English Prince (1971–1983) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted four months in the spring and summer of 1974 he ran six times and won four races. After being beaten on his racecourse debut he won the White Rose Stakes, Predominate Stakes and King Edward VII Stakes in England before recording his most important success in the Irish Derby. He suffered from a series of training problems thereafter, was beaten by Bustino in his only subsequent race and was retired from racing at the end of the year. He sired the dual classic winner Sun Princess before being exported to Japan where he died in 1983.
Background
English Prince was a "big, well-made, attractive" bay horse with a narrow white blaze and a white sock on his left hind leg bred by his owner, Vera Hue-Williams (formerly Vera Lilley) at her Irish stud in County Kildare which she ran in partnership with her second husband Roger Hue-Williams. She had previously owned many top-class racehorses including Supreme Court when married to Tom Lilley. In the same year, the Hue-Williams stud bred a colt by Sir Ivor who was named Imperial Prince and raced in Roger's ownership. English Prince was from the second crop of foals sired by Petingo, the leading English two-year-old of 1967 when he was rated the best horse in Europe by the independent Timeform organisation. Petingo's later progeny included the 1978 Oaks winner Fair Salinia and 1979 Derby winner Troy. English Prince's dam English Miss was a useful stayer (rated 99 by Timeform) who won over a mile as a two-year-old and ran in the Cesarewitch at three. English Miss's grand-dam Perfume was a half-sister to Ambiorix and the dam of the 2000 Guineas winner My Babu and the Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Sayani.
Vera Hue-Williams sent her colt into training with Peter Walwyn at the Seven Barrows Stable near Lambourn in Berkshire.
Racing career
1974: three-year-old season
Unraced as a two-year-old, English Prince made his racecourse debut in a maiden race over one mile at Newbury Racecourse in April and finished second to Final Chord who went on to win the Britannia Stakes in June. Despite his defeat English Prince was then moved up in class and distance for the Group Three White Rose Stakes over ten furlongs at Ascot Racecourse in May. Ridden by Pat Eddery, he won from Regular Guy and Rymer. In the Predominate Stakes (usually a trial race for the Epsom Derby) over a mile and a half at Goodwood Racecourse later that month he won again, beating Live Arrow by six lengths. Walwyn opted not to run English Prince in the Epsom Derby, believing that the colt was still immature and would be unsuited by the course. At Royal Ascot on 20 June English Prince, with Eddery again in the saddle, started the 8/11 favourite for the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes against five opponents including Royal Empire (runner-up in the Prix Jean de Chaudenay), Honoured Guest (winner of the Dante Stakes) and Straight As A Die (Royal Lodge Stakes). English won in race record time from Straight As A Die, to whom he was conceding four pounds.