George Frederick (horse)

George Frederick
George Frederick, painting by an unknown artist.
Sire	Marsyas
Grandsire	Orlando
Dam	Princess of Wales
Damsire
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1871
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	W. S. Cartwright
Owner	W. S. Cartwright
Trainer	Thomas Leader
Record	10:5-0-2
Earnings	£
Major wins
Newmarket Stakes (1874) Epsom Derby (1874)

George Frederick (1871–1896) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1873 to 1874 he ran ten times and won five races. His most notable success came as a three-year-old in 1874 when he won the Epsom Derby. At the end of the season he was retired to stud where he had little success.

George Frederick, described by the Times of India as "a bright golden chestnut of great muscular power" was bred by his owner, William Sherard Cartwright a former solicitor and mine-owner. The colt was sent into training with Tom Olliver at Wroughton, near Swindon in Wiltshire but when Olliver fell ill in 1873, the stables were taken over by his twenty-six-year-old assistant, Thomas Leader.

Cartwright sent his mare, Princess of Wales, to the stallion Marsyas for several years in succession, and named all her foals after members of the British royal family. These included the colt Albert Victor, who ran second to Favonius in the 1871 Derby. George Frederick was named after Queen Victoria’s grandson, the future King George V.

George Frederick was unplaced on his debut in a Biennial Stakes at York in August, when he appeared less than fully fit. At Doncaster in September he won the Municipal Stakes from the future Epsom Oaks and St Leger winner Apology and then finished third to Farnsfield in a six furlong sweepstakes at the same course. He ran four times at Newmarket in autumn, winning the Boscawen Stakes and a Triennial Produce Stakes at the first October meeting but finishing unplaced in the Middle Park Plate and the Criterion Stakes.The Field described him as a promising colt, but not a potential Derby winner.