Cameronian (horse)

British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Cameronian

Cameronian in a photo by Frank Griggs.

Sire| Pharos
Grandsire| Phalaris
Dam| Una Cameron
Damsire| Gainsborough
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1928
Country| United Kingdom
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar
Owner| John Arthur Dewar
Trainer| Fred Darling
Record| 9: 5-0-3
Earnings| £31,287
Major wins
2000 Guineas Stakes (1931)
Epsom Derby (1931)
St. James's Palace Stakes (1931)
Champion Stakes (1932)

Cameronian (1928–1955) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won the 2000 Guineas Stakes and the Derby in 1931 but finished unplaced in the St. Leger in his attempt to win the English Triple Crown. He returned as a four-year-old to win the Champion Stakes in 1932.

## Background

[edit]

Cameronian was a small[1] bay horse, bred by his first owner, the Scottish whisky distiller Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar. On Lord Dewar's death in 1930, the unraced two-year-old colt was inherited by his nephew[2] John Arthur “Lucky” Dewar.[3] The death of an owner had traditionally canceled all of a horse's entries, but a rule change in 1929 meant that Cameronian's status was not affected, allowing him to take part in the Classics.[4]

Cameronian's sire, Pharos was a top class racehorse who won the Champion Stakes and went on to become a highly successful stallion.[5] He sired many good winners including the French champion Pharis and the unbeaten Nearco, who became one of the most influential stallions of the 20th Century. Cameronian was the third of seven Derby winners trained by Fred Darling at Beckhampton, Wiltshire.[6]

## Racing career

[edit]

### 1930: two-year-old season

[edit]

Cameronian was slow to mature as a two-year-old and ran only once, winning a minor race at Salisbury. He was not rated in that year's Free Handicap, a rating of the leading two-year-olds.[7]

### 1931: three-year-old season

[edit]

Cameronian began his three-year-old season by running third to Philae in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, beaten just over a length.[8] His effort was attracted attention and he was introduced into the Derby betting as second favourite.[9] In the 2000 Guineas three weeks later he started at 100/8 and was ridden by Joe Childs,[10] as the stable jockey Fred Fox rode the more fancied Lemnarchus.[11] On heavy ground which had forced the withdrawal of the likely favourite Jacopo.[12] Cameronian won by two lengths from the French colt Goyescas[7]

In the Derby at Epsom a month later Cameronian started 7/2 favourite. Ridden by Fox[13] he broke quickly and was then steadied to track the leaders in the early stages before moving into the lead as the field entered the straight. Orpen emerged as his main challenger, moving alongside Cameronian two furlongs out but after a "terrific struggle"[14] Cameronian prevailed by three quarters of a length. Sandwich, who had been badly drawn and been hampered during the race finished strongly to take third. The win for the favourite was extremely popular with the public, though not with the bookmakers, several of whom "welshed" (failed to pay out winning bets) on the race. At the victory celebration, Dewar, who described himself as "the most delighted man in the world", decorated the Savoy Hotel with a hundred miles of tartan ribbon.[15]

Cameronian was sent to Royal Ascot two weeks later for the St. James's Palace Stakes over one mile. He recorded a popular victory, winning by three lengths from Trinidad in "brilliant" style.[16]

The colt was then rested until the September, when he started odds-on favourite for the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse, despite doubts from some experts about his ability to stay the one and three quarter mile distance.[17] His attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Rock Sand in 1903[18] however, ended in failure. He pulled hard on the way to the start where, according to Fred Fox, he "went mad", becoming highly agitated and kicking out at other horses. In the race the colt fought Fox's attempts to settle him. By the straight he was exhausted and dropped out to finish last of the ten runners behind Sandwich.[19] Although Cameronian was found to be running a temperature after the race he soon recovered. His connections were unable to explain his poor effort, with Darling explicitly ruling out the possibility of the horse having been "got at".[20] Plans to retire the colt at the end of the season were revised.[21]

### 1932: four-year-old season

[edit]

At four, Cameronian began in June by finishing third in a "stirring" finish to the Coronation Cup at Epsom, beaten a head and a short-head by the five-year-old Salmon Leap and Goyescas.[22]

In September he ran a close third to Firdaussi, when attempting to give the winner twelve pounds in the Jockey Club Stakes.[11] On his final start he recorded his most important victory since the Derby by beating the three-year-old Dastur in the Champion Stakes.[1]

## Assessment

[edit]

In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Cameronian as an "average" Derby winner.[23]

## Stud career

[edit]

Cameronian made a promising start to his stud career by siring the St Leger winner Scottish Union in his first crop of foals.[24] His son Finis won the wartime Gold Cup in 1941, but in the same year Cameronian was sold and exported to Argentina,[25] where he died in 1955.[11]

## Pedigree

[edit]

Pedigree of Cameronian (GB), bay stallion, 1928  Sire
Pharos (GB)
1920  | Phalaris
1913  | Polymelus | Cyllene

|
|
|

Maid Marian
Bromus  | Sainfoin
Cheery
Scapa Flow
1914  | Chaucer  | St. Simon
Canterbury Pilgrim
Anchora  | Love Wisely
Eryholme
Dam
Una Cameron (FR)
1922  | Gainsborough
1915  | Bayardo | Bay Ronald
Galicia
Rosedrop | St. Frusquin
Rosaline
Cherimoya
1908  | Cherry Tree  | Hampton
Cherry
Svelte  | St. Simon
Fine Lady (Family: 1)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Anne Peters Thoroughbred Heritage. "Pharos". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
2. ^ "LAST OF FIVE BROTHERS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1933-11-02. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
3. ^ "John Dewar". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
4. ^ "PRIZE-WINNERS IN SWEEPS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-06-05. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
5. ^ Anne Peters Thoroughbred Heritage. "Pharos". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
6. ^ "Frederick Darling". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
7. ^ a b "THE TWO THOUSAND". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-04-30. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
8. ^ "Craven Stakes won by Philae". Calgary Daily Herald. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
9. ^ "Jacopo is held Derby favourite". Calgary Daily Herald. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
10. ^ "Joseph Childs". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
11. ^ a b c Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
12. ^ "Cameronian Newmarket Race Victor". Schenectady Gazette. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
13. ^ "Frederick Fox". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
14. ^ "WON BY THE FAVOURITE". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-06-04. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
15. ^ "THE DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-07-11. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
16. ^ "NINE WIN AT ASCOT". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-07-30. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
17. ^ "DONCASTER ST. LEGER". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-09-09. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
18. ^ "Cameronian seeks Triple Turf Crown". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
19. ^ "CAMERONIAN RUNS LAST". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-09-24. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
20. ^ "ACCIDENT AT WASHDYKE". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-10-21. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
21. ^ "CAMERONIAN RECOVERED". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1931-10-31. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
22. ^ "Cameronian beaten in Coronation Cup". Calgary Daily Herald. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
23. ^ Randall, J and Morris, T. . Portway Press, 1999, p. 137.
24. ^ "Scottish Union". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1938-09-10. Retrieved 2011-11-04.
25. ^ "Britain's Strange Exports". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 2011-11-04.

## External links

[edit]

* Newsreel of 1931 Derby from British Pathé (silent).

* v
* t
* e

2000 Guineas winners

* 1809 Wizard
* 1810 Hephestion
* 1811 Trophonius
* 1812 Cwrw
* 1813 Smolensko
* 1814 Olive
* 1815 Tigris
* 1816 Nectar
* 1817 Manfred
* 1818 Interpreter
* 1819 Antar
* 1820 Pindarrie
* 1821 Reginald
* 1822 Pastille ♥
* 1823 Nicolo
* 1824 Schahriar
* 1825 Enamel
* 1826 Dervise
* 1827 Turcoman
* 1828 Cadland
* 1829 Patron
* 1830 Augustus
* 1831 Riddlesworth
* 1832 Archibald
* 1833 Clearwell
* 1834 Glencoe
* 1835 Ibrahim
* 1836 Bay Middleton
* 1837 Achmet
* 1838 Grey Momus
* 1839 The Corsair
* 1840 Crucifix ♥
* 1841 Ralph
* 1842 Meteor
* 1843 Cotherstone
* 1844 The Ugly Buck
* 1845 Idas
* 1846 Sir Tatton Sykes
* 1847 Conyngham
* 1848 Flatcatcher
* 1849 Nunnykirk
* 1850 Pitsford
* 1851 Hernandez
* 1852 Stockwell
* 1853 West Australian ₩
* 1854 The Hermit
* 1855 Lord of the Isles
* 1856 Fazzoletto
* 1857 Vedette
* 1858 Fitz-Roland
* 1859 The Promised Land
* 1860 The Wizard
* 1861 Diophantus
* 1862 The Marquis
* 1863 Macaroni
* 1864 General Peel
* 1865 Gladiateur ₩
* 1866 Lord Lyon ₩
* 1867 Vauban
* 1868 Formosa ♥
* Moslem
* 1869 Pretender
* 1870 Macgregor
* 1871 Bothwell
* 1872 Prince Charlie
* 1873 Gang Forward
* 1874 Atlantic
* 1875 Camballo
* 1876 Petrarch
* 1877 Chamant
* 1878 Pilgrimage ♥
* 1879 Charibert
* 1880 Petronel
* 1881 Peregrine
* 1882 Shotover ♥
* 1883 Galliard
* 1884 Scot Free
* 1885 Paradox
* 1886 Ormonde ₩
* 1887 Enterprise
* 1888 Ayrshire
* 1889 Enthusiast
* 1890 Surefoot
* 1891 Common ₩
* 1892 Bona Vista
* 1893 Isinglass ₩
* 1894 Ladas
* 1895 Kirkconnel
* 1896 St. Frusquin
* 1897 Galtee More ₩
* 1898 Disraeli
* 1899 Flying Fox ₩
* 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩
* 1901 Handicapper
* 1902 Sceptre
* 1903 Rock Sand ₩
* 1904 St. Amant
* 1905 Vedas
* 1906 Gorgos
* 1907 Slieve Gallion
* 1908 Norman
* 1909 Minoru
* 1910 Neil Gow
* 1911 Sunstar
* 1912 Sweeper
* 1913 Louvois
* 1914 Kennymore
* 1915 Pommern ₩
* 1916 Clarissimus
* 1917 Gay Crusader ₩
* 1918 Gainsborough ₩
* 1919 The Panther
* 1920 Tetratema
* 1921 Craig an Eran
* 1922 St Louis
* 1923 Ellangowan
* 1924 Diophon
* 1925 Manna
* 1926 Colorado
* 1927 Adam's Apple
* 1928 Flamingo
* 1929 Mr Jinks
* 1930 Diolite
* 1931 Cameronian
* 1932 Orwell
* 1933 Rodosto
* 1934 Colombo
* 1935 Bahram ₩
* 1936 Pay Up
* 1937 Le Ksar
* 1938 Pasch
* 1939 Blue Peter
* 1940 Djebel
* 1941 Lambert Simnel
* 1942 Big Game
* 1943 Kingsway
* 1944 Garden Path ♥
* 1945 Court Martial
* 1946 Happy Knight
* 1947 Tudor Minstrel
* 1948 My Babu
* 1949 Nimbus
* 1950 Palestine
* 1951 Ki Ming
* 1952 Thunderhead
* 1953 Nearula
* 1954 Darius
* 1955 Our Babu
* 1956 Gilles de Retz
* 1957 Crepello
* 1958 Pall Mall
* 1959 Taboun
* 1960 Martial
* 1961 Rockavon
* 1962 Privy Councillor
* 1963 Only For Life
* 1964 Baldric
* 1965 Niksar
* 1966 Kashmir
* 1967 Royal Palace
* 1968 Sir Ivor
* 1969 Right Tack
* 1970 Nijinsky ₩
* 1971 Brigadier Gerard
* 1972 High Top
* 1973 Mon Fils
* 1974 Nonoalco
* 1975 Bolkonski
* 1976 Wollow
* 1977 Nebbiolo
* 1978 Roland Gardens
* 1979 Tap On Wood
* 1980 Known Fact
* 1981 To-Agori-Mou
* 1982 Zino
* 1983 Lomond
* 1984 El Gran Senor
* 1985 Shadeed
* 1986 Dancing Brave
* 1987 Don't Forget Me
* 1988 Doyoun
* 1989 Nashwan
* 1990 Tirol
* 1991 Mystiko
* 1992 Rodrigo de Triano
* 1993 Zafonic
* 1994 Mister Baileys
* 1995 Pennekamp
* 1996 Mark of Esteem
* 1997 Entrepreneur
* 1998 King of Kings
* 1999 Island Sands
* 2000 King's Best
* 2001 Golan
* 2002 Rock of Gibraltar
* 2003 Refuse To Bend
* 2004 Haafhd
* 2005 Footstepsinthesand
* 2006 George Washington
* 2007 Cockney Rebel
* 2008 Henrythenavigator
* 2009 Sea the Stars
* 2010 Makfi
* 2011 Frankel
* 2012 Camelot
* 2013 Dawn Approach
* 2014 Night of Thunder
* 2015 Gleneagles
* 2016 Galileo Gold
* 2017 Churchill
* 2018 Saxon Warrior
* 2019 Magna Grecia
* 2020 Kameko
* 2021 Poetic Flare
* 2022 Coroebus
* 2023 Chaldean
* 2024 Notable Speech
* 2025 Ruling Court

Legend \- ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly

* v
* t
* e

Epsom Derby winners

* 1780 Diomed
* 1781 Young Eclipse
* 1782 Assassin
* 1783 Saltram
* 1784 Serjeant
* 1785 Aimwell
* 1786 Noble
* 1787 Sir Peter Teazle
* 1788 Sir Thomas
* 1789 Skyscraper
* 1790 Rhadamanthus
* 1791 Eager
* 1792 John Bull
* 1793 Waxy
* 1794 Daedalus
* 1795 Spread Eagle
* 1796 Didelot
* 1797 colt by Fidget
* 1798 Sir Harry
* 1799 Archduke
* 1800 Champion
* 1801 Eleanor ♥
* 1802 Tyrant
* 1803 Ditto
* 1804 Hannibal
* 1805 Cardinal Beaufort
* 1806 Paris
* 1807 Election
* 1808 Pan
* 1809 Pope
* 1810 Whalebone
* 1811 Phantom
* 1812 Octavius
* 1813 Smolensko
* 1814 Blucher
* 1815 Whisker
* 1816 Prince Leopold
* 1817 Azor
* 1818 Sam
* 1819 Tiresias
* 1820 Sailor
* 1821 Gustavus
* 1822 Moses
* 1823 Emilius
* 1824 Cedric
* 1825 Middleton
* 1826 Lap-dog
* 1827 Mameluke
* 1828 Cadland
* 1829 Frederick
* 1830 Priam
* 1831 Spaniel
* 1832 St. Giles
* 1833 Dangerous
* 1834 Plenipotentiary
* 1835 Mundig
* 1836 Bay Middleton
* 1837 Phosphorus
* 1838 Amato
* 1839 Bloomsbury
* 1840 Little Wonder
* 1841 Coronation
* 1842 Attila
* 1843 Cotherstone
* 1844 Orlando
* 1845 The Merry Monarch
* 1846 Pyrrhus The First
* 1847 Cossack
* 1848 Surplice
* 1849 The Flying Dutchman
* 1850 Voltigeur
* 1851 Teddington
* 1852 Daniel O'Rourke
* 1853 West Australian ₩
* 1854 Andover
* 1855 Wild Dayrell
* 1856 Ellington
* 1857 Blink Bonny ♥
* 1858 Beadsman
* 1859 Musjid
* 1860 Thormanby
* 1861 Kettledrum
* 1862 Caractacus
* 1863 Macaroni
* 1864 Blair Athol
* 1865 Gladiateur ₩
* 1866 Lord Lyon ₩
* 1867 Hermit
* 1868 Blue Gown
* 1869 Pretender
* 1870 Kingcraft
* 1871 Favonius
* 1872 Cremorne
* 1873 Doncaster
* 1874 George Frederick
* 1875 Galopin
* 1876 Kisber
* 1877 Silvio
* 1878 Sefton
* 1879 Sir Bevys
* 1880 Bend Or
* 1881 Iroquois
* 1882 Shotover ♥
* 1883 St. Blaise
* 1884 St. Gatien
* Harvester
* 1885 Melton
* 1886 Ormonde ₩
* 1887 Merry Hampton
* 1888 Ayrshire
* 1889 Donovan
* 1890 Sainfoin
* 1891 Common ₩
* 1892 Sir Hugo
* 1893 Isinglass ₩
* 1894 Ladas
* 1895 Sir Visto
* 1896 Persimmon
* 1897 Galtee More ₩
* 1898 Jeddah
* 1899 Flying Fox ₩
* 1900 Diamond Jubilee ₩
* 1901 Volodyovski
* 1902 Ard Patrick
* 1903 Rock Sand ₩
* 1904 St. Amant
* 1905 Cicero
* 1906 Spearmint
* 1907 Orby
* 1908 Signorinetta ♥
* 1909 Minoru
* 1910 Lemberg
* 1911 Sunstar
* 1912 Tagalie ♥
* 1913 Aboyeur
* 1914 Durbar
* 1915 Pommern ₩
* 1916 Fifinella ♥
* 1917 Gay Crusader ₩
* 1918 Gainsborough ₩
* 1919 Grand Parade
* 1920 Spion Kop
* 1921 Humorist
* 1922 Captain Cuttle
* 1923 Papyrus
* 1924 Sansovino
* 1925 Manna
* 1926 Coronach
* 1927 Call Boy
* 1928 Felstead
* 1929 Trigo
* 1930 Blenheim
* 1931 Cameronian
* 1932 April the Fifth
* 1933 Hyperion
* 1934 Windsor Lad
* 1935 Bahram ₩
* 1936 Mahmoud
* 1937 Mid-day Sun
* 1938 Bois Roussel
* 1939 Blue Peter
* 1940 Pont l'Eveque
* 1941 Owen Tudor
* 1942 Watling Street
* 1943 Straight Deal
* 1944 Ocean Swell
* 1945 Dante
* 1946 Airborne
* 1947 Pearl Diver
* 1948 My Love
* 1949 Nimbus
* 1950 Galcador
* 1951 Arctic Prince
* 1952 Tulyar
* 1953 Pinza
* 1954 Never Say Die
* 1955 Phil Drake
* 1956 Lavandin
* 1957 Crepello
* 1958 Hard Ridden
* 1959 Parthia
* 1960 St. Paddy
* 1961 Psidium
* 1962 Larkspur
* 1963 Relko
* 1964 Santa Claus
* 1965 Sea Bird
* 1966 Charlottown
* 1967 Royal Palace
* 1968 Sir Ivor
* 1969 Blakeney
* 1970 Nijinsky ₩
* 1971 Mill Reef
* 1972 Roberto
* 1973 Morston
* 1974 Snow Knight
* 1975 Grundy
* 1976 Empery
* 1977 The Minstrel
* 1978 Shirley Heights
* 1979 Troy
* 1980 Henbit
* 1981 Shergar
* 1982 Golden Fleece
* 1983 Teenoso
* 1984 Secreto
* 1985 Slip Anchor
* 1986 Shahrastani
* 1987 Reference Point
* 1988 Kahyasi
* 1989 Nashwan
* 1990 Quest For Fame
* 1991 Generous
* 1992 Dr Devious
* 1993 Commander in Chief
* 1994 Erhaab
* 1995 Lammtarra
* 1996 Shaamit
* 1997 Benny the Dip
* 1998 High-Rise
* 1999 Oath
* 2000 Sinndar
* 2001 Galileo
* 2002 High Chaparral
* 2003 Kris Kin
* 2004 North Light
* 2005 Motivator
* 2006 Sir Percy
* 2007 Authorized
* 2008 New Approach
* 2009 Sea the Stars
* 2010 Workforce
* 2011 Pour Moi
* 2012 Camelot
* 2013 Ruler of the World
* 2014 Australia
* 2015 Golden Horn
* 2016 Harzand
* 2017 Wings of Eagles
* 2018 Masar
* 2019 Anthony Van Dyck
* 2020 Serpentine
* 2021 Adayar
* 2022 Desert Crown
* 2023 Auguste Rodin
* 2024 City of Troy
* 2025 Lambourn

Legend \- ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template