Beeswing (horse)

Beeswing
Beeswing
	Beeswing
Sire	Doctor Syntax
Grandsire	Paynator
Dam	Ardrossan mare (1817)
Damsire	Ardrossan
Sex	Mare
Foaled	1833
Country	Great Britain
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Nunnykirk Hall Stud
Owner	William Orde, Jr.
Trainer	James Watson; Robert "Bob" Johnson
Record	63: 51–8–1
Major wins
	Champagne Stakes (1835); Newcastle St. Leger (1836); Newcastle Gold Cup; (1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1841, 1842); Doncaster Cup; (1837, 1840, 1841, 1842); Cleveland Stakes (1837); Gold Shield (1837); Northallerton Gold Cup (1837, 1838); Craven Stakes (1838, 1839, 1840); Queen's Plate (1838, 1839); Fitzwilliam Stakes (1838, 1839, 1840); Queen's Purse (1839); Stockton Cup (1839, 1841); Ashton Stakes (1840); Lancaster Cup (1840); Hornsby Castle Stakes (1841); Ascot Gold Cup (1842)
Honours
	Beeswing Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse; Beeswing Ladies Day at Newcastle Racecourse; Village named in Beeswing's honor
	Last updated on 15 May 2009

Beeswing (1833–1854) was a 19th-century British Thoroughbred racehorse from the north of England. In her day, Beeswing was hailed as the greatest mare in Britain and one of the greatest of all time.^[1]

Breeding

Her sire, Doctor Syntax was described by the noted racing writer "The Druid" as "...scarcely fifteen hands, very broad at the base of the nose, with open nostrils, an eye full and bright as a hawk's, a high, drooping rump, and on the side view rather short quartered. He was quite a mouse in his colour." But he took the Preston Gold Cup seven times, the Richmond Gold Cup five times, and the Lancaster Gold Cup five times as well. On both her dam's and her sire's side, Beeswing was descended from two renowned stallions, Eclipse (5x5x5) and Herod (5x5).

Racing career

Beeswing raced at many venues between 1835 and 1842 and was a real crowd favourite. Entering 63 events, she won an astonishing 51 times. Of the 57 races she finished, she was placed lower than second only once. Her most notable victory was in the Ascot Gold Cup of 1842. She won the Newcastle Cup no fewer than six times and was retired after winning the Doncaster Cup for the fourth time.^[1]

James Hill of Tyneside composed a hornpipe, "The Beeswing," named after her.^[2] Such was her fame that the Scottish village of Lochend in Dumfries and Galloway changed its name to Beeswing in her honour.

Stud record

Of her eight foals, five were sired by Touchstone. Four of her foals went on to become top class runners, two of which were Classic winners. Many of today's top racehorses can trace their pedigree back to Beeswing. Some of her top runners were:

Nunnykirk (b. 1846) - won the 2,000 Guineas, ran 2nd in the St. Leger Stakes
Newminster (b. 1848) - won the St. Leger Stakes, Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland in 1859 and 1863

Pedigree

Pedigree of Beeswing (GB), bay mare, 1833^[3]
Sire Doctor Syntax (GB) 1811	Paynator 1791	Trumpator	Conductor
		Trumpator	Brunette
		Mark Anthony mare	Mark Anthony
		Mark Anthony mare	Signora
	Beningbrough mare	Beningbrough	King Fergus
		Beningbrough	Fenwick's Herod mare
		Jenny Mole	Carbuncle
		Jenny Mole	Prince Tquassaw mare
Dam Ardrossan mare (GB) 1817	Ardrossan 1809	John Bull	Fortitude
		John Bull	Xantippe
		Miss Whip	Volunteer
		Miss Whip	Wimbleton
	Lady Eliza 1813	Whitworth	Agonistes
		Whitworth	Jupiter mare
		Spadille mare	Spadille
		Spadille mare	Sylvia (Family 8)^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), “Thoroughbred Breeding of the World”, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
^ "The Fiddler's Companion".
^ "Beeswing pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Bustler Mare - Family 8". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-03-10.

External links

[Ahnert-1] Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), “Thoroughbred Breeding of the World”, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970

[2] "The Fiddler's Companion".

[3] "Beeswing pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-03-10.

[4] "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Bustler Mare - Family 8". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-03-10.

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