Busted (horse)
| Busted | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Crepello |
| Grandsire | Donatello |
| Dam | Sans le Sou |
| Damsire | Vimy |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1963 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Stanhope Joel |
| Owner | Stanhope Joel |
| Trainer | R. N. Fetherstonhaugh Noel Murless |
| Record | 13:5-2-1 |
| Major wins | |
|
Gallinule Stakes (1966) Coronation Stakes (1967) Eclipse Stakes (1967) King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1967) Prix Foy (1967) |
|
| Awards | |
| British Horse of the Year (1967) | |
Busted (1963–1988) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who began his career in Ireland but had his greatest success when trained in Britain. After running without distinction in Ireland in 1965 and 1966 he was transferred to England, where his form improved enormously. In 1967 he was undefeated in four races, winning the Eclipse Stakes and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and being voted Horse of the Year. After his racing career was ended by injury he was retired to stud, where he proved to be a highly successful sire of winners.
Busted was a "big, handsome" bay horse bred by his owner, Stanhope Joel's Snailwell Stud. He was sired by the 1957 Epsom Derby winner Crepello out of the mare Sans le Sou. Joel bought Sans le Sou for 750 guineas after an undistinguished racing career which was hampered by a tendency to break blood-vessels. Joel sent the colt to be trained in Ireland by R.N. "Brud" Fetherstonhaugh.
Busted was an immature two-year-old and showed little ability. He finished unplaced in both his races.
As a three-year-old, Busted showed some improvement, but appeared to be well below top class. He won the Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh by a head from Pieces of Eight who was carrying ten pounds more than the winner (Pieces of Eight did go on to win that year's Eclipse Stakes). When tried at the highest level he finished unplaced behind the English-trained Sodium in the Irish Derby. Busted finished second to White Gloves in the Desmond Stakes and then ran unplaced in the Irish Cambridgeshire Handicap.
At the end of the year it seemed likely that Busted would be gelded and prepared for a career as a National Hunt horse. Stanhope Joel's cousin, Jim Joel however, needed a lead horse for his Classic contender Royal Palace, and Busted was selected for the role. He was sent to England where he joined the stable of Noel Murless. Murless told the story that he saw Busted's effort in the Irish Derby and considered him suitable to be Royal Palace's lead horse. However he felt the situation could be difficult if he bought the colt for Jim Joel and then improved him. At the end of the season Murless asked Stanhope Joel what he was doing with Busted. When Stanhope said he was having him gelded, Murless said "Christ, you'd better not do that".
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