Combat (horse)

British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Combat

Sire| Big Game
Grandsire| Bahram
Dam| Commotion
Damsire| Mieuxce
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1944
Country| Ireland
Colour| Brown
Breeder| John Arthur Dewar
Owner| John Arthur Dewar
Trainer| Fred Darling
Record| 9:9-0-0
Major wins
Windsor Castle Stakes (1946)
Blue Riband Trial Stakes (1947)
Rous Memorial Stakes (1947)
Sussex Stakes (1947)

Combat (1944-1967) was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Despite winning all nine of his races, his career was largely overshadowed by that of his more celebrated stablemate Tudor Minstrel. He won all four of his races as a two-year-old in 1946 and all five in the following year including the Blue Riband Trial Stakes, Rous Memorial Stakes and Sussex Stakes. He was then retired to stud where he had limited success as a sire of winners.

## Background

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Combat was a brown horse with a white coronet on his left hind leg[1] bred by his owner John Arthur Dewar who inherited his Thoroughbred racehorses from his uncle, the Scottish whisky distiller Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar.[2] These horses included Lady Juror, who became a successful broodmare, producing Fair Trial and the July Stakes winner Riot, the grand-dam of Combat. In the same year that Combat was foaled, Dewar bred Tudor Minstrel from another daughter of Lady Juror. Combat was from the first crop of foals sired by Big Game the best British colt of his generation whose wins included the 2000 Guineas and the Champion Stakes. Combat's dam Commotion won the Oaks Stakes in 1941 and became a successful broodmare: she also produced the St James's Palace Stakes winner Faux Tirage and the leading Argentinian sire Aristophanes.[3][4] Dewar sent the colt into training with Fred Darling at Beckhampton in Wiltshire.[5]

## Racing career

[edit]

### 1946: two-year-old season

[edit]

As a two-year-old in 1946, Combat ran four times and won on each occasion. At Royal Ascot in June, he won the five furlong Windsor Castle Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes at Salisbury Racecourse. Darling and Dewar kept Combat away from his stable companion Tudor Minstrel.[2]

### 1947: three-year-old season

[edit]

As a three-year-old, Combat did not contest the classics: the stable relied on Tudor Minstrel who won the 2000 Guineas and was beaten when favourite for The Derby. In spring, Combat won the Blue Riband Trial Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Epsom Downs Racecourse, beating the future St Leger winner Sayajirao. In June, he returned to Royal Ascot where he won the Rous Memorial Stakes over one mile.[6] In July, after winning the Sandringham Stakes,[7] he was sent to Goodwood Racecourse for the Sussex Stakes. Ridden by Gordon Richards, he won at odds of 8/13 from Petition.[8]

## Stud record

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Combat was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion. The best of his offspring was Aggressor, who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1960.[9] He also sired the Irish Oaks winner Agar's Plough and the Longfellow Handicap winner Combustion. Orizaba champion 3 year old filly and horse of the year in Mexico, and one of the strongest female lines in Mexico.

Combat died of a twisted gut at the Aislabie Stud at Newmarket on 17 August 1967.[10]

## Pedigree

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Pedigree of Combat (GB), brown stallion, 1944[11] Sire
Big Game (GB)
1939  | Bahram (GB)
1932  | Blandford | Swynford

|
|
|

Blanche
Friar's Daughter  | Friar Marcus
Garron Lass
Myrobella (FR)
1930  | Tetratema | The Tetrarch
Scotch Gift
Dolabella  | White Eagle
Gondolette
Dam
Commotion (GB)
1938  | Mieuxce (FR)
1933  | Massine | Consols
Mauri
L'Olivete  | Opott
Jonicole
Riot (GB)
1929  | Colorado | Phalaris
Canyon
Lady Juror  | Son-in-Law
Lady Josephine (Family: 9-c)[4]

## See also

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* List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses

## References

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1. ^ "Combat photograph". sporthorse-data.com. Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
2. ^ a b Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
3. ^ "Leading Sires of Argentina". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
4. ^ a b "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Crab Mare – Family 9-c". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
5. ^ "Frederick Darling". Horseracing History Online. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
6. ^ William Edgar Lyon, Dorian Williams (1948). The Horseman's Year. Collins. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
7. ^ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third ed.). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
8. ^ Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books Publishing. ISBN 978-1-873626-15-3.
9. ^ "Aggressor pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
10. ^ The Bloodstock Breeders' Annual Review. Vol. 56\. British Bloodstock Agency. 1967. p. 141. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
11. ^ "Combat pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-07-20.