Happy Laughter
| Happy Laughter | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Royal Charger |
| Grandsire | Nearco |
| Dam | Bray Melody |
| Damsire | Coup de Lyon |
| Sex | Mare |
| Foaled | 1950 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | E C Shirley |
| Owner | Davis Wills |
| Trainer | Jack Jarvis |
| Record | 13: 9-2-1 |
| Earnings | £26,908 |
| Major wins | |
|
1000 Guineas (1953) Coronation Stakes (1953) Falmouth Stakes (1953) Nassau Stakes (1953) |
|
Happy Laughter (foaled 1950) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1953. As a two-year-old, Happy Laughter won five races but was badly affected by sinus problems which were only rectified by surgery in the winter of 1952/1953. As a three-year-old she followed up her win in the Guineas by taking the Coronation Stakes, Falmouth Stakes and Nassau Stakes before being retired to stud.
Happy Laughter was a medium-sized chestnut mare with no white markings bred in Ireland by E. C. Shirley. Her sire, Royal Charger was a successful sprinter and miler who was trained by Jarvis to win the Queen Anne Stakes and the Ayr Gold Cup in 1946. He made a promising start to his stud career in Ireland and went on to greater success after being exported to the United States in 1953. Happy Laughter's dam, Bray Melody was a great-granddaughter of the influential broodmare Verve, whose other descendants include Greek Money, Shirley Heights and Pentire.
As a yearling, the filly was sent to the sales at Doncaster where she was bought for 3,500 Guinea by the Newmarket trainer Jack Jarvis on behalf of the owner and breeder David Wills.
Racing as a two-year-old in 1952, Happy Laughter won five of her seven races, appearing to be just below top class. She won the Stud Produce Stakes at Sandown Park and the Acorn Stakes at Epsom before being sent to Royal Ascot in June where she finished second to Nigrette in the Chesham Stakes. Happy Laughter then won the Fulbourne Stakes and the Soltykoff Stakes (both at Newmarket), but when moved up in class she finished third to Royal Duchy in the Lowther Stakes at York in August. In the Free Handicap, a ranking of the best two-year-olds to have raced in Britain, Happy Laughter was rated twelve pounds below her stable companion Tessa Gillian, the winner of the Molecomb Stakes. In an unusually strong year for two-year-old fillies, top place was shared by Bebe Grande (Gimcrack Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes) and Neemah who had beaten Pinza in the Royal Lodge Stakes.
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