Blenheim | |
---|---|
Sire | Blandford |
Grandsire | Swynford |
Dam | Malva |
Damsire | Charles O'Malley |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | 1927 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Colour | Brown |
Breeder | Henry Herbert, 6th Earl of Carnarvon |
Owner | HH Aga Khan III |
Trainer | Dick Dawson |
Record | 10: 5–3–0 |
Earnings | £14,533 |
Major wins | |
New Stakes (1929) Epsom Derby (1930) |
|
Awards | |
Leading sire in North America (1941) | |
Last updated on 29 January 2010 |
Blenheim (1927–1958), also known as Blenheim II, was a British Thoroughbred race horse who won the Epsom Derby in 1930. As sire, he had a major influence on pedigrees around the world. Blenheim was highly tried, by European standards, as a two-year-old in 1929, winning four of his seven races. In the following season he was beaten in his first two races before recording an upset 18/1 win in the Derby. His racing career was ended by injury soon afterwards, and he was retired to stud, where he became an extremely successful and influential breeding stallion, both in Europe and North America.
Blenheim was a brown horse standing 15.3 hands high with a white star and a white sock on his left hind leg, bred by Henry Herbert, 6th Earl of Carnarvon at his Highclere stud. He was sired by the good sire Blandford, a three-time British champion sire, whose other progeny included Bahram, Brantome, Trigo, Pasch and Windsor Lad. Blenheim's dam, Malva (1919–1941) who stood barely 15 hands, won three minor races for Lord Carnarvon before becoming a highly successful broodmare. She was the dam of seven winners, including the Coronation Cup winners King Salmon (sire of Herringbone) and His Grace.
As a yearling, Blenheim was sold for 4,100 guineas to the Aga Khan. He was sent into training with Richard Dawson at his Whatcombe stables near Wantage in Oxfordshire.