Mirska
Mirska at Prat's stud in France.
SireSt. Frusquin
GrandsireSt. Simon
DamMusa
DamsireMartagon
SexMare
Foaled1909
CountryUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
ColourBay
BreederDouglas Baird
OwnerJean Prat
TrainerTom Jennings, Jr.
Record7:2-1-2
Earnings£4,950 (Oaks)
Major wins
Epsom Oaks (1912)
Honours
Prix Mirska in France

Mirska (1909 – after 1913) was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1909 Epsom Oaks. Raced only three times in her lifetime, her only win occurred in the Oaks. Despite being a daughter of two English Classic winners, Mirska was not favoured to win the Oaks and won the race at 33-1 odds against the Derby winner and favourite Tagalie. She made no impact as a broodmare in France.

Background

Mirska was bred by Douglas Baird.[1] Mirska's sire St. Frusquin was an outstanding racehorse who won the 2000 Guineas and the Eclipse Stakes in 1896.[2] As a stallion he was Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland on two occasions and sired the Classic winners Rosedrop (1910 Epsom Oaks), Flair (1906 1000 Guineas) and Quintessence (1903 1000 Guineas).[3] Mirska's dam, Musa, won the Oaks in 1899 for her owner Douglas Baird. After Baird's death in April 1909, Musa was bought by Jean Prat (c. 1848 – 1940),[4] a French turfman, for 4,000 guineas.[5] Musa and her nursing foal Mirska were sent to Prat's Lessard- le-Chêne[6] stud in Saint-Julien-le-Faucon, France in 1909.[1] Mirska's half-brother Montmartin was a sire in France and her full-brother Feramorz was a sire in New Zealand. Mirska was a bay filly with a narrow white strip and four white socks. She was trained at Newmarket by Tom Jennings, Jr.[7]

Racing career

Mirska ran only three times in her racing career. As a two-year-old she was twice third and her only known race as a three-year-old was the Oaks. She was retired from racing immediately after the Oaks.

Mirska at the Oaks.

1911: two-year-old season

Mirska was sent from France to Britain in 1911. Scratched from the Coventry Stakes in June,[8] her first engagement was in the Clearwell Stakes run at Newmarket on 10 October.[9] Though noted to be "attractively-bred" by the press, she was not looked on favorably by the racing public despite her excellent pedigree. Ridden by the French jockey Georges Stern, she finished third in the race behind J. B. Joel's colt Absurd and Khedive III.[9] She was again third in the Maiden 2-year-old race at the Second October meeting at Newmarket won by Tidal Wave.[7][10] In November, she was scratched for her last engagement, the Rangemore Plate.[11]

The 1912 Epsom Oaks

On 5 June at Epsom Racecourse Mirska, ridden by Joe Childs started a 33/1 outsider in a fourteen-runner field for the 134th running of the Oaks Stakes. The overwhelming favourite was Tagalie, who had won the 1000 Guineas and defeated male opposition to win the Epsom Derby. Racing on heavy ground Mirska overtook the weakening Tagalie in the straight and drew away to win by three lengths.

Retirement

Mirska was retired from racing immediately after her Oaks victory. She returned to Prat's stud in France and was covered by Rock Sand at the Haras de Villebon in 1913.[12] There is no record of the Rock Sand foal racing or if Mirska was rebred.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Mirska (GB), Bay Filly, 1909[13]
Sire
St. Frusquin (GB)
Brown, 1893		 St. Simon
Brown, 1881		 Galopin Vedette
Flying Duchess
St. Angela King Tom
Adeline
Isabel (GB)
Chestnut, 1879		 Plebeian Joskin
Queen Elizabeth
Parma Parmesan
Archeress
Dam
Musa (GB)
Bay, 1896		 Martagon
Bay, 1877		 Bend Or Doncaster
Rouge Rose
Tiger Lily Macaroni
Polly Agnes
Palmflower
Bay, 1874		 The Palmer Beadsman
Madame Eglentine
Jenny Diver Buccaneer
Fairy

References

  1. 1 2 Staff (1909). General Stud Book, Volume 21, Supplement 1. London: Weatherby. p. 62. hdl:2027/coo.31924066667266.
  2. ↑ "Horseracing History Online - Horse Profile : St Frusquin". Horseracinghistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
  3. ↑ Liz Martiniak Thoroughbred Heritage (1914-08-25). "St. Frusquin". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
  4. ↑ "Death". Times [London, England]. 4 January 1940.
  5. ↑ Staff (June 1912). "Les Courses anglaises en 1912". Le Sport Universel Illustré (803): 807. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Haras de France / Publié sous les auspices du Syndicat de l'élevage du cheval de pur-sang en France". 1910.
  7. 1 2 "TURF NOTES". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times (Tas. : 1899 - 1919). Tasmania: National Library of Australia. 12 June 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Sporting Intelligence". The Manchester Guardian (1901-1959. 13 June 1911.
  9. 1 2 "Sporting Intelligence". Times [London, England]. 11 October 1911.
  10. ↑ "Epsom summer meeting". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 10 June 1912. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "To-Day's Programme At Leicester". Times [London, England]. 14 November 1911.
  12. ↑ "A Visit to the Haras de Villebon". Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News. 78 (Dec. 1912–Feb 1913): 1042. 15 February 1913. hdl:2027/nyp.33433104889393. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  13. ↑ Staff. (GB) "Mirska". Equineline.com. The Jockey Club Information Systems, Inc. Retrieved 3 March 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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