Caractacus (1859–1878) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1862 Epsom Derby. The 1862 Derby was memorable due to the large field (34 horses), the winner being ridden by a 16-year-old stable boy and Caractacus' near disqualification for an underweight jockey and a false start. Caractacus was considered a poor choice to win the Derby, which was ultimately his last racing engagement before injury forced his retirement from racing. Caractacus was a breeding stallion in Britain from 1862 until 1873, when he was exported to Russia where he died in 1878. He is not considered to be a successful sire.
Background
Caractacus was foaled in 1859 at William Blenkiron's Middle Park stud farm in Eltham. He was sired by Kingston (foaled 1849), described as "one of the handsomest horses" and a winner of several important stakes races. Kingston died in 1861 before Caractacus’ Derby win. Caractacus' dam, Defenceless (foaled in 1844), was bred by W. Etwall and was sired by Defence out of an unnamed mare sired by Cain. Defenceless was not a successful racehorse, starting only once as a two-year-old and finishing last. Defenceless went completely blind as a three-year-old. Blenkiron frequently observed the mare's ability to maneuver obstacles: she would "canter as hard as she [could] go as straight as a line to the trough and stop dead within two yards of it." Her only noteworthy produce out of nineteen foals was Caractacus. Caractacus was described as a bay colt that stood 15.1 hands high, with a “light” neck, fine shoulders, good girth and sound feet. He had a large white blaze, a white sock on his right front foot and a grey full-stocking on his right hind leg. He had a “corky” personality and possessed refined movement, leading him to be described as a “slashing goer.”
As a yearling, Caractacus was bought for 250 guineas by the trainer William Day, acting on behalf of a London publican named Charles Snewing who also was a veterinary surgeon. In spring 1861, the two-year-old colt was moved to a stable at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, where his training was managed by Robert "Bob" Smith.
Allegedly, the colt was named 'Caractacus' because Snewing had admired a statue of the British chieftain Caratacus bound in chains at the 1851 Exhibition. He is reported to have said, "If ever I try a horse good enough I'll call him Caractacus, and win the Derby with him."
Racing career
Caractacus was not a promising two-year-old, and did not win any of his starts in 1861. As a three-year-old, he only showed promise near the end of the season. He started nine times in his racing career, winning the Epsom Derby and the Somersetshire Stakes in 1862, and was second in two races and third in one race. He was entered in the 1862 St. Leger Stakes, but injured both his front legs before the running and was subsequently retired from racing.
1861: two-year-old season
Caractacus debuted in a four and a half furlong race for two-year-olds at Harpenden with J. Adams as his jockey. He did not finish in the top four, and the race was ultimately won by Mr. Fisher's colt Lord Burleigh. His next engagement was on 28 August in three quarters of a mile Stratton Audley Nursery Handicap in Oxford. He finished fifth out of a field of eight horses behind Turn of Luck while carrying 110 pounds, and he was jockeyed by a teenage stable boy named John Parsons. Parsons again rode Caractacus in the Skeffington Nursery Handicap where, carrying 107 pounds, he was third behind Captain Christie's My Partner.
1862: three-year-old season
Caractacus' first start as a three-year-old was in the Great Metropolitan Handicap at the Epsom spring meeting. He was ridden by J. Grimshaw and carried 75 pounds in the two and a quarter mile race. Caractacus was beaten by a head by Elcho who carried 112 pounds. After the Great Metropolitan, Caractacus was moved from Harpenden to a stable in Ilsley. Caractacus secured another second-place finish in the Newmarket Biennial Stakes, losing by two lengths to Joseph Hawley's Sir Rollo. He did not place in his next start for the Chester Cup, which was won by Tim Whiffler. He was third in the two mile Great Northern Handicap, losing to Ivanhoff and The Wizard. He beat Fitz-Avon by two lengths to win the Somersetshire Stakes held in Bath.