Matchem
| Matchem | |
|---|---|
Matchem
|
|
| Sire | Cade |
| Grandsire | Godolphin Arabian |
| Dam | Sister to Miss Partner (1735) |
| Damsire | Partner |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1748 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | John Holmes |
| Owner | William Fenwick |
| Record | 12: 10-2-0 |
| Major wins | |
| 5yo Great Subscription Purse (1753) | |
| Awards | |
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Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1772, 1773, 1774) |
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| Last updated on 19 July 2011 | |
Matchem (1748 – 21 February 1781), sometimes styled as Match 'em, was a Thoroughbred racehorse who had a great influence on the breed, and was the earliest of three 18th century stallions that produced the Thoroughbred sire-lines of today, in addition to Eclipse and Herod. He was the Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland from 1772 - 1774.
Bred by John Holmes of Carlisle, he was sired by Cade, a stallion who also got Changeling—the sire of Le Sang, and the grandsire to Bourbon (winner of the St. Leger) and Duchess (winner of the Doncaster Cup)—and Young Cade (who sired many good broodmares). He won many King's Plates in his racing career. Cade was by the Godolphin Arabian, one of the three founding stallions of the Thoroughbred breed.
Matchem was out of a bay (1735) mare by Partner, who was an undefeated stallion in 1723, 1724, and 1726 in four-mile match races, until his first loss in 1728 to Smiling Ball. Partner also sired Tartar, the sire of Herod. Matchem's dam was also full-sister to Miss Partner.
The colt was surprisingly small, only 14 hands 3 inches with good bone and a "racey" build. Although considered dark bay, he produced a great number of chestnuts and a high percentage of blacks, as well as horses listed as roan out of non-roan mares, suggesting he might have carried the rabicano gene. His sire was also noted to have sired a good number of roans. Additionally, he had "Matchem arms," or 2-3 bars of white hair at the base of the tail.
Sold to William Fenwick, Matchem lived at his stud in Bywell in Northumberland until the age of five before beginning his racing career. This practice, to wait until the horse was fully mature, was customary at that time, despite the fact that most racehorses today begin their careers at two or three. In 1753, Matchem won his maiden race, the Great Subscription Purse at York, ridden by Christopher Jackson, as well as a plate in Morpeth, Northumberland. The following year, he won the four-mile Ladies' Plate at York, the Ladies' Plate at Lincoln, and again a plate at Morpeth.
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