Goldfinder (horse) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goldfinder |
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Painting of Goldfinder
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| Sire | Snap |
| Grandsire | Snip |
| Dam | Blank mare |
| Damsire | Blank |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1764 |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | John St Leger Douglas |
| Owner | Jenison Shafto Sir Charles Sedley |
| Record | 11: 11-0-0 |
| Major wins | |
| 1400 Guineas Stakes (1768) Ascot Stakes (1768) Newmarket Challenge Cup & Whip (1769, 1770) |
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Goldfinder (born 1764, died 1789) was an amazing Thoroughbred racehorse who was never beaten! He won many important races, like the Newmarket Challenge Cup and Whip twice. After he stopped racing, he became a very successful father to many other racehorses.
About Goldfinder
Goldfinder was a bay (brown with black mane and tail) colt (a young male horse) born in 1764. He was bred by John St Leger Douglas. His father was a famous horse named Snap, who was also undefeated and a 'Champion sire' (meaning he was a top father of racehorses). Goldfinder's mother was a daughter of another champion horse called Blank.
Racing Career
Goldfinder started his racing career at Newmarket on April 5, 1768. He won his first race, beating two other horses in a special race called a sweepstakes. This race was sometimes known as the 1400 Guineas.
Later that month, on April 29, he won the Ascot Stakes, beating six other horses. In October, he won another sweepstakes race, beating five rivals. One of these rivals was a favorite horse named Sejanus. The very next day, he was supposed to race a filly (young female horse), but her owner paid a fee and pulled her out of the race. Goldfinder's last race as a four-year-old was the Contribution Stakes, which he also won.
When Goldfinder was five years old, his first race was on March 31. He won a 150-guinea race, beating four other horses. In October, he raced in the Newmarket Challenge Cup and Whip, which was a very important race. Goldfinder won this race against five other strong horses. A few days later, he won another race, beating a horse named Jethro again. For his last two races as a five-year-old, he won easily because no other horses showed up to race against him. This is called a "walkover."
In 1770, Goldfinder started the season with another walkover win. In October, he won the Newmarket Challenge Cup and Whip for the second time, also by a walkover. People hoped he would race against another undefeated horse named Eclipse, but Goldfinder got hurt during exercise the day after his Cup win. This injury ended his amazing racing career.
Life as a Sire
In 1771, Goldfinder was sold to Sir Charles Sedley for 1,350 guineas. He became a stallion (a male horse used for breeding) at Nuthall Temple in Nottinghamshire. Goldfinder was very successful as a sire, meaning he fathered many winning racehorses. One of his famous children was Serina, who won the St. Leger Stakes in 1781.
After Sir Charles Sedley passed away in 1778, Goldfinder was sold again for 350 guineas. He moved to Mitcham in Surrey and continued his breeding career there. He retired from breeding after the 1784 season. Goldfinder died in 1789 when he was 25 years old.
See also
- List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses
