Noblesse (horse)
| Noblesse | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Mossborough |
| Grandsire | Nearco |
| Dam | Duke's Delight |
| Damsire | His Grace |
| Sex | Filly |
| Foaled | 1960 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | P. M. Margetts |
| Owner | Evelyn Olin |
| Trainer | Paddy Prendergast |
| Record | 5: 4-0-1 |
| Earnings | US$134,688 (equivalent) |
| Major wins | |
| Blue Seal Stakes (1962) Timeform Gold Cup (1962) Musidora Stakes (1963) Epsom Oaks (1963) |
|
| Awards | |
| Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (1962) Champion Three-Year-Old Filly (1963) Timeform rating 133 |
|
| Honours | |
| Noblesse Stakes at Cork Racecourse | |
Noblesse (1960–1972) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse and has been regarded as the greatest filly ever trained in Ireland.
Owned by American Evelyn Olin, she was sired by Mossborough, who also sired the great Ballymoss, and was out of the mare Duke's Delight (by His Grace). The mating of Mossborough and Duke's Delight was arranged by the mare's owner Stanhope Joel. The pregnant Duke's Delight was sent to the Newmarket sales in December 1959 where she was bought for 1,150 guineas by the British Bloodstock Agency on behalf of Mrs P.M. Margetts, who therefore became Noblesse's official breeder when the filly was born in 1960. Having been bought as a yearling for 4,200 guineas by the Anglo-Irish Bloodstock Agency, she went into training with Irish trainer Paddy Prendergast on the Curragh. Although trained in Ireland, she never raced on Irish soil.
Paddy Prendergast was known as an outstanding trainer of juveniles, and when Noblesse travelled over to England as a two-year-old to make her debut in Ascot's Blue Seal Stakes, she was preceded by a tall reputation. Starting a short-priced favourite, she lived up to the hype with a 5-length victory. This was followed by just one more run that season when taking on the colts in the Timeform Gold Cup (now known as the Racing Post Trophy) at Doncaster which, at the time, was the richest two-year-old race in Europe. Noblesse passed the post on a tight rein with a 3-length advantage. She is still the only filly ever to have triumphed in this prestigious race. The performance earned her the title of Champion two-year-old filly for 1962, and she finished the season as ante-post favourite for both the 1,000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks in 1963.
The following spring was one of the coldest on record and as a result, Noblesse was very slow to come to hand, meaning that Prendergast was unable to get her ready in time for the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket. She eventually re-appeared at York in May for the Musidora Stakes, a recognised trial for the Oaks at Epsom. She quickened away from her rivals inside the final two furlongs to win eased down by six lengths. This resulted in her starting as the 11/4-on favourite for the Oaks a few weeks later.
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