Fairway (horse)

Fairway
Fairway circa 1929
Sire	Phalaris
Grandsire	Polymelus
Dam	Scapa Flow
Damsire	Chaucer
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1925
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Lord Derby
Owner	Lord Derby
Trainer	George Lambton Frank Butters
Record	15: 12-1-0
Earnings	£ 42,722
Major wins
Coventry Stakes (1927) July Stakes (1927) Champagne Stakes (1927) Eclipse Stakes (1928) St Leger (1928) Champion Stakes (1928), (1929) Jockey Club Cup (1929) Princess of Wales's Stakes (1929)

Fairway (1925–1946) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Fairway was the best horse of his generation in Britain at two, three and four years old, winning the St Leger Stakes, the Champion Stakes (twice) and the Eclipse Stakes. He retired as a five-year-old in 1930 and went on to become a successful and influential sire.

Fairway was bred in England by his owner Lord Derby who also bred both of his parents. His sire Phalaris was an outstanding sprinter who went on to become the most influential stallion of the 20th Century. His dam, Scapa Flow, also produced Fairway’s sister Fair Isle who won the 1000 Guineas and his brother Pharos who finished second in the Epsom Derby and sired Nearco.

As a two-year-old, Fairway was trained by George Lambton at Lord Derby's Stanley House stable at Newmarket, Suffolk. When Lambton became Lord Derby’s racing manager at the end of 1927, Frank Butters took over as the colt’s trainer. He was ridden in most of his races by Lord Derby's Dewsbury-born stable jockey Thomas "Tommy" Weston.

Fairway began his racecourse career when he ran unplaced in a maiden race at York in May. He won his remaining three races in 1927; the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, the July Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse and the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September. By the time of his Doncaster win he was being talked of as a potential Derby winner.