Kingcraft

Kingcraft
Kingcraft. Painting by Harry Hall, 1877
Sire	King Tom
Grandsire	Harkaway
Dam	Woodcraft
Damsire	Voltigeur
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1867
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth
Owner	Lord Falmouth
Trainer	Mathew Dawson
Record	26: 9-4-4 (incomplete)
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1870)

Kingcraft (1867–1887) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was one of the leading British two-year-old of his generation, winning six of his nine races in 1869. The following year he finished third in the 2000 Guineas and then recorded his most important victory when winning The Derby. Later in the year he finished second in the St Leger. Kingcraft remained in training for two more seasons but had little further success and was retired to stud. He was later sold for export to the United States but died in transit to his new base in Kentucky.

Kingcraft, a handsome but "delicate-looking" bay horse standing 16 hands high, was bred by his owner Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth at his stud at Mereworth Castle in Kent. He was sired by King Tom a successful racehorse who became an important sire, being the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1870 and 1871. Lord Falmouth sent the colt into training with Mathew Dawson at his private stable at Heath House at Newmarket, Suffolk.

Kingcraft began his career in a Triennial Stakes at Ascot in which he was beaten a head by a filly. He then won his next six races including the Chesterfield Stakes at Newmarket, the Ham Stakes at Goodwood and the Convivial Stakes at York.

In autumn he ran at Newmarket, winning the Buckenham Stakes and a Triennial Stakes and then walking over in the October Produce Stakes when no other horses opposed him, before contesting one of the year’s most prestigious two-year-old races, the Middle Park Plate. His previous successes meant that he had to carry a seven pound weight penalty, as did the season's leading filly Sunshine. In a rough finish, Sunshine was beaten a head by another filly, Frivloity, with Knigcraft a further head behind in third. On his final start in the Criterion Stakes he was beaten by yet another filly named Hester, who went on to win the following year's 1000 Guineas. Although the defeat was disappointing, it was pointed out that Kingcraft was not an "every day" horse and may not have recovered from his run in the Middle Park. Kingcraft's performances as a two year old earned his owner £3,765.