St. Blaise (horse)

St. Blaise
St. Blaise, depicted in the Illustrated London News
Sire	Hermit
Grandsire	Newminster
Dam	Fusee
Damsire	Marsyas
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1880
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington
Owner	Sir Frederick Johnstone, 8th Baronet and Lord Alington Sir John Blundell Maple, 1st Baronet
Trainer	John Porter
Record	12:7-2-1
Earnings	£7,653 (1882 & 1883)
Major wins
Molecomb Stakes (1882) Epsom Derby (1883)

St. Blaise (1880–1909) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1882 to 1884 he ran twelve time and won seven races, although three of these wins were walk-overs. His most important success came in 1883 when he won the Epsom Derby. At the end of the season he was sold and exported to the United States to stand as a stallion where he had some success. St. Blaise was killed in a fire in 1909.

St. Blaise was a “big, slashing” chestnut horse standing just under 16 hands high, with a white blaze and three white feet. He was bred at Crichel in Dorset by Henry Sturt, 1st Baron Alington who owned him during his racing career in partnership with Sir Frederick Johnstone. The colt was first sent into training with Lord Alington’s private trainer H. Percy in Dorset, but was moved at the end of his two-year-old season to the stables of John Porter at Kingsclere.

St. Blaise’s sire Hermit won the Derby in 1867 and later became an outstandingly successful stallion, being Champion Sire for seven successive years. In addition to St. Blaise, he sired the Classic winners Shotover (2000 Guineas & Derby), St. Marguerite (1000 Guineas), Lonely (Oaks) and Thebais (1000 Guineas & Oaks). His dam, Fusee made little impact as a racehorse, and was close to being destroyed after her career was ended by injury. She survived however, to become a good broodmare, producing, in addition to St. Blaise, good winners such as Candlemas (Chesterfield Cup, Epsom Grand Prize) and Friar Rush (Salisbury Cup).