Chamant (horse)

Chamant arrived at Jennings' yard from France in June 1876, and it was some time before the trainer could bring him to peak condition.[2] Despite not yet being fully fit, he began his racing career shortly afterwards, when he finished unplaced behind Warren Hastings in the July Stakes.[3] He then finished second in the Lavant Stakes at Goodwwod before being sent to compete at Lewes Racecourse where he ran twice. After finishing unplaced behind the filly Placida[3] in the Astley Stakes he recorded his first win in the £465 Priory Stakes.[4]

At Doncaster in September, Chamant finished unplaced behind the filly Lady Golightly in the Champagne Stakes and third in another race at the same meeting.[5] At Newmarket in October, Lagrange's colt started a 20/1 outsider for the year's most valuable two-year-old race, the six furlong Middle Park Plate, for which Lady Golightly was made 2/1 favourite. In a closely contested finish, Chamant won by a head from Pelegrino, just ahead of Plunger and Lady Golightly. According to press reports, he was "brilliantly ridden" by Jem Goater, but many observers considered the result to be a "fluke". Later that month Chamant, ridden again by Goater, started 9/4 for the seven furlong Dewhurst Stakes. Despite carrying a five pound weight penalty for winning the Middle Park Plate, he won impressively from Plunger to establish himself as the best two-year-old seen in Britain that season.[4]

Chamant's earnings of £5,930 made him the third most successful horse of 1876 in Britain, behind the three-year-old classic winners Petrarch and Kisber.[6] The success of Chamant, and other horses owned by Lagrange, led Lord Falmouth (the owner of Lady Golightly) to call for foreign horses to be banned from competing in British races.[7] Falmouth unsuccessfully took his proposal to a general meeting of the Jockey Club in 1877.[8]

Chamant reportedly thrived over the winter[9] and by early 1877, the French colt was favourite for both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, at odds of 3/1 and 6/1 respectively.[10] On his first appearance of the season, Chamant was allowed to walk over at a race at Newmarket in April when the other entries were withdrawn by their owners.[11] Following a large gamble on a previously unraced colt named Morier, Chamant started 9/4 second favourite in a field of eleven runners for the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course on 2 May. Ridden by Goater, Chamant tracked the leaders before taking the lead at half way. He was never seriously challenged and won with "consummate ease"[12] from the American-bred Brown Prince with Lord Falmouth's Silvio in third.[13] A telegram reporting the result to Australia became so garbled that it was interpreted as referring to the ongoing Russo-Turkish War and newspapers described an action in which 2,000 men were led to victory by "Chamat Croun" and "Prince Silvio".[14]

Four weeks later, Chamant faced sixteen opponents in the Derby at Epsom, and started second favourite behind Rob Roy. He had been favourite for the race for months, but his appearance in the paddock before the race caused serious concern, as he was seen to be lame in his hock. Lagrange was advised to withdraw the colt but decided to allow him to run.[15] The odds against the French horse fluctuated wildly in the half-hour before the race, drifting from 6/4 to 20/1 before settling at 4/1.[16] Chamant was not among the early leaders but improved to fourth place at half way. In the straight he briefly looked likely to challenge the leaders, but weakened in the final furlong and finished tenth behind Silvio.[17]

A back injury sustained in the 2000 Guineas had deteriorated throughout the season and by autumn the horse was also beginning to develop respiratory trouble which may have been a form of Roarer Syndrome.[5] Despite his problems, Chamant was still strongly fancied for the St Leger, but he never raced again and was retired to stud at the end of the season.[18] In December 1877, Chamant was put up for auction at Tattersalls but was not sold as he failed to reach his reserve price of £6,000.[19]