The Darley Arabian (c. 1700–1730) was one of three dominant foundation sires of modern Thoroughbred horse racing bloodstock. The other two founders were the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk. This bay Arabian horse was bought in Aleppo, Syria, by Thomas Darley in 1704 and shipped to Aldby Park in England, as a present for his brother.[1]
| Darley Arabian | |
|---|---|
 The Darley Arabian stallion painting by John Wootton | |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1700 |
| Colour | Bay |
| Owner | Thomas Darley |
| Awards | |
| Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland (1722) | |
One author in 1840 described Darley Arabian's arrival in England during the reign of Queen Anne as the event which "forms the great epoch from which the history of the Turf [as in "turf racing"] should be dated".[2]
There he stood at stud, usually private but sometimes open to outside mares. He was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland in 1722. By all accounts, the Darley Arabian stood about 15 hands high and was of substantial beauty and refinement.[3]
The Darley Arabian sired the undefeated Flying Childers. He also sired Bartlett's Childers, an unraced brother of Flying Childers, who was the great-grandsire of the extremely influential Eclipse. The Darley Arabian was to become the most important sire in the history of the English Thoroughbred.[3] His son Bulle Rock was the first Thoroughbred to be exported to America, in 1730.[4]
Most Thoroughbreds can be traced back to Darley Arabian. In 95% of modern Thoroughbred racehorses, the Y chromosome can be traced back to this single stallion.[5][6] This is mainly through his descendant, Eclipse, who is the direct male ancestor of 95% of all thoroughbreds and in the pedigree of many of the rest.[7]
Sire line tree
editDescendants of the Darley Arabian (click to show)
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Whyte 1840, p. 79.
- ^ Whyte 1840, p. 71.
- ^ a b Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), "Thoroughbred Breeding of the World", Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
- ^ Barrett, Norman, ed. (1995). The Daily Telegraph Chronicle of Horse Racing. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Publishing.
- ^ Cunningham, E. P.; Dooley, J. J.; Splan, R. K.; Bradley, D. G. (2001). "Microsatellite diversity, pedigree relatedness and the contributions of founder lineages to thoroughbred horses". Animal Genetics. 32 (6): 360–364. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2052.2001.00785.x. PMID 11736806.
- ^ "95% of thoroughbreds linked to one superstud". New Scientist. 6 September 2005.
- ^ "Who's the daddy of them all?". The Guardian. 4 March 2007.
- ^ "Darley Arabian Line". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines Sire Lines Darley Arabian". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ "Portrait: Darley Arabian". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ "Biography: Darley Arabian". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ Biography: Bulle Rock
- ^ Foundation Sire: Hobgoblin
- ^ "Biography: Hobgoblin". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ Foundation Sire: Shakespeare
- ^ Biography: Shakespeare
- ^ a b Studbook: Early S
- ^ Foundation Sire: Brisk
- ^ Biography: Brisk
- ^ "Portrait: Flying Childers". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ "Biography: Flying Childers". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ Studbook: Early C
- ^ a b "Foundation Sire: Second". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ "Biography: Second". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ "Foundation Sire: Merlin". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ Biography: Spanking Roger
- ^ Foundation Sire: Blaze
- ^ Foundation Sire: Sampson
- ^ Biography: Sampson
- ^ Foundation Sire: Engineer
- ^ Biography: Bay Malton
- ^ Doncaster Cup Winners
- ^ Harness Museum: Hambletonian
- ^ Pedigree: Bellfounder
- ^ "Thoroughbred Foundation Sire: Roundhead". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ Foundation Sire: Snip
- ^ Foundation Sire: Snap
- ^ Biography: Snap
- ^ Foundation Sire: Omnium
- ^ Studbook: Early NO
- ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Latham)
- ^ Foundation Sire: Snap (Chedworth)
- ^ Studbook: Early M
- ^ Foundation Sire: Ancient Pistol
- ^ Foundation Sire: Goldfinder
- ^ Biography: Goldfinder
- ^ Foundation Sire: Juniper
- ^ "Foundation Sire: Prince Tquassaw". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ "Foundation Sire: Young Snip". www.tbheritage.com.
- ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Bartlett)
- ^ "Biography: Childers (Bartlett)". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ Foundation Sire: Childers (Smales)
- ^ Biography: Childers (Smales)
- ^ Foundation Sire: Squirt
- ^ Biography: Squirt
- ^ Foundation Sire: Marske
- ^ "Biography: Marske". www.bloodlines.net.
- ^ Portrait: Eclipse
- ^ Biography: Eclipse
- ^ Biography: Transit
- ^ Biography: Pretender
- ^ Foundation Sire: Shark
- ^ Biography: Shark
- ^ Foundation Sire: Young Marske
- ^ Biography: Young Marske
- ^ Biography: Garrick
- ^ Biography: Pontac
- ^ Foundation Sire: Syphon
- ^ Biography: Syphon
- ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetwillaim
- ^ Foundation Sire: Sweetbriar
Bibliography
edit- Whyte, James Christie (1840). History of the British turf, from the earliest period to the present day, Volume I. London: H. Colburn. OL 6544990M.
- McGrath, Christopher (2016). Mr Darley's Arabian: High Life, Low Life, Sporting Life. Hodder & Stoughton.
- Church, Michael (2004). Champion Sires 1722-2003. Raceform Ltd. p. 319. ISBN 1-904317-82-0.