Orbit
Racing silks of the Duke of Westminster
SireBend Or
GrandsireDoncaster
DamFair Alice
DamsireCambuscan
SexStallion
Foaled1885
ColourChestnut
Owner1st Duke of Westminster
TrainerJohn Porter
Record6 wins
Earnings£12,679[1]
Major wins
Craven Stakes (1888)
Eclipse Stakes (1888)

Orbit (foaled 1885) was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was trained at Kingsclere by John Porter for the 1st Duke of Westminster. As a three-year-old he won the Eclipse Stakes.

Breeding

Orbit was the son of Epsom Derby and Champion Stakes winner Bend Or. His dam was Fair Alice, a daughter of July Stakes winner Cambuscan.[2]

Racing career

Orbit won three races as a two-year-old; the Criterion Nursery Handicap at Newmarket, the Kempton Park Champion Nursery Handicap and the Daveridge Stakes.[3] Orbit started his three-year-old career by winning the Craven Stakes at Newmarket by ¾ length from Cotillon.[4] His next race came in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Friar's Balsam started as the 1/3 favourite for the race, with Ayrshire at 100/12 and Orbit at 100/8. Orbit ran on well in the closing stages to finish in third place. Ayrshire won the race by two lengths from Johnny Morgan, who was a head in front of Orbit.[5] After winning the 2000 Guineas win Ayrshire started as the 5/6 favourite for The Derby and Orbit was second favourite at 11/2. Orbit could only finish in fifth place, over seven lengths behind winner Ayrshire.[6] He then finished second in the Triennial Stakes at Ascot.[1] Orbit started as the 9/4 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes and in the final 100 yards of the race Orbit gradually edged away from stablemate Ossory and beat him by a length.[7]

Stud career

After retiring from racing Orbit was exported to Argentina to stand at stud. He was a successful stallion there and his progeny included Olascoaga[8] and Old Man, who won 18 of his 19 races.[9] Such was his success at stud he was given the nickname "Stockwell Sudamericano" meaning "South American Stockwell" and referring to the British sire Stockwell.[8]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Orbit, chestnut stallion, 1885[10]
Sire
Bend Or
ch. 1877		 Doncaster
ch. 1870		 Stockwell
ch. 1849		 The Baron
Pocahontas
Marigold
ch. 1860		 Teddington
Ratan mare
Rouge Rose
ch. 1865		 Thormanby
ch. 1857		 Windhound
Alice Hawthorn*
Ellen Horne
br. 1844		 Redshank
Delhi
Dam
Fair Alice
br. 1873		 Cambuscan
ch. 1861		 Newminster
b. 1848		 Touchstone
Beeswing
The Arrow
b. 1850		 Slane
Southdown
Young Alice
b. 1865		 Young Melbourne
br. 1855		 Melbourne
Clarissa
Sweet Hawthorn
br. 1858		 Sweetmeat
Alice Hawthorn*

Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown, ch. = Chestnut

* Orbit was inbred 4x4 to Alice Hawthorn. This means that the mare appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

References

  1. 1 2 Porter, John; Moorhouse, Edward (1919). John Porter of Kingsclere. G. Richards Ltd.
  2. ↑ "Cambuscan". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  3. ↑ "TURF GOSSIP". Auckland Star. 28 April 1888. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  4. ↑ "Thursday, April 19". Otago Witness. 1 June 1888. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  5. ↑ "DERBY SPRING MEETING". Otago Witness. 22 June 1888. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  6. ↑ "Wednesday, May 30". Otago Witness. 20 July 1888. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  7. ↑ "RACING IN ENGLAND". Otago Witness. 21 September 1888. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  8. 1 2 "Bend Or - Orbit". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  9. ↑ "Dollar - Old Man". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  10. ↑ "Orbit pedigree". equineline.com. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
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