He was a chestnut horse sired by the leading sire Fair Trial, that also sired Petition (won the Eclipse Stakes). Court Martial's dam Instantaneous by Hurry On was the dam of several other named foals, but none was a stakes winner. She was a great granddaughter of Astor's foundation mare Conjure. John Hislop describes Court Martial as "A beautiful horse of superb quality, truly made, sound and possessed of excellent limbs, but with shelly feet a trait which he has handed on ... Though having a measure of stamina, speed was Court Martial's forte, which is reflected in his stock. An outstanding and wonderfully consistent stallion . . . his mares have done comparably well at stud. Most of his stock likes soft ground."[1]
Racing record
Court Martial was undefeated in his two starts as a two-year-old. At three, he won the 2000 Guineas Stakes and the Champion Stakes and was third in The Derby, where he finished two lengths and a head away third to Dante and Midas in a field of 27 runners in the time of 2 min 26.6 sec.
Stud record
Court Martial was a prolific sire of winners, being the leading sire twice and was a six-time leading sire of two-year-olds.[2]
Wilkes (FR) won Prix Sans Souci and Prix Edgard de la Charm; leading sire in Australia.[3]
About 25 of Court Martial's sons have been imported to Australia and New Zealand since 1954 and have sired the collective winners of almost $8 million in prize money.[4]
Court Martial died of infirmities of old age. He was 32.
References
^Hislop, John, Breeding for Racing, Martin Secker & Warburg, London, 1976, ISBN0-436-19701-4.
^Wicks, B.M., "The Australian Racehorse", Libra Books, Canberra, 1973 ISBN0-909619-00-X.
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