Silvio (horse)

Silvio
Ink drawing of Silvio with Fred Archer
Sire	Blair Athol
Grandsire
Dam	Silverhair
Damsire	England’s Beauty
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1874
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth
Owner	Lord Falmouth
Trainer	Mathew Dawson
Record	19: 10-7-1
Earnings	£
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1877) Ascot Derby (1877) St Leger (1877) Jockey Club Cup (1878)
Awards
Leading British money winner (1877) Leading Sire in France (1886)

Silvio (1874–1890) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1874 to 1877 he ran eight times and won three races. In 1877 he won the Epsom Derby and the St Leger. At the end of the 1877 season he was retired to stud where he had success both in England and France.

Silvio was bred by his owner Evelyn Boscawen, 6th Viscount Falmouth at his stud at Mereworth Castle in Kent. He was sent into training with Mathew Dawson at his Heath House stables at Newmarket, Suffolk. His sire, Blair Athol, was an outstanding racehorse who won the Derby and the St Leger in 1864 and went on to be Champion Sire on four occasions. Silvio’s dam, Silverhair, was a successful racehorse and produced other winners including the colt Garterly Bell, who finished fourth in the 1875 Derby, and the filly Silver Ring, who won six races including the Bretby Stakes.

As a two-year-old in 1876, Silvio showed promising form to win four of his five races. On his racecourse debut, Silvio won the Ham Stakes at Goodwood. He then won three races at Newmarket: the Clearwell Stakes on 2 October, the Post Stakes, and the Glasgow Stakes in which he was the only starter and walked over. He then finished second to the French colt Verneuil in the Buckenham Stakes.

Silvio began the season being regarded as the second string of Lord Falmouth's horses behind the filly, Lady Golightly, and was offered at odds of 33/1 for the Derby in late March. On his seasonal debut he was strongly fancied for the Newmarket Biennial Stakes in mid-April, but finished unplaced behind Grey Friar. The race was run in a violent storm, leading some observers to suggest that the form was not very reliable. On 3 May he showed much improved form in the 2000 Guineas in which he started at odds of 100/6 (16/1). Ridden by the Champion Jockey Fred Archer he finished third, beaten just over a length behind the French-bred favourite Chamant and the American Brown Prince.