Bridget (horse)

Bridget (1776–1798) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who won the inaugural running of the Oaks Stakes in 1779. She was bred and owned by Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, for whom she produced five foals as a broodmare.

Bridget
Sire	Herod
Grandsire	Tartar
Dam	Jemima
Damsire	Snap
Sex	Mare
Foaled	1776
Country	Kingdom of Great Britain
Colour	Bay
Breeder	12th Earl of Derby
Owner	12th Earl of Derby
Major wins
Oaks Stakes (1779) Sweepstakes of 50gs at Newmarket (1779) Sweepstakes of 100gs at Newmarket (1779) Post Stakes (1780) Grosvenor's Stakes (1780) Match against Postboy (1780) Match against Girandola (1781)

Bridget's owner the 12th Earl of Derby

Background

Bridget was a bay filly bred by Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, and foaled in 1776.^[1] She was sired by Herod, who was a successful racehorse and important sire. He was champion sire eight times and his progeny included the undefeated Highflyer, Oaks winners Faith and Maid of the Oaks, St. Leger winner Phoenomenon and the triple Craven Stakes winner Woodpecker.^[2] Bridget was the first foal of Jemima, a daughter of Snap.^[1]

Racing career

Bridget made her first racecourse appearance on 14 May 1779 in the first running of the Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs. After starting as the 5/2 favourite, she won the race, beating Fame, Lavinia and nine others. At Newmarket in July she won a Sweepstakes of 50 guineas each over the Rowley Mile, beating Fame, Torrent and one other. At Newmarket's First October meeting she started as the 1/2 favourite for a Sweepstakes of 100 guineas each over the two-mile Ditch In course. She won the race, beating four rivals, including Torrent and Transfer. At the Newmarket Craven meeting in 1780 Bridget beat Thunder to win the Post Stakes. In July she beat Whipcord to win half of the Grosvenor's Stakes, after the other half had been given to Imperator to withdraw from the race. Her only other race of 1780 was in October, when she beat Postboy in a match over the two middle miles of the Beacon Course at Newmarket. Bridget started once in 1781, winning a match against General Smith's Girandola.^[3]

Stud career

Bridget became a broodmare at the Earl of Derby's stud and produced five foals. They were:

• Guilford colt – a chestnut colt foaled in 1787.^[1]
• Hotspur – a chestnut colt sired by Volunteer and foaled in 1789.^[1] In 1792 he finished third in the Great Produce Stakes at Newmarket.^[4]
• Fair Helen – a bay filly sired by Sir Peter Teazle and foaled in 1792.^[1] She ran unplaced in the Oaks as a three-year-old.^[5] In March 1796 she won a three-mile Annual Plate at Farndon, before walking over for another the following day.^[6]
• Millamant – a chestnut filly sired by Volunteer and foaled in 1793.^[1]
• Sir Thomas – a bay colt sired by Sir Peter Teazle and foaled in 1795.^[1]

Bridget died in 1798.^[3]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Bridget, bay mare, 1776^[1]

Sire Herod (GB) b. 1758	Tartar (GB) 1743	Partner 1718	Jigg
			Sister to Mixbury
		Melinora 1729	Fox*
			Milkmaid
	Cypron (GB) b. 1750	Blaze b. 1733	Flying Childers*
			Confederate Filly
		Selima 1733	Bethell's Arabian
			Graham's Champion mare
Dam Jemima (GB) b. 1769	Snap (GB) br. 1750	Snip br. 1736	Flying Childers*
			Basto mare
		Fox mare	Fox*
			Gipsey
	Matchem Middleton (GB)	Matchem b. 1748	Cade
			Partner mare
		Miss Middleton	Regulus
			Camilla

Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown

* Bridget was inbred 4x4 to both Fox and Flying Childers. This means that the stallions appear twice in the fourth generation of her pedigree.

References

1. The General Stud Book. J. S. Skinner, Baltimore. 1834. Retrieved 2012-12-28.
2. "King Herod". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
3. Johnson, R. (1822). The Turf Register (Volume III). High-Ousegate: A. Bartholoman.
4. "Racing calendar. 1792". Babel.hathitrust.org. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
5. "Racing calendar. 1795". Babel.hathitrust.org. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
6. "Racing calendar. 1796". Babel.hathitrust.org. Retrieved 2013-05-10.