Diamond Jubilee b c 1897 (St. Simon - Perdita, by Hampton). Sire Line St. Simon. Family 7-f.

Bred and raced by HRH the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), Diamond Jubilee was named in honour of the sixtieth year of the reign of Queen Victoria. He was a full brother to the Derby and St. Leger winner Persimmon (b c 1893) and the Goodwood Cup winner Florizel (br c 1891). A handsome horse of medium size his highly-strung and difficult temperment caused considerable concern throughout most of his racing career.

His two year old season was at least partially compromised by his unruly behaviour. He won only one of his races, finishing fourth in the Coventry Stakes, last in the July Stakes, and with a new jockey, Mornington Cannon, managed a second placing in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and a win in the Boscawen Stakes. Cannon was unavailable for his next race and with Jack Watts back in the saddle he finished second in the Middle Park Stakes. He lost his final race of the year, the Dewhurst Plate, to Democrat who had also beaten him in the previous race.

His trainer, Richard Marsh, is given all credit for his patience and tact in bringing the colt along. In the spring of 1900 Marsh requested permission to employ Herbert Jones as jockey for Diamond Jubilee. Jones, his exercise rider, had demonstrated an affinity with the colt and with him won the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, the Newmarket Stakes, and the Derby Stakes. In his next engagement, the Princess of Wales's Stakes, Diamond Jubilee finished second to Merry Gal (b f 1897 Galopin), Oaks runner-up and later the dam of White Eagle (ch c 1905 Gallinule), whilst conceding her nineteen pounds. He went on to win the Eclipse Stakes and, despite the resurgence of his unreliable temperment, the St. Leger Stakes. In his last race as a three year old he was defeated by the American-bred Disguise (b c 1897 Domino) in the Jockey Club Stakes.

His disappointing four year old campaign, in the colours of the Duke of Devonshire due to the court mourning the death of the queen, was blamed on his increasingly intractable behaviour. He managed a respectable second to Epsom Lad (br c 1897 Ladas) in the Princess of Wales's Stakes, fourth to the same horse in the Eclipse Stakes, and third to Pietermaritzburg (b c 1898 St. Simon) and Epsom Lad in the Jockey Club Stakes, which was his final race.

Having earned over £29,000 and the distinction of a triple crown he retired to the stud at Sandringham. He covered for a fee of 300 guineas until his sale in 1906, for above £30,000, to Argentina. There Diamond Jubilee was champion sire four times, getting the Gran Premio Nacional winners As De Espadas (b c 1908) and Smasher (b c 1911) and the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini winner Moloch (ch c 1914), before his death in July of 1923.

Courtesy of the Jockey Club, Newmarket