Spaniel (horse)

Spaniel
Spaniel. Contemporary engraving.
Sire	Whalebone
Grandsire	Waxy
Dam	Canopus mare (1812)
Damsire	Canopus
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1828
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Lord Egremont
Owner	Viscount Lowther
Trainer	Joe Rogers
Record	19:8-3-1
Earnings	£3,675
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1831)

Spaniel (1828–1833) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career that lasted from July 1830 to early 1833 he ran eighteen times and won nine races. After an unsuccessful season as a two-year-old he made significant improvement in 1831 to win his first three races, culminating in the Epsom Derby. Spaniel failed to win again for over a year but then recovered to win five races on Welsh racecourses in 1832. He died after being injured on his first start as a five-year-old in 1833.

Spaniel was described as a "light, bright, airy little" bay horse with a white stripe and a white sock on his hind leg bred by George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont. He was the full brother of the 1826 Derby winner Lap-dog, being sired by Whalebone out of Egremont's unnamed Canopus mare. In addition to the two Derby winners, the Canopus mare also produced Fanchon, the dam of the 1000 Guineas winner Cara. Spaniel's sire, Whalebone won the 1810 Derby and thirteen other races before becoming a successful and important stallion. He was British Champion sire in 1826 and 1827 and through his son Sir Hercules, is the male-line ancestor of most modern Thoroughbreds.

Spaniel was not an impressive young horse, being small and weak and was sold by Egremont, either as a foal or as a yearling to Viscount Lowther for 150 guineas (one source claims the price was 500 guineas). According to one version of the story, the deal was done over the dinner table. Lowther had the colt trained by Joe Rogers.

As a two-year-old, Spaniel ran four times without success, with all of his runs being at Newmarket. He began his racing career on 13 May in a Sweepstakes over six furlongs. He started at odds of 4/1 and finished second of the seven runners to a colt named Zany. Two months later he finished behind Zany again, on this occasion when finishing unplaced in the July Stakes.