There will be many who will be hoping that Carlton House (Street Cry), who is worthy favourite having won Dante Stakes (Gr 2) in impressive style, will give the Queen her first Derby win. The Queen has gone close to winning the Derby as in 1953, five days after her Coronation, Aureole (Hyperion) finished second to Pinza (Chanteur II).
Aureole, pictured left, who like Carlton House was trained at Freemason’s Lodge under the care of Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, ran twice at two years when winning the Acomb Stakes, at York, despite running very green. Having finished unplaced in the Middle Park Stakes, also over 6 furlongs, Aureole was put away for with an aim of the middle distance races in mind for his three-year-old season.
His first run in 1953 was the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, when finishing a running on fifth to the previous year’s Middle Park Stakes winner, Nearula (Nasrullah). Aureole next start was the Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes, on the 16th May. Run over a mile and half, Aureole proven to be a convincing winner when pulling clear of the field to beat Mountain King (Precipitation) by an impressive five lengths.
This preparation could not have gone better for his Derby run on the 3rd June. Derby day was a perfect day with the going described as good with 27 horses due to go to post. With a very big crowd present, to cheer on their new Queen’s horse, Aureole appeared fractious in the paddock. Having got to the start in good order Aureole went off 3rd favourite at 9/1 with his stable-companion, Premonition (Precipitation), and Pinza (Chanteur II), the Dewhustr winner, going off a joint favourites at 5/1. As the field approached Tattenham Corner Gordon Richard’s, who was on Pinza, had got an amazing run on the rail, which hard brought him into the straight only four lengths behind the Aga Khan’s Shikmpur (Tehran). With three furlongs to run, Pinza, who had a great turn of foot, was able to close on the leader. By this stage Aureole had to come wide round Tattenham Corner, so Pinza had certainly got first run on him, but despite all efforts of jockey, Harry Carr, Aureole was never able to close the gap on Pinza and finished runner-up by four lengths. Pinza, who was in fact only Sir Victor Sasson’s second Classic winner, despite all the years he had spent as an owner, with Exhibitionist having won the 1937 1,000 Guineas and Oaks Stakes. It was also the first Derby win for the then newly Knighted Sir Gordon Richards.
Aureole’s next start was the Eclipse Stakes on the 11th July, run over a mile and a quarter and taking on the older horses. At this stage of the summer many of the Newmarket stables had been suffering from a bout of coughing. It was due to this that perhaps Aureole only finished third, to four-year-old Arugur (Djebel). Next start was a week later (18th) in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Heath. Aureole was again taking on Pinza. Despite having been kicked in the ribs in the paddock Aureole ran another strong race to finish second again to Pinza. It was Pinza’s great burst of acceleration that Aureole could not cope with.
With Pinza declared lame for the final British Classic of the years, the St Leger, Aureole went off a deserved favourite against the 15 other colts and 1 filly. Aureole was only able to finish third, to Premonition, however having run a little free it was clear that Aureole did not stay the mile and three-quarters as he looked full of running with two furlongs to run.
Aureole was able to show his class when dropping back to his favoured mile and a half in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes back at Ascot Heath on October 10th, where he proved a good winner when beating Philos by a length and a half. Aureole concluded his three year-old season in second position in the free handicap with 9st 2lbs. Had it not been for Pinz, Aureole would have be a deserved champion three-year-old.
Aureole was kept in training as a four-year-old in 1954 and proved even better than he did at three, having improved physically over the winter. Having finished second, to the previous year’s Irish Derby winner Chamier (Chamossaire), in the Coronation Stakes at Sandown, Aureole raced a further four times and winning all of them. Having won the Victor Wild Stakes, back over 12 furlongs, Aureole was them aimed at Coronation Cup at the Derby meeting. Aureole proved to be very good colt as he was a five length winner, having swept clear of the field with three furlongs to run, beating with Chatsworth into second and Nearula in third. Next was the Royal Ascot where Aureole went off the odd-on favourite in the Hardwicke Stakes. Turning into the straight Aureole against showed his class when again pulling clear of the rest of the field, However the French runner, Janitor (Pharis), came with a late run and Aureole just held on to win by a short head.
Aureole’s final run was the in his second attempt King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. With no Pinza in the field, who had retired after winning the race the previous year, Aureole looked the outstanding horse in the race and duly went off 9/1 against, despite the field made up of Chamier, Italy’s Champion Botticeli (Blue Peter), the 1954 2,000 Guineas winner Darius (Dante), the St Leger winner Premonition and the Doncaster Cup winner Souepi (Epigram). Again having raced sixth or seventh Aureole raced into the lead on entering the straight. Running freely, Aureole made his run to the line. With the going heavy Aureole did well to hold off the efforts of Vamos (Vatellor) to win by three-quarters of a length. This win meant he had acclaimed the title of best older horse in Europe. His career read 14 races, seven wins and placed five times win prize-money of £36,225 ½.
Aureole was then retired to stud at the Royal Studs, Sandringham. He was by the ‘great’ sire Hyperion, who was a son of triple-crown winner Gainsborough (Bayardo) and out of Angelola (Donatello II), a Lingfield Oaks Trial Stakes winner. Her dam, Feola, had been purchased at the Tattersalls July Sales 1934, as a yearling by 3,000gns by Brigadier Tomkinson on behalf of King George V. What a purchased that turned out to be as not only did Feola produce the dam of Aureole but the she proved to be one of world leading foundation mare for the Royal Studs, as the likes of Highlight, Highclere, Height of Fashion, Nashwan, Deep Impact, Blueprint, Nayef and Right Approach all stem from her family. CWC
Aureole, pictured left, who like Carlton House was trained at Freemason’s Lodge under the care of Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, ran twice at two years when winning the Acomb Stakes, at York, despite running very green. Having finished unplaced in the Middle Park Stakes, also over 6 furlongs, Aureole was put away for with an aim of the middle distance races in mind for his three-year-old season.His first run in 1953 was the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, when finishing a running on fifth to the previous year’s Middle Park Stakes winner, Nearula (Nasrullah). Aureole next start was the Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes, on the 16th May. Run over a mile and half, Aureole proven to be a convincing winner when pulling clear of the field to beat Mountain King (Precipitation) by an impressive five lengths.
This preparation could not have gone better for his Derby run on the 3rd June. Derby day was a perfect day with the going described as good with 27 horses due to go to post. With a very big crowd present, to cheer on their new Queen’s horse, Aureole appeared fractious in the paddock. Having got to the start in good order Aureole went off 3rd favourite at 9/1 with his stable-companion, Premonition (Precipitation), and Pinza (Chanteur II), the Dewhustr winner, going off a joint favourites at 5/1. As the field approached Tattenham Corner Gordon Richard’s, who was on Pinza, had got an amazing run on the rail, which hard brought him into the straight only four lengths behind the Aga Khan’s Shikmpur (Tehran). With three furlongs to run, Pinza, who had a great turn of foot, was able to close on the leader. By this stage Aureole had to come wide round Tattenham Corner, so Pinza had certainly got first run on him, but despite all efforts of jockey, Harry Carr, Aureole was never able to close the gap on Pinza and finished runner-up by four lengths. Pinza, who was in fact only Sir Victor Sasson’s second Classic winner, despite all the years he had spent as an owner, with Exhibitionist having won the 1937 1,000 Guineas and Oaks Stakes. It was also the first Derby win for the then newly Knighted Sir Gordon Richards.
Aureole’s next start was the Eclipse Stakes on the 11th July, run over a mile and a quarter and taking on the older horses. At this stage of the summer many of the Newmarket stables had been suffering from a bout of coughing. It was due to this that perhaps Aureole only finished third, to four-year-old Arugur (Djebel). Next start was a week later (18th) in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot Heath. Aureole was again taking on Pinza. Despite having been kicked in the ribs in the paddock Aureole ran another strong race to finish second again to Pinza. It was Pinza’s great burst of acceleration that Aureole could not cope with.
With Pinza declared lame for the final British Classic of the years, the St Leger, Aureole went off a deserved favourite against the 15 other colts and 1 filly. Aureole was only able to finish third, to Premonition, however having run a little free it was clear that Aureole did not stay the mile and three-quarters as he looked full of running with two furlongs to run.
Aureole was able to show his class when dropping back to his favoured mile and a half in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes back at Ascot Heath on October 10th, where he proved a good winner when beating Philos by a length and a half. Aureole concluded his three year-old season in second position in the free handicap with 9st 2lbs. Had it not been for Pinz, Aureole would have be a deserved champion three-year-old.
Aureole was kept in training as a four-year-old in 1954 and proved even better than he did at three, having improved physically over the winter. Having finished second, to the previous year’s Irish Derby winner Chamier (Chamossaire), in the Coronation Stakes at Sandown, Aureole raced a further four times and winning all of them. Having won the Victor Wild Stakes, back over 12 furlongs, Aureole was them aimed at Coronation Cup at the Derby meeting. Aureole proved to be very good colt as he was a five length winner, having swept clear of the field with three furlongs to run, beating with Chatsworth into second and Nearula in third. Next was the Royal Ascot where Aureole went off the odd-on favourite in the Hardwicke Stakes. Turning into the straight Aureole against showed his class when again pulling clear of the rest of the field, However the French runner, Janitor (Pharis), came with a late run and Aureole just held on to win by a short head.
Aureole’s final run was the in his second attempt King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. With no Pinza in the field, who had retired after winning the race the previous year, Aureole looked the outstanding horse in the race and duly went off 9/1 against, despite the field made up of Chamier, Italy’s Champion Botticeli (Blue Peter), the 1954 2,000 Guineas winner Darius (Dante), the St Leger winner Premonition and the Doncaster Cup winner Souepi (Epigram). Again having raced sixth or seventh Aureole raced into the lead on entering the straight. Running freely, Aureole made his run to the line. With the going heavy Aureole did well to hold off the efforts of Vamos (Vatellor) to win by three-quarters of a length. This win meant he had acclaimed the title of best older horse in Europe. His career read 14 races, seven wins and placed five times win prize-money of £36,225 ½.
Aureole was then retired to stud at the Royal Studs, Sandringham. He was by the ‘great’ sire Hyperion, who was a son of triple-crown winner Gainsborough (Bayardo) and out of Angelola (Donatello II), a Lingfield Oaks Trial Stakes winner. Her dam, Feola, had been purchased at the Tattersalls July Sales 1934, as a yearling by 3,000gns by Brigadier Tomkinson on behalf of King George V. What a purchased that turned out to be as not only did Feola produce the dam of Aureole but the she proved to be one of world leading foundation mare for the Royal Studs, as the likes of Highlight, Highclere, Height of Fashion, Nashwan, Deep Impact, Blueprint, Nayef and Right Approach all stem from her family. CWC
Thank you for the interesting historical overview. Thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening.
ReplyDeleteI have an original photograph of Gainsborough, taken by Clarence Hailey in Newmarket, and originally displayed in what is now known as Gainsborough Stud. What an impressive physical specimen!
Viewing the photo tends to quicken my interest in any stories relating to the best offspring of Hyperion.