Pasch (horse)

British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Pasch

Sire| Blandford
Grandsire| Swynford
Dam| Pasca
Damsire| Manna
Sex| Stallion
Foaled| 1935
Country| United Kingdom
Colour| Bay
Breeder| Henry Morriss
Owner| Henry Morriss
Trainer| Fred Darling
Record| 6:3-1-2
Major wins
2000 Guineas (1938)
Eclipse Stakes (1938)

Pasch (1935–1939) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1938, a year in which he started favourite for all three legs of the Triple Crown. In a brief racing career which lasted from April to October of his three-year-old season, he ran six times, recording three wins, one second, and two third places. Apart from his win in the Guineas, he won the Eclipse Stakes and was placed in The Derby, St Leger Stakes and Champion Stakes. He was then retired to stud but died after siring a single crop of foals.

## Background

[edit]

Pasch was a bay horse with a narrow white blaze and one white foot[1] bred his owner Henry E. Morriss, a Shanghai-based bullion broker. He was sired by Blandford, a highly successful breeding stallion whose other notable winners included Bahram, Windsor Lad, Blenheim, Trigo and Brantôme.[2] Pasch's dam Pasca was a daughter of Morriss's Derby winner Manna out of the mare Soubriquet, a half-sister of Fifinella. Soubriquet was a high class runner in her own right, winning five races and finishing second in both the 1000 Guineas and The Oaks. At the end of her racing career she was bought by Morriss for 12,500 guineas to become a broodmare.[3] Pasca won two minor races and also produced Pasqua, the dam of the Derby winner Pinza.[4]

Morriss sent the colt into training with Fred Darling at his stable at Beckhampton in Wiltshire.[5] At Darling's stable, Pasch was lodged in the box which had previously been occupied by the Derby winners Coronach and Manna.[6]

## Racing career

[edit]

### 1938: three-year-old season

[edit]

Pasch was unraced as a two-year-old after sustaining an injury to his pastern in the spring.[7] Although he recovered by autumn it was decided not to race him until the following year.[8] He was highly regarded by his owner who described him in November 1937 as a colt who might "be heard of next year in the classic races, as he is very good".[9]

In 1938 he began his racing career by winning the Coventry Stakes at Kempton Park Racecourse on 16 April.[10] He was then stepped up in class to contest the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket eleven days later. Despite his lack of experience and an unfavourable draw, the colt was strongly supported in the betting and started the 5/2 favourite in a field of eighteen runners. Pasch started quickly and led in the early stages before being settled by the champion jockey Gordon Richards. He regained the lead at half way and despite showing his inexperience by "looking round him like a novice" he won by two lengths from Scottish Union and Mirza. Richards said that the colt had won with at least seven pounds in hand, adding "I really cannot see what can beat him in the Derby."[8] It was also noted that the colt's quick, "bouncing" action was ideally suited to the prevailing fast ground.[7] Other observers, however, felt that Pasch's excitable temperament would be a disadvantage in the Epsom classic.[11]

By 1 June, when the Derby was run over 1+1⁄2 miles at Epsom, the ground had been softened by rain. Although he was racing in more testing conditions than he had previously encountered, Pasch started the 9/4 favourite against twenty-one opponents.[12] He moved up to challenge the leader Scottish Union in the straight and looked likely to win[13] before Bois Roussel, a French colt who had arrived in Darling's stable two weeks before the race, produced a "spectacular finish" to win by four lengths. Pasch lost second place by two lengths to Scottish Union with Richards offering no real excuses, although he did state that the favourite had "hated coming down the hill".[14] Pasch was then brought back in distance and matched against older horses in the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown. He started at odds of 13/8 and won impressively by three lengths from the four-year-old Fair Copy, with Scottish Union in fourth.[15]

On 7 September, Pasch ran in the St Leger Stakes over 1 mile, 6+1⁄2 furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse. He started favourite[16] but finished third of the nine runners beaten a neck and four lengths by Scottish Union and Challenge.[17] After the St Leger it was announced that Pasch had been retired but he returned for the Champion Stakes at Newmarket in October. He was expected to end his career with a win but was beaten five lengths by the filly Rockfel.[18]

## Assessment

[edit]

In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Pasch an "average" winner of the 2000 Guineas.[17]

## Stud record

[edit]

Pasch was retired from racing to become a breeding stallion at Morriss's Banstead Manor stud. After completing one season at stud he became ill in September 1939[19] and died shortly afterwards of meningitis.[3] His foals included a filly named Pasquinade who became a successful broodmare, producing Royal Serenade (Nunthorpe Stakes, Hollywood Gold Cup) and Royal Palm (Nunthorpe Stakes).

## Pedigree

[edit]

Pedigree of Pasch (GB), bay stallion, 1935[20] Sire
Blandford (IRE)
1919  | Swynford
1907  | John O’Gaunt  | Isinglass

|
|
|

La Fleche
Canterbury Pilgrim | Tristan
Pilgrimage
Blanche
1912  | White Eagle  | Gallinule
Merry Gal
Black Cherry  | Bendigo
Black Duchess
Dam
Pasca (GB)
1928  | Manna
1922  | Phalaris | Polymelus
Bromus
Waffles  | Buckwheat
Lady Mischief
Soubriquet
1919  | Lemberg | Cyllene
Galicia
Silver Fowl  | Wildfowler
L'Argent (Family: 3-i)[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Pasch image". sporthorse-data.com. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
2. ^ Anne Peters (1919-05-26). "Blandford". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
3. ^ a b Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
4. ^ a b "Thoroughbred Bloodlines – Sister To Edwin – Family 3-i". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
5. ^ "Frederick Darling". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
6. ^ "DERBY FAVOURITE". Evening Post. 1 June 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
7. ^ a b "DERBY PROSPECTS". The Evening Post (New Zealand). 26 May 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
8. ^ a b "PASCH CONVINCINGLY". Evening Post. 19 May 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
9. ^ "THEY KNEW ABOUT PASCH". Evening Post. 20 May 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
10. ^ "Victory by Pasch helps Derby bid". Milwaukee Journal. 27 April 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
11. ^ "A GREAT RACE". Auckland Star. 16 May 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
12. ^ "TURF NOTES". Evening Post. 23 June 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
13. ^ "ENGLISH DERBY". Evening Post. 2 June 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
14. ^ "Spectacular finish by Bois Roussel". Glasgow Herald. 2 June 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
15. ^ "PASCH'S EASY WIN". Evening Post. 23 August 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
16. ^ "THE ST. LEGER STAKES". Evening Post. 15 October 1938. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
17. ^ a b Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
18. ^ "ROCKFEL BEATS PASCH". Evening Post. 26 November 1938. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
19. ^ "PASCH AND WINDSOR LAD". Evening Post. 20 September 1939. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
20. ^ "Pasch pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-02-07.

* v
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2000 Guineas winners

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* 1818 Interpreter
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* 1821 Reginald
* 1822 Pastille ♥
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* 1829 Patron
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* 1833 Clearwell
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* 1836 Bay Middleton
* 1837 Achmet
* 1838 Grey Momus
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* 1840 Crucifix ♥
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* 1843 Cotherstone
* 1844 The Ugly Buck
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* 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
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