Octavius (horse)
| Octavius | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Orville |
| Grandsire | Beningbrough |
| Dam | Marianne |
| Damsire | Mufti |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1809 |
| Country | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| Colour | Brown |
| Breeder | Robert Ladbroke |
| Owner | Robert Ladbroke |
| Trainer | Richard Boyce |
| Record | 13:4-4-1 |
| Major wins | |
|
Epsom Derby (1812) Epsom Gold Cup (1813) |
|
Octavius (1809–1831) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career that lasted from April 1812 to May 1814 he ran thirteen times and won four races. He recorded his most important success when winning the Derby. Octavius remained in training for two more seasons, his best subsequent performance coming when he won the Epsom Gold Cup as a four-year-old in 1813. At the end of 1814 Octavius was retired to stud where he had moderate success as a sire of winners.
Octavius was sired by Orville a successful staying racehorse who excelled over extreme distances. At stud he was Champion sire in 1817 and 1822 and sired the Classic winners Emilius (Derby), Charlotte (1000 Guineas), Zoë (1000 Guineas) and Ebor (St Leger). Octavius's dam, Marianne, went on to produce Caroline, the winner of the 1820 Epsom Oaks.
Octavius was owned during his racing career by his breeder, the banker Robert Ladbroke, a friend of the Duke of York and Lord Egremont, whose horses were trained by Richard Boyce at Newmarket, Suffolk.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Octavius made his first appearance at the 1812 Newmarket Craven meeting. On 30 March he started at odds of 5/1 in a 100 guinea Sweepstakes over the Abingdon Mile course and won from an unnamed gelding by Beningbrough. Just over two weeks later, Octavius contested the 2000 Guineas and started 4/1 second favourite. He finished third of the seven runners behind Cwrw and Cato.
On 14 May at Epsom Octavius was fourth choice in the betting for the Derby at odds of 7/1 in a field of fourteen runners. Ridden by Bill Arnull, Octavius moved up to dispute the lead on the turn into the straight with the favourite Comus and Lord Egremont's unnamed Gohanna colt. Comus dropped back inside the last quarter mile leaving Octavius and the Gohanna colt to contest the finish "in desperate style", with Octavius prevailing by half a neck. The filly Manuella, who started second favourite, was believed to have been "pulled" (deliberately prevented from winning) by her jockey Sam Chifney in order to lengthen her odds for the Epsom Oaks on the following day.
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