Rhadamanthus (horse) facts for kids

Rhadamanthus (born in 1787) was a famous British racehorse. He was a Thoroughbred, a special type of horse bred for racing. From 1790 to 1793, he ran in nine races and won five of them. His biggest win was The Derby in 1790, which he won without losing any races before it. He kept racing until he was six years old. Most of his races, except for The Derby, happened at Newmarket Racecourse.

Rhadamanthus's Early Life

Rhadamanthus was a bay or brown horse. He was born and raised by his owner, Lord Grosvenor. Rhadamanthus's mother was a mare named Flyer. She also gave birth to another Derby winner, Daedalus, in 1794. Rhadamanthus's father was a horse named Justice. Justice had won two races at Newmarket during his own racing career.

Rhadamanthus's Racing Career

1790: His First Races

Lord Grosvenor, who owned and bred Rhadamanthus

Rhadamanthus started his racing career at Newmarket on April 25. He ran in a race called the Prince's Stakes, which was about ten furlongs long (a furlong is about 200 meters). He was the favorite to win and he did! He beat Lord Derby's horse, Lee Boo, and the Duke of Bedford's horse, Thunderbolt.

A little later, Rhadamanthus was supposed to race against a horse named Precipitate. But his owner, Lord Grosvenor, decided to pull him out of the race.

Winning The Derby

Lord Grosvenor had two strong horses in The Derby race at Epsom on May 22: Rhadamanthus and Asparagus. Rhadamanthus was the top favorite to win. He was ridden by a jockey named John Arnull. Rhadamanthus won the race, beating his stablemate Asparagus, who came in second. Lee Boo, who Rhadamanthus had beaten before, finished third. Ten horses ran in this important race.

After The Derby, Rhadamanthus didn't race for almost five months. He returned to Newmarket in the autumn. On October 19, he won another race for three-year-olds. He was the favorite and beat six other horses.

Rhadamanthus's winning streak ended on November 1. He finished second to Asparagus in a race at Newmarket.

1791: Four-Year-Old Season

Rhadamanthus only raced once in 1791. This was at Newmarket's July meeting. He ran in a race for four-year-olds over ten furlongs. He was again the favorite and won the race. He beat a horse named Chanticleer and earned a lot of money for Lord Grosvenor.

1792: Five-Year-Old Season

Rhadamanthus's first race in 1792 was a big one called the Oatlands Stakes. It was a handicap race, meaning horses carried different weights based on how good they were. This race had a huge prize because many owners paid a lot to enter. Rhadamanthus was the favorite, but he didn't finish in the top spots.

Later that month, Rhadamanthus won a race without even having to run! This is called a "walkover." It happens when all the other horses entered in the race are pulled out. Lord Grosvenor won a large prize of 1,200 guineas this way. Rhadamanthus only raced one more time that year, finishing unplaced in a race at Newmarket in October.

1793: Six-Year-Old Season

Rhadamanthus ran only once in his last racing season. On April 30, he raced against a horse named Buzzard. Buzzard was a bit older and carried less weight, but Buzzard still won the race.

Rhadamanthus's Life After Racing

After his racing career, Rhadamanthus became a "sire." This means he was used for breeding. By 1795, he was owned by William Frisby. Rhadamanthus traveled around Northamptonshire, staying in different towns like Market Harborough, Stamford, Uppingham, and Oakham. He was available for breeding for a small fee.