Vedette (horse)

Vedette
Drawing of Vedette
Sire	Voltigeur
Grandsire	Voltaire
Dam	Mrs. Ridgway
Damsire	Birdcatcher
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1854
Country	Great Britain
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Mr. Chilton Anthony Harrison
Owner	2nd Earl of Zetland
Trainer	George Abdale
Record	9: 7-1-1
Major wins
2000 Guineas Stakes (1857) Great Yorkshire Stakes (1857) Doncaster Cup (1857, 1858) Great Ebor Handicap (1858)

Vedette (foaled 1854) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2000 Guineas Stakes and two Doncaster Cups. He also sired Epsom Derby winner and Champion sire, Galopin. He was owned by Thomas Dundas, 2nd Earl of Zetland and trained by George Abdale.

Vedette was bred by Mr. Chilton and Anthony Harrison and was a brown (almost black) colt foaled in 1854. He was sired by Epsom Derby and St. Leger Stakes winner Voltigeur. His dam was Mrs. Ridgway, a daughter of Birdcatcher.

In August 1856 he finished third in the Eglington Stakes over one mile at York. The race was won by the favourite Augury. In October he won the Bedford Stakes at by two lengths from The Western Power, after starting as the 4/6 favourite. At the end of the year he was priced around 7/1 for the 1857 2000 Guineas Stakes.

Vedette returned to the racecourse as a three-year-old in the 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket. He started the one-mile race as the 5/2 favourite of the eleven strong field. Also near the front of the betting were Loyola at 4/1, Kent at 9/2 and Anton at 5/1. The horses got away to an even break on the second start attempt and Turbit immediately took the lead, with Vedette a few lengths behind in fourth place. As they neared the closing stages Loyola (who was racing with Anton on the other side of the track) and Vedette caught and passed Turbit. Anton was winning by about a length in the final furlong, but Vedette produced a "tremendous rush" and overtook him in the last 50 yards. Vedette won the race by three quarters of a length from Anton, who finished a head in front a third placed Loyola. After winning the 2000 Guineas Vedette was very lame and had to hobble back from the weighing room to his stable. He was unable to run until the Great Yorkshire Stakes at York in August, where he was the 2/5 favourite. He won the race by three lengths from Skirmisher, with Saunterer about three lengths further behind in third place. Vedette then went to Doncaster and won the Fitzwilliam Stakes by a neck from Princess Royal. His final race of the season came in the Doncaster Cup, which he won by a neck from Black Tommy.