Sir Hugo (1889–1910) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1891 to 1894 he ran eight times and won three races. As a three-year-old in 1892 he won The Derby at odds of 40/1. He was a consistent performer in top class races, but certainly inferior to his contemporaries Orme[1] and La Fleche.[2]
Sir Hugo’s sire Wisdom, who died in 1893, was a failure as a racehorse but became a highly successful stallion, siring good horses such as Love Wisely (Ascot Gold Cup), La Sagesse and Surefoot (2000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes).[4] His dam Manoeuvre was a good stayer who was placed in the St Leger. Apart from Sir Hugo, the best of her progeny was the mare Flying Column, a leading steeplechaser.[5]
Racing career
1891: two-year-old season
Sir Hugo was a successful two-year-old, winning two of his five starts.[6] He made his first appearance at Ascot where he finished third to Polyglot and St Damien in a Triennial Stakes.[7] On 30 July Sir Hugo ran in a Rous Memorial Stakes at Goodwood in which he started the 2/1 favourite in a field of five and won “cleverly” by two lengths from Kyle[8]
In September Sir Hugo was sent to Doncaster for the Champagne Stakes. He started at 9/1 and finished third of the five runners behind the outstanding filly La Fleche.[9] In October he won the Boscawen Stakes at Newmarket, beating "nothing of note".[7] Two weeks later Sir Hugo contested the year’s most important two-year-old race, the Middle Park Plate over six furlongs at the same course. He was not strongly fancied and finished fifth of the ten runners behind the odds-on favourite Orme.[10]
Sir Hugo was not considered a serious contender for the following season's Classics[11]
1892: three-year-old season
Sir Hugo began his three-year-old season on 4 May by running in the 2000 Guineas, a race which was considered very open[12] after the withdrawal of the favourite Orme. He raced prominently, showing in third place at one stage, before finishing sixth of the fourteen runners behind Bona Vista[13]
Horses in the paddock before the 1892 Derby
In the Derby on 1 June at Epsom Sir Hugo started at odds of 40/1 in a field of thirteen with La Fleche, who had won the 1000 Guineas being made the 11/10 favourite. He was ridden by the lightweight jockey Fred Allsopp,[14] who had to carry more than 28 pounds of "dead weight" to make the stipulated 126 pounds.[15] The weather was "gloriously fine" and the crowd was larger than usual. After several false starts which delayed the race by half an hour,[16] the early running was made by Thessalian and Persistive with Sir Hugo just behind the leaders. The French-trained colt Bucentaur took the lead turning into the straight. Sir Hugo moved past Bucentaur a furlong from the finish and was strongly challenged by La Fleche.[17] Cheered on by the bookmakers,[18] Sir Hugo prevailed by three quarters of a length from the filly after a "desperate struggle", with Bucentaur a length further back in third[19] Lord Bradford received £7,000 in prize money, but far more in winning bets, having backed Sir Hugo for the race at 100/1 before he ever ran.[16] There were many observers who considered Sir Hugo's win to have been a "fluke". George Barrett, the rider of La Fleche, was criticised for giving the filly too much ground to make up[20] while others drew attention to a collision between St. Angelo and Rueil at Tattenham corner which ended both colts' chances.[21]
Sir Hugo was then sent to Royal Ascot where he started 4/6 favourite for the St. James's Palace Stakes over one mile. He led into the straight[22] but was overtaken in the last quarter mile and finished third behind St Angelo, who won easily by three quarters of a length, and Watercress.[23]
Sir Hugo returned on 7 September for the St Leger at Doncaster. He was third choice in the betting behind Orme, who had returned from training problems (he had allegedly been poisoned[24]) to win the Eclipse Stakes and La Fleche, who had won the Oaks two days after her defeat in the Derby. On a wet day in front of a huge crowd, Sir Hugo broke quickly but was then held up as Orme made the early running. Orme was a beaten horse by the time the field turned into the straight when La Fleche went into the lead. Sir Hugo produced a strong finish[25] and ran on in "dogged fashion"[26] to prove the best of the colts but could never get on terms with the filly and finished second, beaten two lengths, with Orme well beaten in fifth.[27]
On 27 September Sir Hugo again challenged La Fleche in the £10,000 Lancashire Plate over one mile at Manchester Racecourse, but was never a threat and finished fifth of the eleven runners[28] At Newmarket on 11 October he produced an excellent performance in defeat in the ten furlong Lowther Stakes, losing by a neck in a "close set-to" with El Diablo, to whom he was conceding fifteen pounds.[29] In the Limekiln Stakes over one mile at the Newmarket Houghton meeting, Sir Hugo was provided with a pacemaker named Flank March, but the tactic failed as he was well beaten, finishing third to Orme and El Diablo.[30]
3rd Earl of Bradford, Sir Hugo's owner and breeder.
1893: four-year-old season
Sir Hugo was kept in training as a four-year-old and made his debut in a Biennial Stakes over two miles at Newmarket on 20 April. He made the running and after a brief challenge from Barrow, won "in a canter" by three lengths.[31] Although the opposition was not strong, he was described as having won "in the style of a good horse."[32]
He did not stand up to further training and was retired in autumn. It was announced that he would go to stud with a fee of 150 guineas.[33]
Assessment and earnings
The general opinion of Sir Hugo during his career was that he had been a sub-standard, and rather fortunate Derby winner.[3] At the end of his three-year-old season one commentator pointed out that although Sir Hugo lacked acceleration ("that dash of speed"), he had shown stamina, strength and an "equable temper", making him a good stallion prospect.[34]
Sir Hugo's win prize money of £6,960 in 1892 placed him fourth on the list of highest earners behind La Fleche, Orme and the two-year-old Milford.[35]
Stud career
Sir Hugo was not a success at stud. His best achievement was to sire the mare Ravello, who produced the 2000 Guineas winner Sweeper. His last known foals were conceived in 1906.[36] Sir Hugo died in February 1910 at the Jockey Hall Stud in Curragh.[37]
Pedigree
Pedigree of Sir Hugo (GB), chestnut stallion, 1889[38]
Sir Hugo's pedigree contains a notable amount of inbreeding. He was inbred 3 × 3 to Rataplan, meaning that this horse appears twice in the third generation of his pedigree. Also in the third generation was Rataplan's full brother Stockwell. Sir Hugo was therefore inbred 4 × 4 × 4 to both The Baron and Pocahontas.
