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. Archived from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  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". Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  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". Archived from the original on 16 January 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  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. ^ Harness Museum: Hambletonian
  38. ^ Pedigree: Bellfounder
  39. ^ "Thoroughbred Foundation Sire: Roundhead". www.tbheritage.com.
  40. ^ Foundation Sire: Snip
  41. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap
  42. ^ Biography: Snap
  43. ^ Foundation Sire: Omnium
  44. ^ "Studbook: Early NO". Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  45. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Latham)
  46. ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Chedworth)
  47. ^ Studbook: Early M
  48. ^ Foundation Sire: Ancient Pistol
  49. ^ Foundation Sire: Goldfinder
  50. ^ Biography: Goldfinder
  51. ^ Foundation Sire: Juniper
  52. ^ "Foundation Sire: Prince Tquassaw". www.tbheritage.com.
  53. ^ "Foundation Sire: Young Snip". www.tbheritage.com.
  54. ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Bartlett)
  55. ^ "Biography: Childers (Bartlett)". www.bloodlines.net.
  56. ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Smales)
  57. ^ Biography: Childers (Smales)
  58. ^ Foundation Sire: Squirt
  59. ^ Biography: Squirt
  60. ^ Foundation Sire: Marske
  61. ^ "Biography: Marske". www.bloodlines.net. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  62. ^ Darley Arabian Sire Line: Eclipse Branch
  63. ^ "Sire Line: Eclipse". Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  64. ^ Portrait: Eclipse
  65. ^ "Biography: Eclipse". Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  66. ^ "Biography: Transit". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  67. ^ "Biography: Pretender". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  68. ^ Foundation Sire: Shark
  69. ^ Biography: Shark
  70. ^ Foundation Sire: Young Marske
  71. ^ "Biography: Young Marske". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  72. ^ "Biography: Garrick". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  73. ^ "Biography: Pontac". Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  74. ^ Biography: Pot-8-Os
  75. ^ Foundation Sire: Syphon
  76. ^ Biography: Syphon
  77. ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetwilliam
  78. ^ Biography: Sweetwilliam
  79. ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetbriar
  80. ^ Biography: Sweetbriar
  81. ^ Foundation Sire: Tandem
  82. ^ 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.