Beadsman (horse)

Beadsman
Beadsman. From the Illustrated London News, 1858
Sire	Weatherbit
Grandsire	Sheet Anchor
Dam	Mendicant
Damsire	Touchstone
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1855
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Sir Joseph Hawley
Owner	Sir Joseph Hawley
Trainer	George Manning
Record	7: 5-0-2
Major wins
Newmarket Stakes (1858) Epsom Derby (1858)

Beadsman (1855–1872) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1857 to June 1858, he ran seven times and won five races. He was unbeaten as a three-year-old and recorded his most important success in the 1858 Epsom Derby. He was retired to stud at the end of the season and became a successful stallion, siring the winners of several important races.

Beadsman was a "blood-like, wiry-looking, but rather leggy" horse with a dark brown coat standing 15.2½ hands high. He was bred by his owner Sir Joseph Hawley. Beadsman was sent into training with George Manning, at his stable at Cannons Heath, near Kingsclere in Hampshire, although decisions regarding his racing career were all made by Hawley. Manning's stable was converted barn and was not noted for its hygiene: a stagnant pond "where frogs and beetles revel" stood close by the entrance and was blamed for causing outbreaks of fever and "malaria" among the inmates.

Beadsman’s sire, Weatherbit, was runner-up in the 1845 Goodwood Cup before going on to a successful stud career. His dam, Mendicant, was a "very superior racemare", winning the 1000 Guineas and the Epsom Oaks in 1846 before she was bought by Hawley in 1847.

Beadsman was not highly tested as a two-year-old. He ran twice at Goodwood, and although he failed to win, he showed some promise. On 28 July in the £100 Ham Stakes he dead-heated for third place behind the filly Blanche of Middlebie. Two days later, on Goodwood Cup day, he finished third to the easy winner Toxophilite in a £200 Sweepstakes.

Beadsman began his three-year-old season by beating Star of the East by a neck in a race at Newmarket in early April. He returned to the same course two weeks later for the second spring meeting and won twice. On 21 April he beat an unnamed colt by Collingwood out of Sneer to win a £100 Sweepstakes. Two days later he was moved up in class to establish himself as a Derby contender in the Newmarket Stakes. He made most of the running and after what Bell's Life described "one of the finest races ever seen" finished in a dead-heat with Eclipse (by Orlando). Beadsman’s stable had another Derby contender in the 2000 Guineas winner Fitz-Roland and opinion concerning the colts’ relative merits was divided. Manning felt that Fitz-Roland was better, but Hawley favoured Beadsman and the stable jockey John Wells, was undecided. Later stories claim that Hawley did everything he could to express public confidence in Fitz-Roland, causing Beadsman to be ignored and his odds for the Derby to lengthen.