Darley Arabian

Darley Arabian
The Darley Arabian stallion painting by John Wootton
SexStallion
Foaled1700 (1700)
ColourBay
OwnerThomas Darley
Awards
Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1722)

The Darley Arabian (c. 1700–1730) was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock. The other two founders were the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, Syria, by Thomas Darley in 1704 and shipped to Aldby Park in England, as a present for his brother.[1]

One author in 1840 described Darley Arabian's arrival in England during the reign of Queen Anne as the event which "forms the great epoch from which the history of the Turf [as in "turf racing"] should be dated".[2]

There he stood at stud, usually private but sometimes open to outside mares. He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1722. By all accounts, the Darley Arabian stood about 15 hands high and was of substantial beauty and refinement.[3]

The Darley Arabian sired the undefeated Flying Childers. He also sired Bartlett's Childers, an unraced brother of Flying Childers, who was the great-grandsire of the extremely influential Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was to become the most important sire in the history of the English Thoroughbred.[3] His son Bulle Rock was the first Thoroughbred to be exported to America, in 1730.[4]

Most Thoroughbreds can be traced back to Darley Arabian. In 95% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses, the Y chromosome can be traced back to this single stallion.[5][6] This is mainly through his descendant, Eclipse, who is the direct male ancestor of 95% of all thoroughbreds and in the pedigree of many of the rest.[7]

Sire line tree

Descendants of the Darley Arabian (click to show)

See also

References

  1. ^ Whyte 1840, p. 79.
  2. ^ Whyte 1840, p. 71.
  3. ^ a b Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), "Thoroughbred Breeding of the World", Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
  4. ^ Barrett, Norman, ed. (1995). The Daily Telegraph Chronicle of Horse Racing. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Publishing.
  5. ^ Cunningham, E. P.; Dooley, J. J.; Splan, R. K.; Bradley, D. G. (2001). "Microsatellite diversity, pedigree relatedness and the contributions of founder lineages to thoroughbred horses". Animal Genetics. 32 (6): 360–364. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2052.2001.00785.x. PMID 11736806.
  6. ^ "95% of thoroughbreds linked to one superstud". New Scientist. 6 September 2005.
  7. ^ "Who's the daddy of them all?". The Guardian. 4 March 2007.
  8. ^ "Darley Arabian Line". www.tbheritage.com.
  9. ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines Sire Lines Darley Arabian". www.bloodlines.net.
  10. ^ "Portrait: Darley Arabian". www.tbheritage.com.
  11. ^ "Biography: Darley Arabian". www.bloodlines.net.
  12. ^ Jumpers: Darley Arabian Sire Line
  13. ^ Biography: Bulle Rock
  14. ^ Foundation Sire: Hobgoblin
  15. ^ "Biography: Hobgoblin". www.bloodlines.net.
  16. ^ Foundation Sire: Shakespeare
  17. ^ Biography: Shakespeare
  18. ^ a b Studbook: Early S
  19. ^ Foundation Sire: Brisk
  20. ^ Biography: Brisk
  21. ^ "Portrait: Flying Childers". www.tbheritage.com.
  22. ^ "Biography: Flying Childers". www.bloodlines.net.
  23. ^ Studbook: Early C
  24. ^ a b "Foundation Sire: Second". www.tbheritage.com.
  25. ^ "Biography: Second". www.bloodlines.net.
  26. ^ "Foundation Sire: Merlin". www.tbheritage.com.
  27. ^ Biography: Spanking Roger
  28. ^ Foundation Sire: Blaze
  29. ^ Biography: Blaze
  30. ^ Foundation Sire: Sampson
  31. ^ Biography: Sampson
  32. ^ Foundation Sire: Engineer
  33. ^ Biography: Engineer
  34. ^ Biography: Bay Malton
  35. ^ a b Whyte 1840
  36. ^ Doncaster Cup Winners
  37. ^ a b Hackney Horse
  38. ^ Harness Museum: Hambletonian
  39. ^ Pedigree: Bellfounder
  40. ^ "Thoroughbred Foundation Sire: Roundhead". www.tbheritage.com.
  41. ^ Foundation Sire: Snip
  42. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap
  43. ^ Biography: Snap
  44. ^ Foundation Sire: Omnium
  45. ^ Studbook: Early NO
  46. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Latham)
  47. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Chedworth)
  48. ^ Studbook: Early M
  49. ^ Foundation Sire: Ancient Pistol
  50. ^ Foundation Sire: Goldfinder
  51. ^ Biography: Goldfinder
  52. ^ Foundation Sire: Juniper
  53. ^ "Foundation Sire: Prince Tquassaw". www.tbheritage.com.
  54. ^ "Foundation Sire: Young Snip". www.tbheritage.com.
  55. ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Bartlett)
  56. ^ "Biography: Childers (Bartlett)". www.bloodlines.net.
  57. ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Smales)
  58. ^ Biography: Childers (Smales)
  59. ^ Foundation Sire: Squirt
  60. ^ Biography: Squirt
  61. ^ Foundation Sire: Marske
  62. ^ "Biography: Marske". www.bloodlines.net.
  63. ^ Darley Arabian Sire Line: Eclipse Branch
  64. ^ Sire Line: Eclipse
  65. ^ Portrait: Eclipse
  66. ^ Biography: Eclipse
  67. ^ Biography: Transit
  68. ^ Biography: Pretender
  69. ^ Foundation Sire: Shark
  70. ^ Biography: Shark
  71. ^ Foundation Sire: Young Marske
  72. ^ Biography: Young Marske
  73. ^ Biography: Garrick
  74. ^ Biography: Pontac
  75. ^ Biography: Pot-8-Os
  76. ^ Foundation Sire: Syphon
  77. ^ Biography: Syphon
  78. ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetwilliam
  79. ^ Biography: Sweetwilliam
  80. ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetbriar
  81. ^ Biography: Sweetbriar
  82. ^ Foundation Sire: Tandem
  83. ^ Biography: Tandem

Bibliography

  • Whyte, James Christie (1840). History of the British turf, from the earliest period to the present day, Volume I. London: H. Colburn. OL 6544990M.
  • McGrath, Christopher (2016). Mr Darley's Arabian: High Life, Low Life, Sporting Life. Hodder & Stoughton.
  • Church, Michael (2004). Champion Sires 1722-2003. Raceform Ltd. p. 319. ISBN 1-904317-82-0.