Tyrant (British horse) facts for kids

Tyrant was a famous British racehorse born in 1799. He was a special type of horse called a Thoroughbred. Tyrant raced from April 1802 to April 1803, winning two out of four races. His biggest win was the Epsom Derby in 1802, which is a very important horse race. Even though he won the Derby, some people didn't think he was the best horse of his time.

Tyrant's Early Life and Family

Tyrant was a bay horse, meaning he had a reddish-brown body with a black mane and tail. He was bred and owned by Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton.

His Famous Father

Tyrant's father was a horse with a very unusual name: Potoooooooo. Potoooooooo was a very successful racehorse himself. He became an important father horse, known as a sire, and Tyrant was one of three Derby winners he produced.

His Trainer and Mother

Tyrant was trained by Robert Robson at Newmarket, Suffolk. Robson was a legendary trainer who guided a record seven horses to win the Derby. Tyrant's mother was a mare named Sea-Fowl, who was also known as Miss Brighton. Sea-Fowl had fifteen foals, and her best-known child besides Tyrant was Trafalgar.

Tyrant's Racing Adventures

Tyrant raced for two years, showing his speed and skill on the track.

Racing as a Three-Year-Old (1802)

Tyrant's first race was on April 20, 1802, at Newmarket. He won this race, beating a horse named Julia.

Winning the Derby

His most famous race was the Derby at Epsom on June 3. Tyrant was not the favorite to win, starting at odds of 7 to 1. His jockey, Frank Buckle, rode him carefully at the beginning. As other horses tired, Buckle brought Tyrant forward to win the big prize. A writer named Pierce Egan gave credit to Buckle's smart riding for the win. He even said Tyrant was "one of the worst horses that ever won a Derby," showing how much Buckle's skill helped.

Autumn Race

After his Derby win, Tyrant raced again in October at Newmarket. He was the favorite this time, but he finished fourth out of five runners.

Racing as a Four-Year-Old (1803)

Tyrant's last known race was on April 12, 1803, at Newmarket. He finished third in a race, behind two horses he had beaten in the Derby. After this, his owner decided not to race him anymore.

Life After Racing

Most successful racehorses become sires, meaning they father new racehorses. However, Tyrant had short legs, which meant he wasn't suitable for breeding.

Instead, he was sold to the Earl of Jersey. Tyrant became a foxhunter, which is a horse used for hunting foxes. His name doesn't appear in records of horses used for breeding, and he didn't have any known offspring.

Tyrant's Family Tree

Here's a look at Tyrant's family tree, showing his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. This helps us understand his famous racing bloodline.