Medoc II
Medoc II | |
---|---|
Sire | Van |
Grandsire | Alcantara |
Dam | Menthe Poivree |
Damsire | Pot au Feu |
Sex | Gelding |
Foaled | 1934[1] |
Country | France |
Colour | Bay |
Owner | Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton |
Trainer | Reg Hobbs |
Major wins | |
National Hunt Juvenile Stakes (1938) Seven Springs Handicap Chase (1940, 1941) Cheltenham Gold Cup (1942) |
Medoc II (also known simply as Medoc, foaled 1934) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1942 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He won races at the Cheltenham Festival in 1938, 1940 and 1941 before defeating a strong field in the Gold Cup but his later career was severely limited by wartime restrictions.
Background
Medoc was a bay gelding bred in France. He was sired by the French stallion Van, a high class flat racer who finished second in the Prix Dollar. Medoc's dam Menthe Poivree also produced Roi d'Egypte (sired by Van) whose wins included the Cathcart Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in 1942. She was a great-granddaughter of Sand Blast, whose other descendants have included Madam Gay.[2]
Medoc was bought by Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton and sent into training with Reg Hobbs at his Rhonehurst Stable in Upper Lambourn. Hobbs came to widespread public attention when he trained the American stallion Battleship to win the 1938 Grand National, ridden by his son Bruce.[3]
Racing career
Medoc showed promising early form as a steeplechaser winning the National Hunt Juvenile Chase as a four-year-old in 1938. He won the Seven Springs Handicap Chase in the 1940 Cheltenham Festival. He won at Plumpton Racecourse in March 1941[4] and went on to win the Seven Springs Handicap Chase for a second time. In November 1941 he finished second to Mixed Foursome in a chase at Cheltenham.[5]
Wartime restrictions meant that major sporting events were confined to the weekend and the 1942 Cheltenham Festival was run over successive Saturdays rather than consecutive days. On 14 March, Medoc contested the Grand Annual Chase and finished second by a head to Red Rower with Broken Promise a length back in third.[6] Medoc's more highly regarded stablemate Savon (runner-up in the 1941 Gold Cup) fell in the race and sustained a fatal injury.[7]
The 1942 Gold Cup was run in front of a sparse crown in cold foggy conditions although any mention of the weather was omitted in the BBC Radio commentary in case the reports gave information to the enemy.[7] Despite the conditions, the twelve-runner field was a strong one, containing as it did the previous winners Roman Hackle and Poet Prince. Red Rower was made the 3/1 favourite, with Medoc, ridden by Frenchie Nicholson, second choice in the betting on 9/2.[8] Medoc was in fourth place when the complexion of the race changed completely at the final ditch: the leader Solarium fell, bringing down Broken Promise and severely hampering Red Rower. Left with a clear lead, Medoc stayed on well to win by eight lengths from Red Rower, who was in turn four lengths clear of Schubert.[7]
National Hunt racing was suspended in September 1942 and Medoc was sent to race Ireland. When jump racing resumed in Britain at the end of 1944 Medoc was unable to resume his racing career owing to a decision of the National Hunt Committee not to accept entries on behalf of horses which had left the country after 1 June 1941.[9]
Assessment and honours
In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Medoc a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[10] Medoc is remembered in the name of Medoc Close, a residential street in Cheltenham.[11]
Pedigree
Sire Van (FR) 1917 | Alcantara (FR) 1908 | Perth | War Dance |
---|---|---|---|
Primrose Dame | |||
Toison d'Or | Le Sancy | ||
Harfleur | |||
Annarella (FR) 1910 | Doricles | Florizel II | |
Rosalie | |||
Saint Astra | Ladas | ||
Saint Celestra | |||
Dam Menthe Poivree (FR) 1927 | Pot au Feu (FR) 1921 | Bruleur | Choubesrki |
Basse Terre | |||
Polly Peachum | Spearmint | ||
Lindoiya | |||
Minieh (GB) 1914 | Minoru | Cyllene | |
Mother Siegel | |||
Red Sea | Gallinule | ||
Sand Blast (Family: 7-a)[2] |
References
- ^ a b "Medoc pedigree". Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
- ^ a b "Vicissitude - Family 7-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
- ^ Green, Reg (1993). The History of the Grand National: A Race Apart. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-58515-3.
- ^ Peter O'Sullevan (1989). Calling The Horses. Stanley Thomas. ISBN 9781473606852.
- ^ "Home Front: Week-end Racing". Townsville Bulletin. 24 Jan 1941.
- ^ John Saville (2009). Insane and Unseemly: British Racing in World War II. Matador. ISBN 9781848760349.
- ^ a b c Harman, Bob (2000). The Ultimate Dream: The History of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-84018-381-0.
- ^ Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
- ^ "English Racing Expands". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 Nov 1944.
- ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 9781901570151.
- ^ "Cheltenham Areas: History of Swindon Village and Wyman's Brook". cheltenham4u.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18.
- v
- t
- e
- 1924 Red Splash
- 1925 Ballinode
- 1926 Koko
- 1927 Thrown In
- 1928 Patron Saint
- 1929 Easter Hero
- 1930 Easter Hero
- 1931 no race
- 1932 Golden Miller
- 1933 Golden Miller
- 1934 Golden Miller
- 1935 Golden Miller
- 1936 Golden Miller
- 1937 no race
- 1938 Morse Code
- 1939 Brendan's Cottage
- 1940 Roman Hackle
- 1941 Poet Prince
- 1942 Medoc II
- 1943 no race
- 1944 no race
- 1945 Red Rower
- 1946 Prince Regent
- 1947 Fortina
- 1948 Cottage Rake
- 1949 Cottage Rake
- 1950 Cottage Rake
- 1951 Silver Fame
- 1952 Mont Tremblant
- 1953 Knock Hard
- 1954 Four Ten
- 1955 Gay Donald
- 1956 Limber Hill
- 1957 Linwell
- 1958 Kerstin
- 1959 Roddy Owen
- 1960 Pas Seul
- 1961 Saffron Tartan
- 1962 Mandarin
- 1963 Mill House
- 1964 Arkle
- 1965 Arkle
- 1966 Arkle
- 1967 Woodland Venture
- 1968 Fort Leney
- 1969 What a Myth
- 1970 L'Escargot
- 1971 L'Escargot
- 1972 Glencaraig Lady
- 1973 The Dikler
- 1974 Captain Christy
- 1975 Ten Up
- 1976 Royal Frolic
- 1977 Davy Lad
- 1978 Midnight Court
- 1979 Alverton
- 1980 Master Smudge
- 1981 Little Owl
- 1982 Silver Buck
- 1983 Bregawn
- 1984 Burrough Hill Lad
- 1985 Forgive 'n Forget
- 1986 Dawn Run
- 1987 The Thinker
- 1988 Charter Party
- 1989 Desert Orchid
- 1990 Norton's Coin
- 1991 Garrison Savannah
- 1992 Cool Ground
- 1993 Jodami
- 1994 The Fellow
- 1995 Master Oats
- 1996 Imperial Call
- 1997 Mr Mulligan
- 1998 Cool Dawn
- 1999 See More Business
- 2000 Looks Like Trouble
- 2001 no race
- 2002 Best Mate
- 2003 Best Mate
- 2004 Best Mate
- 2005 Kicking King
- 2006 War Of Attrition
- 2007 Kauto Star
- 2008 Denman
- 2009 Kauto Star
- 2010 Imperial Commander
- 2011 Long Run
- 2012 Synchronised
- 2013 Bobs Worth
- 2014 Lord Windermere
- 2015 Coneygree
- 2016 Don Cossack
- 2017 Sizing John
- 2018 Native River
- 2019 Al Boum Photo
- 2020 Al Boum Photo
- 2021 Minella Indo
- 2022 A Plus Tard
- 2023 Galopin Des Champs
- 2024 Galopin Des Champs