Pilgrimage (horse)

Pilgrimage made her racecourse début on 28 September 1877 in the First October Two-year-old Stakes over half a mile at Newmarket. She started the race as the 9/2 second favourite and immediately went to the front. In the closing stages she extended her lead and won easily by eight lengths from Dalgarno, who had started as the even money favourite.[6] Ten days later Pilgrimage started as the odds-on favourite for a Plate for two-year-olds. Facing only three opponents, she won by a length from Queen of Pearls.[7]

She then stepped in in class to contest the Middle Park Plate along with 19 other horses. Athol Lad started the race as the 7/4 favourite, with Beauclerc next at 5/1. Pilgrimage was one of the outsiders of the field, priced at 25/1. In the early stages Wild Darrell led the field and Pilgrimage was not amongst the front runners. As they entered the final quarter of the race Wild Darrell was fading, while Pilgrimage had made some progress through the pack. In the final furlong the race was between the Katie colt and Beauclerc, with the latter holding on to win by one length. Pilgrimage finished in third place, three lengths behind the runner-up.[1]

There were nine runners in the Dewhurst Plate on 25 October. Childeric was the 10/3 favourite, with Nerina at 4/1, Pilgrimage at 9/2 and Athol Lad at 5/1. The French colt Insulaire initially led the race, with Pilgrimage in about third position. In the closing stages Pilgrimage overtook Insulaire to win by half a length. Inval was third, two lengths behind the runner-up.[8] The following day Pilgrimage faced three rivals in the Post Sweepstakes and started as the favourite. Tredegar was beaten after half a mile, but the other three raced until the finish line. Pilgrimage won by a neck from Redwing, who in turn beat third-placed Clementine by a head.[9]

On 8 May 1878 Pilgrimage was one of ten horses to line up for the 2000 Guineas Stakes over one mile at Newmarket.[3] There had been a lot of rain at Newmarket, which made the ground very heavy.[5] Ridden by Tom Cannon, she was sent off as the 2/1 favourite. Insulaire and Childeric were also fancied and were priced at 9/4 and 9/2 respectively. At the start of the race Inval went to the front, but he was soon pulled back and Sefton look up the running on the right hand side of the course, followed by Oasis and Bayonet. Glengarry and Childeric were just behind Sefton and racing down the centre of the course and Inval was leading the group on the stand side. As they moved into the second half of the race Pilgrimage had made progress through the field into third place, behind Sefton and Insulaire. Sefton then began to struggle and Insulaire took over the lead, with Pilgrimage just half a length behind. She then closed on Insulaire and strode past to win by half a length. Sefton was third, a length and a half behind Insulaire. Childeric finished in fourth place, a further four lengths back and he was clear of Oasis and the rest of the field.[3] Third placed Sefton went on to win the Derby at Epsom Downs a few weeks later.[10]

Two days after her victory in the 2000 Guineas, Pilgrimage started the 1000 Guineas as the 4/5 favourite. She was again ridden by Cannon and her nearest rivals in the market were Clementine at 5/1 and Strathfleet at 6/1. Unlike in the 2000 Guineas, Pilgrimage was near the front in the early stages, running just behind leading Blue Ridge. As they entered the second half of the race Pilgrimage took the lead from Blue Ridge and was followed by Clementine and Jannette. Strathfleet and Bel Ange closed on the leading trio, but soon faded again. As the three leaders climbed the hill towards the finish Clementine started to struggle and was overtaken by Jannette. Jannette then went after Pilgrimage, but Pilgrimage held her off to win by three quarters of a length. Clementine was a further two lengths back in third place, with Bel Ange leading the remainder of the fillies home, several lengths behind Clementine.[3]

It had been raining at Epsom Downs the night before the Oaks Stakes, but it cleared up during the day. The race was seen as a match between Pilgrimage and Jannette and this was reflected in the betting. Pilgrimage was the even money favourite, with Janette at 10/6. The nearest opponents were Clementine and Eau de Vie, both at 100/8, with the rest of the eight-runner field priced at 50/1. The filly by Lord Clifen led the field in the early stages, with Cannon positioning Pilgrimage at the rear. After about half a mile Pilgrimage moved up into third place, just behind Jannette. As they approached the turn into the finishing straight Jannette took the lead and was followed by Clementine. Pilgrimage took second place with two furlongs left to run, but could not catch Jannette, who won by a length. Clementine finished third, a long way behind Jannette and Pilgrimage.[11]