Manna (horse)

Manna
Sire	Phalaris
Grandsire	Polymelus
Dam	Waffles
Damsire	Buckwheat
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1922
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	James J. Maher
Owner	Henry E. Morriss
Trainer	Fred Darling
Record	8: 4-1-2
Earnings	£23,354 (win prize only)
Major wins
Richmond Stakes (1924) 2000 Guineas Stakes (1925) Epsom Derby (1925)

Manna (1922–1939) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse an sire. In a career which lasted from summer 1924 until September 1925, Manna ran four times, winning eight races. As a three-year-old in 1925 he won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Epsom Derby by a record margin of eight lengths. Manna was retired after breaking down in his bid to win the Triple Crown in the St. Leger at Doncaster. He later had a successful career at stud.

Background

Manna, described by the Breeders’ Review as "a superb creature" with whom it was "impossible to find fault",^[1] was a bay horse bred in Ireland by James J. Maher at his Confey Stud in County Dublin. As a yearling he was sent to the sales at Doncaster, where he was sold for 6,300 gns to the trainer Fred Darling acting on behalf of the Shanghai-based bullion broker Henry E. Morriss. Darling had been instructed by a telegram from Morriss to buy the best yearling in the sale.^[2] Manna was trained by Darling at his stable at Beckhampton in Wiltshire^[3] where he proved to be a lively and high-spirited individual.^[4]

Manna was from the third crop of foals sired by Phalaris an outstanding sprinter who went on to become the most influential stallion of the 20th century.^[5] Manna’s dam, the unraced mare Waffles, went on to produce the St. Leger winner Sandwich.

Morriss later explained the colt's name by saying "I always felt that he was a Heaven-sent gift... and Waffles, his dam is the name of a food."^[6]

Racing career

1924: two-year-old season

Manna made his debut in one of the season’s most important races for two-year-olds, the National Breeders’ Produce Stakes at Sandown for which, on the basis of his home reputation, he started odds-on favourite.^[7] He failed to win but showed himself to be a promising colt by finishing third to Garden of Allah. This promise was confirmed when he won the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on his next start in July.

At Kempton he finished second in the Imperial Produce Stakes to Picaroon, the year’s champion two-year-old colt.^[8] He faced Picaroon again in the Middle Park Stakes. Manna took the lead in the final furlong but was outpaced in the last stages of the race and finished third behind Picaroon and Solario^[9] On his final start of the year, Manna beat Cross Bow to win the Moulton Stakes at Newmarket.

1925: three-year-old season

The spring of 1925 was unusually wet, leading to heavy ground on which it was difficult to prepare horses.^[4] Manna was not, therefore, believed to be in peak condition for the 2000 Guineas, and started at odds of 100/8 in a field of thirteen. Ridden by Steve Donoghue, Manna led from the start and won easily, beating St. Becan by two lengths.^[10]

Manna was then aimed at the Derby although there were doubts about whether, as the son of a sprinter, he would have the stamina to be effective over one and a half miles on heavy ground.^[4] He started at odds of 9/1, with Cross Bow, who had won the Newmarket Stakes starting the 9/2 favourite. The race was run in "cold, driving rain" in front of a large crowd which included the King and Queen and other members of the Royal Family.^[7] Ridden confidently by Donoghue, Manna tracked the easrly leader, Dalmagarry, before moving to the front soon after half way. In the straight he pulled steadily further away from his rivals to win by eight lengths. The winning margin was the largest ever recorded in the race, and remained so until Shergar won by ten lengths in 1981. Although Manna had not been favourite, the win was reported to be enthusiastically received, largely because of the popularity of Donoghue, who was winning the race for the sixth time. After the race he explained that Manna had "shot to the front without any bidding from me" and that he had "never shown him the whip".^[6]

Manna failed to reproduce his Derby winning form at Royal Ascot. In the King Edward VII Stakes he finished a close third when attempting to give ten pounds^[11] to Solario a colt who had finished fourth at Epsom. The result caused debate concerning the relative merits of Manna and Solario, with some correspondents expressing the view that Solario had been beaten in the Derby only through a lack of fitness.^[12]

On his final start, Manna attempted to win the Triple Crown in the St. Leger for which he was made 7/2 joint-favourite with Solario. His task appeared to have been made much easier by the late withdrawal of the undefeated filly Saucy Sue who had won the 1000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks.^[13] Manna looked "splendid" before the race and started strongly, leading the field in the early stages, but he was headed after a mile and dropped quickly out of contention.^[14] He finished tenth^[15] of the fifteen runners behind Solario, "limping", according to the Daily Telegraph, "like a tired old hound with thorns in his pads." ^[1] It was subsequently revealed that Manna had sustained an injury to his right foreleg which proved severe enough to end his racing career.^[14]

Assessment

In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Manna an "average" Derby winner and the one hundred and fifteenth best British racehorse of the 20th century.^[16]

Stud career

For his stud career, Manna was syndicated ("turned into limited liablility company") by his owner, with the intention that his future should be managed on "efficient business lines". It was reported that his stud fee was likely to be 400 gns.^[17] Standing at the Banstead Manor Stud, at Cheveley, near Newmarket, Manna was a reasonably successful stallion with the best of his progeny being the 2000 Guineas winner Colombo and the undefeated Mannamead. His son Manitoba was one of leading British two-year-old of 1932 who went on to become an important stallion in Australia. He died after breaking a blood vessel in October 1939.^[18] He was buried at the Banstead Manor Stud, where the stallion man's cottage is still known as "Manna Cottage."^[19]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Manna (IRE), bay stallion, 1922
Sire Phalaris (GB) 1913	Polymelus 1902	Cyllene	Bona Vista
		Cyllene	Arcadia
		Maid Marian	Hampton
		Maid Marian	Quiver
	Bromus 1905	Sainfoin	Springfield
		Sainfoin	Sanda
		Cheery	St. Simon*
		Cheery	Sunrise
Dam Waffles (IRE) 1917	Buckwheat 1906	Martagon	Bend Or
		Martagon	Tiger Lily
		Sesame	St. Simon*
		Sesame	Maize
	Lady Mischief 1903	St. Simon*	Galopin
		St. Simon*	St Angela
		Vain Duchess	Isinglass
		Vain Duchess	Sweet Duchess (Family: 22-d)

Manna was inbred 3x4x4 to St. Simon. This means that the stallion appears once in the third, and twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

1 2 "J. J. Maher". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "RACING FIXTURES". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-09-26. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "Frederick Darling". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
1 2 3 Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
↑ "Phalaris". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
1 2 "DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-07-14. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
1 2 "SPORTING". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-05-28. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions(Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
↑ "ENGLISH TWO-YEAR-OLDS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1924-11-29. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-04-30. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "RACING FIXTURES". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-07-25. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "TIME THEORY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-09-16. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "Saucy Sue won't run in St Leger". Morning Leader. 1925-10-17. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
1 2 "THE ST. LEGER". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-10-17. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "RACING IN ENGLAND". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-09-11. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press,. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
↑ "SHARES IN MANNA". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1925-12-22. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "Manna Is Dead". Newspapers. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
↑ "Juddmonte Europe | News | A history of Banstead Manor Stud |". Juddmonte.com. 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2011-11-09.

External links

Newsreel of 1925 Derby from British Pathé

2000 Guineas winners

1809 Wizard 1810 Hephestion 1811 Trophonius 1812 Cwrw 1813 Smolensko 1814 Olive 1815 Tigris 1816 Nectar 1817 Manfred 1818 Interpreter 1819 Antar 1820 Pindarrie 1821 Reginald 1822 Pastille ♥ 1823 Nicolo 1824 Schahriar 1825 Enamel 1826 Dervise 1827 Turcoman 1828 Cadland 1829 Patron 1830 Augustus 1831 Riddlesworth 1832 Archibald 1833 Clearwell 1834 Glencoe 1835 Ibrahim 1836 Bay Middleton 1837 Achmet 1838 Grey Momus 1839 The Corsair 1840 Crucifix ♥ 1841 Ralph 1842 Meteor 1843 Cotherstone 1844 The Ugly Buck 1845 Idas 1846 Sir Tatton Sykes 1847 Conyngham 1848 Flatcatcher 1849 Nunnykirk 1850 Pitsford 1851 Hernandez 1852 Stockwell 1853 West Australian ₩ 1854 The Hermit 1855 Lord of the Isles 1856 Fazzoletto 1857 Vedette 1858 Fitz-Roland 1859 The Promised Land 1860 The Wizard 1861 Diophantus 1862 The Marquis 1863 Macaroni 1864 General Peel 1865 Gladiateur ₩ 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ 1867 Vauban 1868 Formosa ♥ Moslem 1869 Pretender 1870 Macgregor 1871 Bothwell 1872 Prince Charlie 1873 Gang Forward 1874 Atlantic 1875 Camballo 1876 Petrarch 1877 Chamant 1878 Pilgrimage ♥ 1879 Charibert 1880 Petronel 1881 Peregrine 1882 Shotover ♥ 1883 Galliard 1884 Scot Free 1885 Paradox 1886 Ormonde ₩ 1887 Enterprise 1888 Ayrshire 1889 Enthusiast 1890 Surefoot 1891 Common ₩ 1892 Bona Vista 1893 Isinglass ₩ 1894 Ladas 1895 Kirkconnel 1896 St. Frusquin 1897 Galtee More ₩ 1898 Disraeli 1899 Flying Fox ₩ 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ 1901 Handicapper 1902 Sceptre 1903 Rock Sand ₩ 1904 St. Amant 1905 Vedas 1906 Gorgos 1907 Slieve Gallion 1908 Norman 1909 Minoru 1910 Neil Gow 1911 Sunstar 1912 Sweeper 1913 Louvois 1914 Kennymore 1915 Pommern ₩ 1916 Clarissimus 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ 1918 Gainsborough ₩ 1919 The Panther 1920 Tetratema 1921 Craig an Eran 1922 St Louis 1923 Ellangowan 1924 Diophon 1925 Manna 1926 Colorado 1927 Adam's Apple 1928 Flamingo 1929 Mr Jinks 1930 Diolite 1931 Cameronian 1932 Orwell 1933 Rodosto 1934 Colombo 1935 Bahram ₩ 1936 Pay Up 1937 Le Ksar 1938 Pasch 1939 Blue Peter 1940 Djebel 1941 Lambert Simnel 1942 Big Game 1943 Kingsway 1944 Garden Path ♥ 1945 Court Martial 1946 Happy Knight 1947 Tudor Minstrel 1948 My Babu 1949 Nimbus 1950 Palestine 1951 Ki Ming 1952 Thunderhead 1953 Nearula 1954 Darius 1955 Our Babu 1956 Gilles de Retz 1957 Crepello 1958 Pall Mall 1959 Taboun 1960 Martial 1961 Rockavon 1962 Privy Councillor 1963 Only for Life 1964 Baldric 1965 Niksar 1966 Kashmir 1967 Royal Palace 1968 Sir Ivor 1969 Right Tack 1970 Nijinsky ₩ 1971 Brigadier Gerard 1972 High Top 1973 Mon Fils 1974 Nonoalco 1975 Bolkonski 1976 Wollow 1977 Nebbiolo 1978 Roland Gardens 1979 Tap On Wood 1980 Known Fact 1981 To-Agori-Mou 1982 Zino 1983 Lomond 1984 El Gran Senor 1985 Shadeed 1986 Dancing Brave 1987 Don't Forget Me 1988 Doyoun 1989 Nashwan 1990 Tirol 1991 Mystiko 1992 Rodrigo de Triano 1993 Zafonic 1994 Mister Baileys 1995 Pennekamp 1996 Mark of Esteem 1997 Entrepreneur 1998 King of Kings 1999 Island Sands 2000 King's Best 2001 Golan 2002 Rock of Gibraltar 2003 Refuse to Bend 2004 Haafhd 2005 Footstepsinthesand 2006 George Washington 2007 Cockney Rebel 2008 Henrythenavigator 2009 Sea the Stars 2010 Makfi 2011 Frankel 2012 Camelot 2013 Dawn Approach 2014 Night of Thunder 2015 Gleneagles

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

Epsom Derby winners

1780 Diomed 1781 Young Eclipse 1782 Assassin 1783 Saltram 1784 Serjeant 1785 Aimwell 1786 Noble 1787 Sir Peter Teazle 1788 Sir Thomas 1789 Skyscraper 1790 Rhadamanthus 1791 Eager 1792 John Bull 1793 Waxy 1794 Daedalus 1795 Spread Eagle 1796 Didelot 1797 colt by Fidget 1798 Sir Harry 1799 Archduke 1800 Champion 1801 Eleanor ♥ 1802 Tyrant 1803 Ditto 1804 Hannibal 1805 Cardinal Beaufort 1806 Paris 1807 Election 1808 Pan 1809 Pope 1810 Whalebone 1811 Phantom 1812 Octavius 1813 Smolensko 1814 Blucher 1815 Whisker 1816 Prince Leopold 1817 Azor 1818 Sam 1819 Tiresias 1820 Sailor 1821 Gustavus 1822 Moses 1823 Emilius 1824 Cedric 1825 Middleton 1826 Lap-dog 1827 Mameluke 1828 Cadland 1829 Frederick 1830 Priam 1831 Spaniel 1832 St. Giles 1833 Dangerous 1834 Plenipotentiary 1835 Mundig 1836 Bay Middleton 1837 Phosphorus 1838 Amato 1839 Bloomsbury 1840 Little Wonder 1841 Coronation 1842 Attila 1843 Cotherstone 1844 Orlando 1845 The Merry Monarch 1846 Pyrrhus The First 1847 Cossack 1848 Surplice 1849 The Flying Dutchman 1850 Voltigeur 1851 Teddington 1852 Daniel O'Rourke 1853 West Australian ₩ 1854 Andover 1855 Wild Dayrell 1856 Ellington 1857 Blink Bonny ♥ 1858 Beadsman 1859 Musjid 1860 Thormanby 1861 Kettledrum 1862 Caractacus 1863 Macaroni 1864 Blair Athol 1865 Gladiateur ₩ 1866 Lord Lyon ₩ 1867 Hermit 1868 Blue Gown 1869 Pretender 1870 Kingcraft 1871 Favonius 1872 Cremorne 1873 Doncaster 1874 George Frederick 1875 Galopin 1876 Kisber 1877 Silvio 1878 Sefton 1879 Sir Bevys 1880 Bend Or 1881 Iroquois 1882 Shotover ♥ 1883 St. Blaise 1884 St. Gatien Harvester 1885 Melton 1886 Ormonde ₩ 1887 Merry Hampton 1888 Ayrshire 1889 Donovan 1890 Sainfoin 1891 Common ₩ 1892 Sir Hugo 1893 Isinglass ₩ 1894 Ladas 1895 Sir Visto 1896 Persimmon 1897 Galtee More ₩ 1898 Jeddah 1899 Flying Fox ₩ 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩ 1901 Volodyovski 1902 Ard Patrick 1903 Rock Sand ₩ 1904 St. Amant 1905 Cicero 1906 Spearmint 1907 Orby 1908 Signorinetta ♥ 1909 Minoru 1910 Lemberg 1911 Sunstar 1912 Tagalie ♥ 1913 Aboyeur 1914 Durbar 1915 Pommern ₩ 1916 Fifinella ♥ 1917 Gay Crusader ₩ 1918 Gainsborough ₩ 1919 Grand Parade 1920 Spion Kop 1921 Humorist 1922 Captain Cuttle 1923 Papyrus 1924 Sansovino 1925 Manna 1926 Coronach 1927 Call Boy 1928 Felstead 1929 Trigo 1930 Blenheim 1931 Cameronian 1932 April the Fifth 1933 Hyperion 1934 Windsor Lad 1935 Bahram ₩ 1936 Mahmoud 1937 Mid-day Sun 1938 Bois Roussel 1939 Blue Peter 1940 Pont l'Eveque 1941 Owen Tudor 1942 Watling Street 1943 Straight Deal 1944 Ocean Swell 1945 Dante 1946 Airborne 1947 Pearl Diver 1948 My Love 1949 Nimbus 1950 Galcador 1951 Arctic Prince 1952 Tulyar 1953 Pinza 1954 Never Say Die 1955 Phil Drake 1956 Lavandin 1957 Crepello 1958 Hard Ridden 1959 Parthia 1960 St. Paddy 1961 Psidium 1962 Larkspur 1963 Relko 1964 Santa Claus 1965 Sea Bird 1966 Charlottown 1967 Royal Palace 1968 Sir Ivor 1969 Blakeney 1970 Nijinsky ₩ 1971 Mill Reef 1972 Roberto 1973 Morston 1974 Snow Knight 1975 Grundy 1976 Empery 1977 The Minstrel 1978 Shirley Heights 1979 Troy 1980 Henbit 1981 Shergar 1982 Golden Fleece 1983 Teenoso 1984 Secreto 1985 Slip Anchor 1986 Shahrastani 1987 Reference Point 1988 Kahyasi 1989 Nashwan 1990 Quest for Fame 1991 Generous 1992 Dr Devious 1993 Commander in Chief 1994 Erhaab 1995 Lammtarra 1996 Shaamit 1997 Benny the Dip 1998 High-Rise 1999 Oath 2000 Sinndar 2001 Galileo 2002 High Chaparral 2003 Kris Kin 2004 North Light 2005 Motivator 2006 Sir Percy 2007 Authorized 2008 New Approach 2009 Sea the Stars 2010 Workforce 2011 Pour Moi 2012 Camelot 2013 Ruler of the World 2014 Australia 2015 Golden Horn

Legend - ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

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