines to both Achtoi (br c 1912 Santoi) and Sundridge (ch c 1898 Amphion) and beyond.

 
Pedigree
Vedette Voltigeur Voltaire Blacklock
Phantom Mare
Martha Lynn Mulatto
Leda
Mrs Ridgeway Birdcatcher Sir Hercules
Guiccioli
Nan Darrell Inheritor
Nell
Race Record
 
In 1856 he finished 4th for the 15 sovs each Eglinton Stakes at York in August, won by Mr J Osborne's Augury (ch f 1854 Birdcatcher), with Mr Wilson's The Princess of Orange (br f 1854 The Flying Dutchman) placing 2nd and Mr E R Clark's Yorkshireman (b c 1854 Sir Tatton Sykes) 3rd. Won the 50 sovs each Bedford Stakes at Newmarket Second October by 2 lengths, beating Baron Rothschild's The Western Power (ch c 1854 Surplice) and the Duke of Bedford's Sunflower (b c 1854 Tufthunter).
 
In 1857 he won the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes "without much difficulty," beating Mr F Robinson's St James's Palace Stakes winner Anton (br g 1854 Bay Middleton), Lord Clifden's Loyola (br c 1854 Surplice), Baron Rothschild's Ascot Derby winner Sydney (ch c 1854 Surplice), Mr W S Crawfurd's Lord of the Hills (b c 1854 Touchstone), Lord Exeter's Turbit (br c 1854 Woodpigeon), Mr Padwick's July Stakes winner Drumour (ch c 1854 Big Jerry or Weatherbit), Kent (ch g 1854 Chatham), Mr Goodwon's Apathy (br c 1854 Annandale), Mr T Parr's Lambourne (ch c 1854 Loup-Garou) and 2 others. Won the Ebor St Leger at York in August, beating Lord H Thynne's Scheidam (br c 1854 The Flying Dutchman), Mr Bowes's The Bird in the Hand (br c Birdcatcher) and 2 others. Won the Great Yorkshire Stakes easily, beating Lord Zetland's Ascot Gold Cup winner Skirmisher (br c 1854 Voltigeur), Mr Merry's Goodwood Cup winner Saunterer (bl c 1854 Birdcatcher) and 2 others. Won the Fitzwilliam Stakes at Doncaster "easily," Princess Royal, Lady Alice, Fisherman and 3 others. Won the Gold Cup at the same place, beating Mr Drinkald's Black Tommy (bl c 1854 Womersley), Mr A Nichol's Warlock (br c 1853 Birdcatcher) and others.
 
In 1858 he finished 2nd for the 100 sovs each Port Stakes at Newmarket Craven, won by Mr T Parr's Odd Trick (ch c 1854 Sleight of Hand). Won the Great Ebor Handicap at York in August, beating Mr J Thompson's Tunstall Maid (br f 1855 Touchstone), Mr Starky's Fisherman (br c 1853 Heron), Count Batthyany's The Courier (br c 1855 The Flying Dutchman), Mr G Forster's Underhand (b c 1854 The Cure) and 8 others. Won the 300 sovs Cup at Doncaster in September by half a length, beating Saunterer, Black Tommy, Fisherman, Mr J Rigby's Tournament (b c 1854 Touchstone), Lord Glasgow's Brother to Bird on the Wing (bl c 1853 Birdcatcher) and Mr W S Crawfurd's Zuyder Zee (b c 1854 Orlando).
 
Notable Vedette Mares
 
1. Vallation (b f 1861), dam of the Royal Hunt Cup winner Valuer (br c 1865 St. Albans). Family 6-b.
2. Crossfire (b f 1862), 4th dam of the Derby and Two Thousand Guineas winner Sunstar (br c 1908 Sundridge) and of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks winner Princess Dorrie (br f 1911 Your Majesty). Family 5-i.
3. Gardevisure (br f 1862), winner of the Cambridgeshire Stakes. Family 1-j.
4. Vex (br f 1865), sister to Galopin, won the Stewards' Cup, ancestress of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Poesie (ch f 1926 Cannobie), the Irish Derby winner Mondragon (ch c 1936 Sea Serpent), and the stallions Dinna Forget (br c 1892 Loved One) and McGee (b c 1900 White Knight), the latter a leading stallion in America in 1922. Family 3-i.
   
   
Galopin (GB) b c 1872 (Vedette - Flying Duchess, by The Flying Dutchman). Sire Line King Fergus. Family 3-i.