Whisker (horse)

At the Craven Meeting in April, Whisker received forfeitures from the Duke of Rutland's unnamed filly sired by Selim (who had died)[12] and from Lord Darlington's unnamed colt sired by Selim,[13] and a few days later received a 50-guinea[3] forfeiture from an unnamed colt sired by Orville (later named Dinmont).[14] At the First Spring Meeting at Newmarket, Whisker was unplaced in the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, which was won by the colt Tigris.[15] The next day, Whisker finished second in the Newmarket Stakes to Lord Lowther's colt Busto.[16]

On 25 May at Epsom, Whisker started in the Derby Stakes against twelve other horses.[17] At the start of the race, General Gower's colt Busto "made severe play," taking the lead after Tattenham Corner and remaining the frontrunner until "within two-hundred yards of the Ending-Post"[18] when he was overtaken by his stablemate Raphael. Raphael maintained the lead in the stretch until "the last two or three strides" when Whisker (ridden by Tom Goodisson) "came up and won by about half a head."[18] The finish was a close contest between the three frontrunners with the other ten contenders "beat a long way."[18] Raphael finished in second place with Busto crossing the finish third but not officially placed. Raphael's jockey, Jackson, who was said to have ridden with "masterly style" was "thrown off" Raphael soon after crossing the finish line.[18] The Sporting Magazine asserted that the running "had given satisfaction to all experienced judges on the Turf."[18]

At the October Meeting at Newmarket, Whisker was unplaced in the St. Leger Stakes which was won by Mr. Payne's colt Quinola.[19] On 16 October, Whisker won 200 guineas after he defeated the colt Equator in a mile-long match race held at Newmarket.[20] Whisker withdrew from the Oatlands Stakes held a few days later, paying 10 guineas forfeit.[21] At the same meeting, Whisker beat Mr. Shakespear's colt Donkey in a match race at 10 to 1 odds,[22] but he lost a match race to Mr. Neville's colt Sir Joshua a few days later.[23]

At the Craven Meeting in April, Whisker won the 100-guinea Port Stakes, beating the colt Equator.[24] At Newmarket on 29 April, Whisker beat Lord Darlington's colt Paulus in a mile-long match race, winning 200 guineas.[25] In May at Newmarket, Whisker beat the colt Sir Joshua in a 300-guinea match race.[26] Whisker finished fourth in a 200-guinea sweepstakes race, losing to the horse Bourbon and the colts Sir Thomas and Quinola.[27] On 14 October, Whisker received 70 guineas from Lord Darlington after his horse Paulus backed out of a match race.[28] Whisker was sold to Lord Darlington at Newmarket. A few weeks later running in Lord Darlington's name, Whisker was beaten in a match race by his former rival Equator at the Houghton Meeting.[29] A few days later, Whisker won the Handicap Sweepstakes, beating the filly Duenna and the colts Fandango and Equator.[30]

Whisker did not run in 1817 and made his first appearance on 13 April 1818 at the Craven Meeting (still listed as a five-year-old) in the Craven Stakes, for which he ran unplaced in a 22 horse field.[11] At Newmarket, Whisker was third in the Fifty Pound subscription stakes, losing to the four-year-old colt Skim and the horse Fugitive.[31] A few days later, Whisker beat Lord Cavendish's colt Little Dick in a 200-guinea match race.[32] Whisker received 200 guineas forfeiture from the horse Cannonball on 11 May at Newmarket.[33] The next day, Whisker finished third in a handicap race, losing to the colt Merrymaker and the filly Leopoldine (the full-sister to 1816 Derby winner Prince Leopold).[34] At the same meeting, Whisker beat Mr. Prince's colt Manfred in a match race and a few hours later finished fifth (unplaced) in a 50-guinea Cup race won by The Flyer.[35] In his last career start, Whisker was beaten in a match race by the colt The Student at the October Newmarket meeting.[36] Whisker was retired to stud at the end of the racing season.