Caractacus (horse)

Caractacus
Caractacus as painted by Samuel Spode.
Sire	Kingston
Grandsire	Venison
Dam	Defenceless
Damsire	Defence
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1859
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	William Blenkiron
Owner	Charles Snewing
Trainer	Robert Smith
Record	9:2-2-1
Earnings	£7,545
Major wins
Somersetshire Stakes (1862) Epsom Derby (1862)

Caractacus (1859–1878) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1862 Epsom Derby. The 1862 Derby was memorable due to the large field (34 horses), the winner being ridden by a 16-year-old stable boy and Caractacus' near disqualification for an underweight jockey and a false start. Caractacus was considered a poor choice to win the Derby, which was ultimately his last racing engagement before injury forced his retirement from racing. Caractacus was a breeding stallion in Britain from 1862 until 1873, when he was exported to Russia where he died in 1878. He is not considered to be a successful sire.

Caractacus was foaled in 1859 at William Blenkiron's Middle Park stud farm in Eltham. He was sired by Kingston (foaled 1849), described as "one of the handsomest horses" and a winner of several important stakes races. Kingston died in 1861 before Caractacus’ Derby win. Caractacus' dam, Defenceless (foaled in 1844), was bred by W. Etwall and was sired by Defence out of an unnamed mare sired by Cain. Defenceless was not a successful racehorse, starting only once as a two-year-old and finishing last. Defenceless went completely blind as a three-year-old. Blenkiron frequently observed the mare's ability to maneuver obstacles: she would "canter as hard as she [could] go as straight as a line to the trough and stop dead within two yards of it." Her only noteworthy produce out of nineteen foals was Caractacus. Caractacus was described as a bay colt that stood 15.1 hands high, with a “light” neck, fine shoulders, good girth and sound feet. He had a large white blaze, a white sock on his right front foot and a grey full-stocking on his right hind leg. He had a “corky” personality and possessed refined movement, leading him to be described as a “slashing goer.”

As a yearling, Caractacus was bought for 250 guineas by the trainer William Day, acting on behalf of a London publican named Charles Snewing who also was a veterinary surgeon. In spring 1861, the two-year-old colt was moved to a stable at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, where his training was managed by Robert "Bob" Smith.

Allegedly, the colt was named 'Caractacus' because Snewing had admired a statue of the British chieftain Caratacus bound in chains at the 1851 Exhibition. He is reported to have said, "If ever I try a horse good enough I'll call him Caractacus, and win the Derby with him."