Tontine (horse)

Tontine
Sire	Election
Grandsire	Gohanna
Dam	Pope Joan
Damsire	Waxy
Sex	Mare
Foaled	1822
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton
Owner	Duke of Grafton
Trainer	Robert Robson
Record	8:3-2-3
Major wins
Wellington Stakes (1825) 1000 Guineas (1825)

Tontine (foaled 1822) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in 1825. When the other horses entered in the race were withdrawn, Tontine became the only horse to win a classic by walkover. In a racing career which lasted from April 1825 until April 1826 she ran eight times and won three races. Unlike many of her near relatives, Tontine made no impact as a broodmare.

Background

Tontine was a chestnut mare bred by her owner George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton at his stud at Euston Hall in Suffolk. She was sired by the Epsom Derby winner Election whose other classic winning offspring included colts Manfred (2000 Guineas) and Gustavus (Derby). Election died in the year of Tontine's conception^[1] of "inflammation",^[2] but his daughter's success enabled him to posthumously win the title of Champion sire in 1825. Tontine's dam Pope Joan was a daughter of Prunella, described as one of the most important broodmares in the history of the Thoroughbred breed.^[3] Pope Joan herself was a successful broodmare, producing several other good winners, all of whose names began with the letter "T", including Turquoise (Oaks Stakes), Turcoman (2000 Guineas), Trictrac, Tiara, Trance, Titian and Talisman.^[4] Grafton sent the filly to be trained at Newmarket by Robert Robson, the so-called "Emperor of Trainers".^[5]

Racing career

1825: three-year-old season

The Duke of Grafton, who bred and owned Tontine

Tontine made her first racecourse appearance on 6 April 1825 at the Newmarket Craven meeting. She started 4/6 favourite for a Sweepstakes over the Abington Mile course but was beaten by her only opponent, an unnamed colt owned by the Duke of York.^[6] Three days later, Tontine started 3/5 favourite for the Wellington Stakes over the same distance. Ridden by Frank Buckle, she won from two opponents to take a prize of 1,200 guineas.^[7] On 21 April, Tontine was scheduled to contest the twelfth running of the 1000 Guineas Stakes over the Rowley Mile course. Seven other fillies had been entered for the race by their owners, at a cost of £100 each, but none of them appeared to oppose Tontine on the day. The Duke's filly was therefore allowed to claim the prize by walking over the course.^[8] Although many early runnings of the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas attracted very small fields this was the only occasion on which a British classic race was decided without a competitive heat.^[9] On 20 May at Epsom Downs Racecourse Tontine was made 4/6 favourite for the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles. She finished third of the ten runners behind Wings, a filly owned by the Duke of Grafton's cousin Thomas Grosvenor.^[10]

Tontine did not appear again until the First October meeting where she was matched against the 2000 Guineas winner Enamel in the Post Sweepstakes over the Rowley Mile. Tontine led from the start and defeated Enamel, but both classic winners were beaten by the Duke of Portland's colt Mortgage, who got the better of a "severely contested" finish to prevail by a neck from the filly.^[11] At the Second October meeting two weeks later Tontine finished last of the four runners in a Subscription race behind Camel, Dahlia and Mortgage. Tontine's last appearance of the year came on 2 November at the Houghton meeting. In a Handicap Plate over ten furlongs she carried a weight of 112 pounds and ran a dead heat with Mr Hunter's unnamed grey filly, with Dahlia in third place. Mr Hunter declined to run his filly in a deciding heat, leaving Tontine to walk over for the victory, although the owners did agree to divide the prize.^[12]

1826: four-year-old season

Tontine was kept in training as a four-year-old in 1826, but her campaign consisted of a single unsuccessful start. On 26 April at the First Spring meeting she was one of three runners for a subscription race over the four mile Beacon Course. The filly lost her chance by bolting and finished last behind Chateaux Margaux and Nigel. She did not run again.^[13]

Stud record

Tontine was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the Duke of Grafton's stud. She produced several foals by stallions including Merlin, Sultan and St Patrick, but no top class runners.^[14]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Tontine (GB), chestnut mare, 1822^[15]
Sire Election (GB) 1804	Gohanna 1790	Mercury	Eclipse
		Mercury	Tartar Mare
		Dundas Herod mare	Herod
		Dundas Herod mare	Maiden
	Chestnut Skim 1794	Woodpecker	Herod
		Woodpecker	Miss Ramsden
		Milsintowns Herod mare	Herod
		Milsintowns Herod mare	Young Hag
Dam Pope Joan (GB) 1809	Waxy 1790	Potoooooooo	Eclipse
		Potoooooooo	Sportsmistress
		Maria	Herod
		Maria	Lisette
	Prunella 1788	Highflyer	Herod
		Highflyer	Rachel
		Promise	Snap
		Promise	Julia (Family 1-e)^[4]

Tontine was inbred to an unusual degree. The stallion Herod appears five times in the fourth generation of her pedigree while Eclipse appears twice. This means that she had only three of a possible eight great-great-grandsires.

References

↑ Weatherby, Edward and James (1821). "Stallions". Racing Calendar 32: 403.
↑ Weatherby, Edward and James (1832). "Obituary of stallions". The General Stud Book 3: xlix.
↑ "The Dukes of Grafton: Prunella and her Family". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
1 2 "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Prunella - Family 1-e". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ "The Dukes of Grafton: The Racing". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1826). Racing calendar. 1825. C H Reynell. p. 10. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1826). Racing calendar. 1825. C H Reynell. p. 13. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1826). Racing calendar. 1825. C H Reynell. p. 24. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1826). Racing calendar. 1825. C H Reynell. p. 44. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Sporting magazine (1827). Rogerson and Tuxford. 1828. p. 27. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1826). Racing calendar. 1825. C H Reynell. p. 224. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Edward and James Weatherby (1827). Racing calendar. 1826. C H Reynell. p. 25. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ Charles Weatherby (1832). The General Stud Book 3. C & W Reynell. p. 423. Retrieved 2012-10-28.
↑ "Tontine pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-10-28.

1000 Guineas winners

1814 Charlotte 1815 Filly by Selim 1816 Rhoda 1817 Neva 1818 Corinne 1819 Catgut 1820 Rowena 1821 Zeal 1822 Whizgig 1823 Zinc 1824 Cobweb 1825 Tontine 1826 Problem 1827 Arab 1828 Zoe 1829 Young Mouse 1830 Charlotte West 1831 Galantine 1832 Galata 1833 Tarantella 1834 May-day 1835 Preserve 1836 Destiny 1837 Chapeau d'Espagne 1838 Barcarolle 1839 Cara 1840 Crucifix ‡ 1841 Potentia 1842 Firebrand 1843 Extempore 1844 Sorella 1845 Pic-nic 1846 Mendicant 1847 Clementine 1848 Canezou 1849 The Flea 1850 Lady Orford 1851 Aphrodite 1852 Kate 1853 Mentmore Lass 1854 Virago 1855 Habena 1856 Manganese 1857 Imperieuse 1858 Governess 1859 Mayonaise 1860 Sagitta 1861 Nemesis 1862 Hurricane 1863 Lady Augusta 1864 Tomato 1865 Siberia 1866 Repulse 1867 Achievement 1868 Formosa ₩ ‡ 1869 Scottish Queen 1870 Hester 1871 Hannah ₩ 1872 Reine 1873 Cecilia 1874 Apology ₩ 1875 Spinaway 1876 Camelia 1877 Belphoebe 1878 Pilgrimage 1879 Wheel of Fortune 1880 Elizabeth 1881 Thebais 1882 St Marguerite 1883 Hauteur 1884 Busybody 1885 Farewell 1886 Miss Jummy 1887 Reve d'Or 1888 Briarroot 1889 Minthe 1890 Semolina 1891 Mimi 1892 La Fleche ₩ 1893 Siffleuse 1894 Amiable 1895 Galeottia 1896 Thais 1897 Chelandry 1898 Nun Nicer 1899 Sibola 1900 Winifreda 1901 Aida 1902 Sceptre ₩ ‡ 1903 Quintessence 1904 Pretty Polly ₩ 1905 Cherry Lass 1906 Flair 1907 Witch Elm 1908 Rhodora 1909 Electra 1910 Winkipop 1911 Atmah 1912 Tagalie 1913 Jest 1914 Princess Dorrie 1915 Vaucluse 1916 Canyon 1917 Diadem 1918 Ferry 1919 Roseway 1920 Cinna 1921 Bettina 1922 Silver Urn 1923 Tranquil 1924 Plack 1925 Saucy Sue 1926 Pillion 1927 Cresta Run 1928 Scuttle 1929 Taj Mah 1930 Fair Isle 1931 Four Course 1932 Kandy 1933 Brown Betty 1934 Campanula 1935 Mesa 1936 Tide-way 1937 Exhibitionnist 1938 Rockfel 1939 Galatea II 1940 Godiva 1941 Dancing Time 1942 Sun Chariot ₩ 1943 Herringbone 1944 Picture Play 1945 Sun Stream 1946 Hypericum 1947 Imprudence 1948 Queenpot 1949 Musidora 1950 Camaree 1951 Belle of All 1952 Zabara 1953 Happy Laughter 1954 Festoon 1955 Meld ₩ 1956 Honeylight 1957 Rose Royale 1958 Bella Paola 1959 Petite Etoile 1960 Never Too Late 1961 Sweet Solera 1962 Abermaid 1963 Hula Dancer 1964 Pourparler 1965 Night Off 1966 Glad Rags 1967 Fleet 1968 Caergwrle 1969 Full Dress 1970 Humble Duty 1971 Altesse Royale 1972 Waterloo 1973 Mysterious 1974 Highclere 1975 Nocturnal Spree 1976 Flying Water 1977 Mrs McArdy 1978 Enstone Spark 1979 One in a Million 1980 Quick As Lightning 1981 Fairy Footsteps 1982 On The House 1983 Ma Biche 1984 Pebbles 1985 Oh So Sharp ₩ 1986 Midway Lady 1987 Miesque 1988 Ravinella 1989 Musical Bliss 1990 Salsabil 1991 Shadayid 1992 Hatoof 1993 Sayyedati 1994 Las Meninas 1995 Harayir 1996 Bosra Sham 1997 Sleepytime 1998 Cape Verdi 1999 Wince 2000 Lahan 2001 Ameerat 2002 Kazzia 2003 Russian Rhythm 2004 Attraction 2005 Virginia Waters 2006 Speciosa 2007 Finsceal Beo 2008 Natagora 2009 Ghanaati 2010 Special Duty 2011 Blue Bunting 2012 Homecoming Queen 2013 Sky Lantern 2014 Miss France 2015 Legatissimo

Legend - ₩ = Fillies Triple Crown winners, † = Epsom Derby winners, ‡ = 2000 Guineas Stakes winners

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