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  Foundation Sires of the Thoroughbred: D
graphic

Alphabetized List of Important 17th and 18th Century Stallions


Delpini
Delpini

Diamond
Diamond by Highflyer

Dick Andrews
Dick Andrews

Diomed
Diomed

Dorimant
Dorimant
Dormouse
Dormouse

Dragon
Dragon by Woodpecker

Little Driver
Little Driver

Dugannon
Dungannon
Damascus Arabian
Black 1754; imported 1760. Bred by "the Arab Chief of Acria," purchased from a "Turkey merchant at Aleppo" by an Englishman and sent to England. Owned by William Coates; stood at Northallerton. Stood 14 hands, 1/2 inch, "a height which very few Arabians ever exceed," of the "purest Arab breed, without any mixture of the Turcoman or Barb." Sired a series of decent racehorses, including the black Signal (ran at Newmarket in the mid 1760s); Mufti (1772, black); Lord Clermont's Flush (later Cripple in Ireland, 1764); Magpie (1772). Also sired siblings Pigmy (1774) and Sophy (filly, 1772); the dam of Homer, and an unnamed mare (1778) important in Family 21.
Dainty Davie
SIRE: (Old) Traveller - (Old) Partner - Jigg - BYERLEY TURK. Byerley Turk Sire Line
DAM: Slighted by All by Foxcub - mare by Jigg - Brown Farewell by Makeless - mare by Brimmer - mare by Place's White Turk - mare by Dodsworth - Layton Violet Barb mare (Family 4).
Bay 1752. Bred and raced by the second Duke of Cleveland. This small bay colt won the first Gold Cup race held at Richmond, in 1759, a feat he repeated each year through 1763--he ran against the horse, Silvio, in this race 4 years in a row. He also beat Lord Rockingham's Scrub at York in two 4 mile heats in 1760. Was fairly popular as a sire, got the good racehorse Hambletonian (1767, not the later and more important one by King Fergus), Pilot (1770), Gilkicker (1770), Pine-Apple (1773), David (1766), and others.
D'Arcy White Turk
Parentage unknown. Grey; imported 16--.
D'Arcy Yellow Turk
Parentage unknown. Dun or Sorrel; imported c. 1675.
Darley's Arabian
Parentage unknown. Bay; imported c.1706.
Delpini (first Hackwood)
SIRE: Highflyer - Highflyer - Herod - Tartar - (Old) Partner - Jigg - BYERLEY TURK. Byerley Turk Sire Line
DAM: Grey Countess by Blank - Grey Rib by Rib - Wynn's Arabian mare by Wynn Arabian - mare by Governor - mare by Alcock Arabian - [Probable} Sweetlips mare by Ancaster Merlin - Pudding Mare by St. Martin - Somerset Mare by Wharton's Commoner - Coppin Mare by Selaby Turk - Place's White Turk Mare (Family 28).
Grey 1781. Bred by the Duke of Bolton, he ran undefeated in eight successive races, including a Great Subscription Purse at York in 1786, and a second one the following day; he subsequently lost two races and then broke down. Delpini was apparently a horse of great beauty, described as "very closely allied to the Arab in his look, being light bodied, and with a prominent eye and head, which told of Desert descent..." At stud, he was the highly successful sire of 80 winners, apparently many greys, most of whom could go four miles. His offspring included St. Leger winner Symmetry, racehorses Seymour, Scotia, Theophania, and Timothy, and the top broodmare Vesta. He apparently suffered from Cushing's Syndrome; during his last three years "he never shed his coat and became like the woolly child of Caravan lore."
Devonshire Arabians
William Cavendish (4th) Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth, Derbyshire. The history of the two Devonshire Arabians --Devonshire Chestnut Arabian and Devonshire Grey Arabian -- is not noted in the General Stud Book. They were in the (4th) Duke of Devonshire's stud at Chatsworth, covering mares between 1756 and 1762. The Dukes of Devonshire had been breeding and racing horses for several generations; William the 4th Duke (1720-1764) served as the King's Master of the Horse, and later as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1755-6) and as Prime Minister (1756-7). These two stallions were bred to well-bred mares in the Duke's stud, often to the same mares in different years. Some of these mares themselves were Chatsworth mares from several generations back. Only once is a foal listed as owned by someone other than the Duke, and then, the owner was Lord Bessborough, related to the Duke by marriage. The Chestnut Arabian sired around 16 foals, between 1756 and 1763, only one of them named, Brimstone, a 1761 filly from the mare Duchess. Several of his fillies were retained in the stud and bred at ages 4 and 5 to such horses as the Duke's Atlas, who had had a very successful turf career. One was an ancestress of the good racehorse and significant sire, Waxy (1790). The Devonshire Grey Arabian bred around six foals between 1755 and 1760, all unnamed. The GSB noted that the Devonshire Grey Arabian was the same horse as the Godolphin Grey Turk, but C.M. Prior provided evidence, citing the racing calendars of the day, that indicated this was not so. The 4th Duke died in 1764; the 5th Duke does not appear to have continued the same kind of breeding program established by his father--most of the 4th Duke's broodmares appear to have been sold around the time of his death. The stallions, presumably, were also sold, and perhaps appear in the GSB under some other person's name or title.
Devonshire Turk (also called Devonshire Chestnut Arabian)
This horse is seen early in Family 18, as sire of the dam of a mare by Bartlett's Childers (172-), from whom all of Family 18 descend. Probably was owned by William Cavendish, (1st) Duke of Devonshire (died 1707); his son William Cavendish (2nd) Duke of Devonshire, maintained the Devonshire stud.
(D'Arcy) Diamond
SIRE: HELMSLEY TURK.
DAM: Not stated.
He apparently ran in country meetings in the late 1680s or early '90s, and was in the D'Arcy stud at the same time as another, more important early sire, Brimmer. Sired the daughter of a sister to Old Merlin (Family 37), thus grandam of the Makeless mare and ancestor in the maternal family of Bay Bolton. Also sired a daughter of the Brimmer mare of Family 57.
(North Country/Somerset) Diamond
SIRE: Jew Trump - CURWEN CHESTNUT ARABIAN.
DAM: Mare by Curwen's Grey Turk - mare by Curwen Bay Barb - mare by Wastell's Turk - mare by a barb.
Chestnut 1726. Bred by Henry Curwen of Cumberland. According to the GSB, he was later owned by George Grisewood. He may later have passed into the hands of the Duke of Somerset, since he was apparently also known as the Somerset Diamond. He ran against, and beat the South Country Diamond (Ch.c. 1726, by "an Irish horse named Potatoe," owned by a Mr. Kettle) in 1732.
Diamond
SIRE: Highflyer - Herod - Tartar - (Old) Partner - Jigg - BYERLEY TURK. Byerley Turk Sire Line
DAM: Mare by Matchem - Barbara by Snap - Miss Vernon by Cade - mare by (Croft's) Partner - Bay Bloody Buttocks by Bloody Buttocks - mare by Greyhound - Brown Farewell by Makeless - mare by Brimmer - mare by Place's White Turk - mare by Dodsworth - Layton Violet Barb mare (Family 4).
Brown 1792. Bred by Thomas Panton and sold in 1796 to Joseph Cookson under whose colors he ran 1796-99, primarily at Newmarket. He won the Jockey Club Stakes and the Jockey Club Plate at Newmarket, the Oxford Cup and various King's Plates, but his most famous race was a match against Hambletonian over the Beacon Course at Newmarket during the Craven Meeting in 1799 for 3,000 guineas, with side bets estimated as upward of 200,000 guineas. He was beaten in the last strides by a half-neck. Cookson died at the end of that year, but Diamond was run by Cookson's executors in 1800 during which time he won several matches, but lost several more; he was retired after being beaten by Symmetry in a 200 guineas match at Newmarket. Sent to the U.S., he "...created quite a sensation in Dublin when he passed through that city on the way to his new home."
Dick Andrews
SIRE: Joe Andrews - Eclipse - Marske - Squirt - Bartlett's Childers - DARLEY ARABIAN. Darley Arabian Sire Line: Joe Andrews Branch
DAM: Mare by Highflyer - mare by Cardinal Puff - mare by Tatler - Bay Snip by Snip - mare by (Old) Spot - mare by White-legged Lowther Barb (Family 9).
Bay 1797. Dick Andrews, according to The Druid, had a "...giraffe-like neck...In ugliness of ears and head altogether he was unrivalled, and so light was he in the body as to require very little training." Owned first by Major "Jemmy" Rooke, then by Lord Sackville, he ran between 1800 and 1806, often against top horses. His 26 wins included a £50 race at Newmarket in 1801, over 4 miles, in which he beat Cinnamon; a win over Bobtail at Newmarket in 1802; in 1803, age 6, he won at Newmarket a 100 guineas sweep, a Kings Plate (beating Eleanor), a 100 guineas match against Quiz; in 1806 he beat Haphazard in a Ladies' purse at Lewes. In the stud he got the classic winners Altisidora (St. Leger, 1813), Cwrw (Two Thousand Guineas, 1812), and Manuella (Oaks, 1812), and the racehorse and top sire Tramp (sire of Derby winners St. Giles and Dangerous, St. Leger winner Barefoot, Lottery and Liverpool, among others).
Diomed
SIRE: Florizel - Herod - Tartar - (Old) Partner - Jigg - BYERLEY TURK. Byerley Turk Sire Line
DAM: Sister to Juno by Spectator - Horatia by Blank - mare by Flying Childers - Miss Belvoir by Grey Grantham - mare by Pagett Turk - Betty Perceival by Leedes Arabian - Family 6 or Wyvill Roan mare.
Chestnut 1777.
Dodsworth
His dam, "a barb mare," was imported around 1670 to the King's (Charles II) Hampton Court stud, carrying Dodsworth in utero. He was apparently a bay horse, and may have raced. He later stood as a stallion at Hampton Court, siring a filly from the Burton Barb mare who is at the top of one branch of Family 2; a filly out of the Layton Violet Barb Mare, one of the earliest in line-descent in Family 4; and a filly, considered the taproot mare of Family 54, who produced a daughter by Place's White Turk. He also sired a son, Dicky Pierson, who got a filly out of the Burton Barb mare who also heads a branch of Family 2. Dicky Pierson may have been out of a mare owned by Sir Matthew Pierson (Pearson/Peirson) of Lowthorpe, Yorkshire, knighted in 1669, or his son, Richard; during this period, mares belonging to various gentlemen were lodged at Hampton Court for service by the royal stallions. Sir Matthew was a well-known breeder, owner of the Makeless mare, and a list of accounts of the Master of the Horse between 1693 and 1699 shows the purchase of a stallion of Mr. Pierson's for the royal stud, perhaps Dicky Pierson.
Dorimant
SIRE: Otho - Moses - (Chedworth's) Foxhunter - (Cole's) Foxhunter - Brisk - DARLEY ARABIAN. Darley Arabian Sire Line
DAM: Mare by Babraham - Chiddy by Hampton Court Childers - Bald Charlotte (Lady Legs) by (Old) Royal - mare by Castaway - mare by Brimmer - Royal Mare (Family 40).
Chestnut 1772. Bred by the Earl of Upper Ossory, for whom he ran for 5 years, then retired to the Earl's stud. He ran against such horses as Sarpedon (Snap), Critic (Match'em), Shark and Pastorella (Otho). His major wins included the Great Sweep (1500 guineas) at Newmarket in 1776; a 500 guinea match against Critic; the 1400 Guineas race at October Newmarket (twice); the Jockey Club Plate at Newmarket Second Spring in 1779. He sired some top racehorses, including Dryad, Prophet, Gabriel, Gentle Kitty (Silvio), and the mares Grey Dorimant, the dam of Grey Diomed, and the dam of Harlequin Junior and Prince Le Boo.
Dormouse
SIRE: GODOLPHIN ARABIAN. Godolphin Arabian Sire Line
DAM: Mare by (Old) Partner - Brown Farewell by Makeless - mare by Brimmer - mare by Place's White Turk - mare by Dodsworth - Layton Barb Mare (Family 4).
Dark Bay/Brown 1738. Bred by the Francis, (2nd) Earl of Godolphin. He ran from 1745 to 1749 in various 4 mile heats for purses and plates, and won all but two of his engagements. Called "singularly handsome," he apparently stood for a couple of years at the Earl of Godolphin's stud, and then was sold to Lord Chedworth in 1752, and sold again in 1756 to Sir James Lowther--he died in 1758 at age 20. He got a number of good racehorses and sires, including Dainty, Dorimond, Dormouse (Waldegrave's), Damon, and Valiant, the latter exported to the U.S.
Dragon
SIRE: Woodpecker - Herod - Tartar - (Old) Partner - Jigg - BYERLEY TURK. Byerley Turk Sire Line
DAM: Juno by Spectator - Horatia by Blank - mare by Flying Childers - Miss Belvoir by Grey Grantham - mare by Pagett Turk - Betty Percieval by Leedes Arabian - Family 6 or Wyvill Roan mare.
Chestnut 1787. Bred by the Duke of Bedford, for whom he also successfully ran. Ran between 1789 and 1793, usually at Newmarket. He ran four times as a 2 year old, winning twice by forfeit. At 3 and 4 he won several races, including a 200 guineas match against Seagull (also by Woodpecker), the Claret Stakes, a 1,000 guineas match against Chanticleer, and the Prince of Wales' Plate. In 1792 he won the Whip at Newmarket, beating Creeper, and also a 300 guineas match (owners riding) against Clifden. He ran three times unsuccessfully in 1793 and was retired. Imported into the U.S. by John Hoomes of Virginia. Sired Speculator while still in England, a good racehorse also bred by the Duke of Bedford, who was also exported to the U.S., arriving in 1801, and becoming an important racehorse and broodmare sire there. Note: there were a number of Dragons running and/or siring horses from the late 17th century through the end of the 18th century (and beyond), many born within a few years of each other.
(Ancaster's) Driver
SIRE: WYNN'S ARABIAN.
DAM: (Young) Lady mare by (Old) Pert - (Old) Lady mare by St. Martin - Oldfield mare by Hale's Turk (Family 14).
Grey 1727. Bred by Peregrine Bertie, (3rd) Duke of Ancaster, Grimsthorpe, Lincolnshire. Driver ran in the 1730s, and won the "rich" Wallasey Stakes at Newmarket in 1733. Got an ancestress of the 1823 Derby winner Emilius, Dizzy, in 1741 from a grey filly (1732) by Smiling Tom in the Ancaster stud. Dizzy, her grey dam, her granddam Miss Hip (1722, a racemare, by Oysterfoot), her great-grand dam, Virgin (1712 by Merlin), and Virgin's dam, the Somerset mare (Family 28), were all mares in the Ancaster stud.
(Beaver's) Driver
SIRE: (Lister's) Snake - LISTER TURK.
DAM: Thwaite's Dun mare by Acaster Turk (Family 38).
C. 1732. Raced by Nathaniel Beaver, at age six he won races at Epsom, Egham, Lambourn, and at Northampton, at the latter place beating Squirrel. The next year he won at Marlborough, Blandford, Warminster, Hounslow, Reading and Newberry, where he beat Squirt. At age eight he won races at Blandford and Salisbury. The only horse that seems to be attributed to him in the GSB is (Little) Driver (see below).
(Little) Driver
SIRE: (Beaver's) Driver - LISTER TURK.
DAM: Mare by Flying Childers - mare by Walpole Barb - Miss Belvoir by Grey Grantham - mare by Pagett Turk - Betty Perceival by Leedes Arabian - Family 6 or Wyvill Roan mare.
Chestnut 1743. Bred by P. Brooke, passed through the hands of several owners during his seven year racing career. Ran primarily at Ascot and Epsom, usually for £50 purses and plates at four mile distances, never running in big matches or the better-known races, but winning most of his many races throughout his long career. Among those he beat were Babraham (by Godolphin Arabian), Whisker (by Hobgoblin), Why Not (by Old Crab), Squirrel, Camilla (Cullen Arabian). He ran against (Rogers') Aaron several times, the last a famous give-and-take plate at Epsom in May, 1754, when Aaron was 7 and Driver 11, best of three 4 mile heats--Aaron won the first heat; the second was too close to call, as was the third, and the decision of the winner was delayed for four months by the judge, finally decided in favor of Aaron in September of that year. Driver retired after beating Lady Thigh at Maidenhead in 1754. Stood at stud at Sutton in Surrey, "having covered very few mares." Still, he got Drummer (1767), Cicero (1765), and Shepherdess (1768).
(Egremont's) Driver
SIRE: Trentham - (Gower's) Sweepstakes - Gower Stallion - Godolphin Arabian Sire Line
DAM: Coquette by Compton Barb - mare by Godolphin Arabian - Grey Robinson by Bald Galloway - mare by Lister's Snake - Grey Wilkes by (Old) Hautboy - Miss Darcy's Pet mare (Family 11).
Brown 1783. Bred by George O'Brien Wyndham, (3rd) Earl of Egremont. Sired 1804 Derby winner Hannibal, and a number of mares that bred winners to the cover of Gohanna.
(Oxford) Dun Arabian
Parentage unknown. Imported 1715. See Oxford Dun Arabian.
(Gower) Dun Barb
Dun c.1750. Owned by second Baron Gower (later Earl Gower) of Yorkshire and Staffordshire. This horse may have been imported; the only evidence of his existence in the GSB is his listing as a sire covering of a number of mares owned by Lord Gower and several others between 1758 and 1762. He often was bred to daughters of the Gower Stallion (1740 by Godolphin Arabian) in the same stud. He got a number of unnamed younsters from mares owned by Lord Gower, and two from a Babraham mare owned by Richard Vernon, the dun filly Honeycomb (1760), and probably the dun colt Doubtful (1759).
Dungannon
SIRE: Eclipse - Marske - Squirt - Bartlett's Childers - DARLEY ARABIAN. Darley Arabian Sire Line: Eclipse Branch
DAM: Aspasia by Herod - Doris by Blank - Helen by Spectator - Daphne by Godolphin Arabian - mare by Old Fox - mare by Flying Childers - mare by Makeless - Sister to Honeycombe-Punch by Taffolet Barb (Family 33).
Bay 1780. Bred by Eclipse's owner, Dennis O'Kelly; his dam, Aspasia, was also dam of 1784 Derby winner Serjeant. Dungannon was a top racehorse and good sire. He ran for 4 years, 1783-1786, at Newmarket, Doncaster, and elsewhere, winning a number of stakes, plates and matches. He was second in the Derby of 1783 to Saltram, but beat him in 1785 in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket. He also bested Drone several times, as well as Mercury (by Eclipse) and Ulysses (by Florizel). Retired to O'Kelly's stud, he got foals of "uncommon strength, symmetry and size," and apparently made O'Kelly a lot of money in stud fees. He got several good racing sons, who were also sires--Lurcher and Bedford (the latter exported to the U.S.) among them-- and who continued this branch of Eclipse for a few generations. Dungannon was pictured by Stubbs with "his sheep," a creature to whom he developed a strong attachment, and who shared his paddock.

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