West Australian (horse)

West Australian
1853 painting by Harry Hall (1814-1882) of West Australian with jockey up and trainer
Sire	Melbourne
Grandsire	Humphrey Clinker
Dam	Mowerina
Damsire	Touchstone
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1850
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	John Bowes of Streatlam Castle
Owner	John Bowes Albert Denison, 1st Baron Londesborough (age 4) Duc de Morny Emperor Napoleon III
Trainer	John Scott
Record	10: 9–1–0 (including 2 walkovers)
Earnings	£13,640
Major wins
2,000 Guineas (1853) Epsom Derby (1853) St. Leger Stakes (1853) Grand Duke Michael Stakes (1853) Ascot Gold Cup (1854)
Honours
1st English Triple Crown Champion
Last updated on 25 September 2010

West Australian (1850–1870) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from October 1852 until June 1854 he ran ten times and won nine races. After being beaten on his debut, he won all his remaining starts including the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby the St Leger and the Ascot Gold Cup. He has been retrospectively recognised as the first Triple Crown winner. West Australian was regarded by contemporary experts as one of the best British horses of the nineteenth century. After his retirement from racing he had some success as a sire of winners in England and France and was largely responsible for the survival of the Godolphin Arabian sire-line.

West Australian was a "hard, yellow" bay horse standing 15.3 hands high with a narrow white blaze bred by John Bowes of Streatlam Castle, County Durham. He was described as having a "blood-like head... peculiar ears... good shoulders... clean-looking legs" and "plenty of bone". The New Sporting Magazine called him "one of the finest specimens of English racehorse ever seen". He was foaled in 1850, being by Melbourne the sire of seven classic winners. He was the second foal of his dam Mowerina, a daughter of Touchstone, who had finished second in the 1,000 Guineas Stakes and was a sister of the Derby winners Mundig and Cotherstone. Apart from West Australian Mowerina produced the winners Marley Hill (bl c 1851), Victoria (b f 1853), Go-Ahead Nassau Stakes, The Old Orange Girl (b f 1860 Kingston) thrice winner of the Bentinck Memorial Stakes, Baragah (ch c 1861 ) twice winner of the Bentinck Memorial Stakes and Ebor Handicap and Westwick (b c 1863 Stockwell).