Big Race History: The Brigadier Gerard Stakes

Events / Malcolm Pannett / 27 May 2009 / Leave a Comment

Malcolm Pannett tells the history of the Flat season's best evening race in which Pipedreamer will likely go off favourite for the 2009 running.

Inaugurated as the Coronation Stakes this race took on the name of the Hislops' superstar in 1973. Run over a mile-and-a-quarter at Sandown it is the best evening race of the season.

First run in 1953 to mark the investiture of the Queen, the race went to Baron Guy de Rothschild's Guersaint. Scobie Breasley won the next two runnings aboard Chamier (1954 and 1955). Since then two other horses have won twice Tacitus (1963 and 1964) and Jellaby (1977 and 1979).

Notable winners include Aggressor (1959) who beat Petite Etoile in a tactical King George; Petite Etoile (1961) heroine of the 1959 1,000 Guineas and Oaks; Busted (1967) the first leg of a Noel Murless hat-trick; Royal Palace (1968) winner of 2000 Guineas and Derby; Connaught (1969); Mtoto (1987); Pilsudski (1996); and Bosra Sham (1997).

Brigadier Gerard guaranteed legend status by winning 17 of his 18 races. Trained by Dick Hern and ridden by 'smokin' Joe Mercer he won all four of his two-year-old outings including the Middle Park Stakes. Next year the son of Queen's Hussar was victorious in one of the most eagerly anticipated runnings of the 2,000 Guineas when he beat Mill Reef by three lengths with My Swallow back in third.

Further successes including the St James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Champion Stakes cemented his reputation as something well out of the ordinary. As a four-year-old he added the Lockinge, the Eclipse and the King George, among others, bringing his unbeaten run to 15.

However a sensational defeat by Roberto, enterprisingly ridden by Panamanian jockey Braulio Baeza to break the course record, in York's Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (now the International Stakes) brought the run to an end.

The Brigadier, who was named after the vainglorious hero of Conan Doyle's The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard which is currently being made into a film starring Steve Carell returned to winning form in the QE II and Champion Stakes earning a Timeform rating of 144 co-second highest along with Secretariat and Tudor Minstrel behind Sea-Bird.

Racing writer and 13-time amateur flat champion jockey John Hislop, who also finished third in the 1947 Grand National on Kami, bred the Brigadier who ran in the colours of his wife, Jean.

25 years ago - Khalid Abdullah's Adonijah, who had been a fast-finishing third behind subsequent Arc-winner Sagace in the Prix Ganay a couple of runs earlier, ran out a clear winner from Erin's Hope and Parliament. Henry Cecil's charge came with his trademark run from off the pace to mow the field down going on to score by eight lengths under Lester Piggott. A follow up in the Diomed Stakes on Derby Day proved to be the son of High Line's last visit to the winners' enclosure. After finishing third in the Prix d'Ispahan and down the field in the Phoenix Champion Stakes he was retired to stud.

10 years ago - Henry Cecil's Chester House, despite being first off the bridle, responded to Kieren Fallon's urgings to take up the pace at three furlong marker. However the son of Mr Prospector started to edge right in the process interfering with Greek Dance who was immediately eased down. Fallon kept Chester House going to win by four lengths to Generous Rosi and Diamond White. At the end of the year Chester House emigrated to America going on to win the Arlington Million in 2000.

Five years ago - St Leger-third Bandari won his third race in a row when accounting for Ikhtyar and Sunstrach by a neck and seven lengths. The son of Alhaarth, trained by Mark Johnston, overhauled Chancellor on the turn for home and then bravely repelled a multitude of challenges in typically game style. Bandari went on to win the following season's Hardwicke Stakes at Royal York.

Last Year - Fight Club led the 14-strong field into the straight where Maraahel took over. However Jimmy Quinn was getting a good response from Smokey Oakey, who was relishing the soft ground, and the partnership collared Maraahel inside the last furlong to win by a neck with favourite Pipedreamer, who made late progress, taking third. Smokey Oakey, trained by Mark Tompkins and partly owned by Dame Judy Dench, despite having won the Lincoln two months before was sent off at the rewarding odds of 20-1.