Kilwarlin

Kilwarlin (1884 – 1900) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. The detail of his ownership were complicated and led to complaints being lodged with the Jockey Club. He showed considerable promise as a juvenile in 1886 when he won his first two races before being upset at odds of 1/20 in the Bretby Stakes. In the following year he ran unplaced in the Great Jubilee Stakes and then ran three times at Royal Ascot, winning a Biennial Stakes and finishing second in both the Queen's Stand Stakes and the Rous Memorial Stakes (to Ormonde). In autumn he started favourite for the St Leger and won a controversial race despite being left more than 100 yards behind his rivals at the start. After his retirement from racing he became a successful breeding stallion.

Kilwarlin
SireArbitrator
GrandsireSolon
DamHasty Girl
DamsireLord Gough
SexStallion
Foaled1884[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBrown
BreederJ. Connolly
OwnerJ. Connolly
"C L Blake"
"M McKenna"
Captain Machell
George Rodney, 7th Baron Rodney
TrainerJames Jewitt
Record9: 5-3-0
Earnings£6,546
Major wins
St Leger (1887)
Challenge Stakes (1887)

Background

Kilwarlin was a brown horse bred at the Curragh, County Kildare in Ireland[2] (then part of the United Kingdom) by J. Connolly. During his racing career he was initially owned by Captain Machell who was described as "one of the most astute racing men to be found either in England or out of it"[3] and was trained by James Jewitt. Machelltypically managed the strategy of his horses careers while Jewitt took care of thei day-to-day conditioning. The details of Machell's acquisition of the horse were unclear but it was reported that he had paid approximately 1,000 guineas.[4] Physically, Kilwarlin was described as "a remarkably good looking horse" and a "grand mover".[5]

He was sired by Arbitrator, whose biggest wins came in handicap races, was a representative of the Godolphin Arabian sire line,.[6] Kilwarlin's dam Hasty Girl had previously produced the Eclipse Stakes winner Bendigo.[7]

Racing career

1886: two-year-old season

Kilwarlin had shown impressive form in training and was highly regarded before he appeared on a racecourse. He made a successful debut in summer when he was an easy winner of the Wynyard Plate at Stockton Racecourse at odds of 1/3.[8] He followed up shortly afterwards by winning the Harrington Stakes.[9] At Newmarket Racecourse in October Kilwarlin started 1/20 favourite for the Bretby Stakes but was beaten by the filly Reve d'Or. His defeat looked more excusable when Reve d'Or defeated Enterprise to win the Dewhurst Plate.[10]

Kilwarlin ended the year with earnings of £1,456.[11]

1887: three-year-old season
Captain James Machell, who managed Kilwarlin's racing career

Kilwarlin began his second campaign by being matched against older horses in the Great Jubilee Handicap over one mile at Kempton Park Racecourse on 7 May. After racing just behind the leaders he swerved entering the straight, lost his position, and finished eleventh in a race won by his older half-brother Bendigo.[12] At Royal Ascot in June he was matched against the 1886 English Triple Crown winner Ormonde in the Rous Memorial Stakes and finished second, beaten six lengths by his older rival.[13] At the same meeting he finished second to the two-year-old Crowberry in the Queen's Stand Stakes over five furlongs and won the New Biennial Plate.[4][14]

In August Kilwarlin was sold for a reported 7,000 guineas by Machell to George Bridges Harley Dennett Rodney, 7th Baron Rodney.[15] Lord Rodney had inherited a considerable fortune which he exhausted on bloodstock and gambling.[16]

On 14 September, at Doncaster Racecourse Kilwarlin was moved up in distance to contest the 112th running of the St Leger over fourteen and half furlongs and despite what was described as "wretched" weather the race attracted its customary large crowd.[17] Ridden by Jack Robinson he was made the 4/1 favourite ahead of Eiridspord while the best fancied of the other runners were Merry Hampton (winner of the Epsom Derby), Scottish King and Phil (runner-up in the 2000 Guineas). Doubts had been expressed about the colt's effectiveness over the distance with the Sporting Life opining that a sprinter had as much chance of winning the Leger as a snail had of winning the Stewards' Cup.[18] He did however attract considerable support from the large Irish contingent: according to one report a "man of knowledge" claimed that "all Ireland was on".[2] Kilwarlin was unruly in the paddock and Robinson opted to abandon the colt's participation in the parade in front of the stands as his behaviour deteriorated. On arrival at the start the colt bucked, kicked and refused to line alongside the others.[17] When the flag fell to start the contest Kilwarlin "dug his toes in" and refused to race, and the other runners had covered at least 100 yards before Robinson persuaded him to take part. However, the early pace was so slow that he was eventually able to join the main group without Robinson having to rush him.[19] After moving into contention on the final turn, Kilwarlin took the lead a quarter mile from the finish but was immediately challenged by Merry Hampton and Timothy. After what was described as a "ding dong" struggle and one of the best finishes even seen at Doncaster, Kilwarlin prevailed by half a length from the Derby winner, with Timothy a head away in third place.[17] Lord Rodney rewarded Robinson for his winning ride with a gift of£500.[20] The result produced some controversy as Robinon's rival jockeys were criticised for allowing the favourite back into the race instead of setting a faster pace which would have eliminated Kilwarlin from contention.[5]

In autumn Kilwarlin was beaten in a "private" trial race by his stablemate Humewood, but the form of the trial seemed less disappointing when Humewood defeated a strong field to win the Cesarewitch. At Newmarket in October, Kilwarlin was dropped back in distance and won the Challenge Stakes over seven furlongs at odds of 1/3.[14]

Kilwarlin's winnings in 1887 came to £5,090.[21]

At the end of the year an objection was raised by Merry Hampton's owner "Mr Abington" to Kilwarlin's St Leger victory on the grounds that he had been entered by his breeder, Mr Connolly who was on the "forfeit list" for failing to honour financial commitments. It was further alleged that the details of the horse's ownership had been falsified to conceal Connolly's involvement by a complicated series of transactions involving a "Mr McKenna" and a "C L Blake". Despite the charges Kilwarlin was allowed to keep the race.[22]

Stud record

After the end of his racing career Kilwarlin was sold in order to settle Lord Rodney's debts[23] and retired to become a breeding stallion. His best runners included Kilcock (won King's Stand Stakes (twice), Wokingham Stakes, Challenge Stakes (twice) and July Cup), Kroonstad (Ascot Derby), Hebron (Wokingham Stakes), Ogden (Belmont Futurity Stakes), Longford Lad (Grand International d'Ostende), Cherry Picker, (second Eclipse Stakes) and Sabrinetta (second in the Oaks Stakes). He was also the damsire of Glenside (Grand National), St Ninian (Chester Vase) and Samsam (Prix Daru).

Several other daughters of Kilwarlin made a lasting impact as broodmares:

Kilwarlin died in October 1900 of an intestinal rupture.[27]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Kilwarlin (GB), brown stallion, 1884[1]
Sire
Arbitrator (IRE)
1874		 Solon
1861		 West Australian (GB) Melbourne
Mowerina
Birdcatcher mare Birdcatcher
Hetman Platoff mare
True Heart (GB)
1864		 Musjid Newminster
Peggy
Mary Jane Pompey
Ratafia
Dam
Hasty Girl (IRE)
1875		 Lord Gough (GB)
1869		 Gladiateur (FR) Monarque
Miss Gladiator
Battaglia Rataplan
Espoir
Irritation (GB)
1862		 King of Trumps Velocipede
Mrs Gill
Patience Assault
Newton Lass (Family 9-d)[7]

References
  1. "Kilwarlin pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "English Sporting". Lyttleton Times. 18 November 1887. p. 7 – via Papers Past.
  3. "Miscellaneous". Auckland Star. 20 May 1893. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  4. "Doncaster". Otago Witness. 23 September 1887. p. 25 – via Papers Past.
  5. "Sporting Odds and Ends". The Press. 2 December 1887. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  6. "Godolphin Arabian Line". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
  7. "Throughbred Bloodlines - Mab - Family 9-d". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  8. "Topics of the Day". Evening Star. 11 October 1886. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  9. "Racing in England". The New Zealand Herald. 16 September 1887. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  10. "Racing in England". Otago Witness. 5 November 1886. p. 24 – via Papers Past.
  11. "Sporting". The New Zealand Herald. 30 October 1886. p. 6 – via Papers Past.
  12. "Kempton Park". Otago Witness. 1 July 1887. p. 25 – via Papers Past.
  13. "English Racing". Lyttleton Times. 3 August 1887. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  14. Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
  15. "English and Foreign". Otago Witness. 30 September 1887. p. 30 – via Papers Past.
  16. Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  17. "Sporting Gossip". Auckland Stardate=10 November 1887. p. 10 – via Papers Past.
  18. "Sporting Notes". The Press. 10 October 1887. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  19. "Sporting". The New Zealand Herald. 12 November 1887. p. 6 – via Papers Past.
  20. "Table Talk". Evening Star (Dunedin). 19 November 1887. p. 1 – via Papers Past.
  21. "Sporting Notes". Lyttleton Times. 10 March 1888. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  22. "Sporting". The New Zealand Herald. 11 February 1888. p. 6 – via Papers Past.
  23. "The downfall of Friar's Balsam". Evening Star (Dunedin). 23 June 1888. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  24. "Dick Burton's Mare - Family 31". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  25. "Wagtail - Family 21-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  26. "Hyacinthus Mare - Family 2-f". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  27. Staff (20 October 1900). "Death of Kilwarlin". Tamworth Herald.
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