Campanula (horse)

Campanula (1931 – 1947) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In 1933 she won two of her five races including the Windsor Castle Stakes and the Moulton Stakes and was rated the best juvenile filly in England. In the following spring she won the Column Produce Stakes and then recorded her biggest win in the 1000 Guineas. In her two subsequent races she finished fourth in the Epsom Oaks and second in the Champion Stakes. As a broodmare she exerted an enduring influence as a broodmare through her daughter Calluna.

Campanula
SireBlandford
GrandsireSwynford
DamVesper Bell
DamsirePommern
SexMare
Foaled1931[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBay
BreederGeorge Bullough
OwnerGeorge Bullough
TrainerJack Jarvis
Record8: 4-2-0
Major wins
Windsor Castle Stakes (1933)
Moulton Stakes (1933)
Column Produce Stakes (1934)
1000 Guineas (1934)
Awards
Top-rated British 2-y-o filly (1933)

Background

Campanula was a bay mare with a white star bred and owned by George Bullough. She was trained throughout her racing career by Jack Jarvis at the Park Lodge stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.[2] Physically she was described as a "beautiful" and "very charming" filly, but somewhat lacking in size and range.[3]

She was sired by Blandford an Irish-bred stallion who won three of his four races including the Princess of Wales's Stakes. He went to become an outstanding breeding stallion who was a three-time Leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and whose other offspring included Bahram, Blenheim, Brantôme, Udaipur and Windsor Lad. Campanula's dam Vesper Bell was descended from the influential British broodmare Perseverance (foaled 1865) by Voltigeur.[4]

Racing career

1933: two-year-old season

After finishing fifth on her racecourse debut, Campanula ran second by a neck to the colt Colombo in the First Spring Stakes at Newmarket in late April.[5] At Royal Ascot in June 1933 Campanula defeated male opposition to take the Windsor Castle Stakes and was described as one of the best juveniles seen at the meeting.[6] She sustained a minor injury in September and missed an intended run in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster,[7] but returned to the track to win the Moulton Stakes at Newmarket, carrying top weight of 131 pounds.[8]

In the Free Handicap, a ranking of the season's best two-year-olds, Campanula was rated the best filly, seven pounds behind Colombo who was the top colt.[9]

1934: three-year-old season

Campanula began her second season in the Column Produce Stakes at Newmarket in April and won by a short head from the colt Bright Bird, to whom she was conceding twelve pounds.[10] On 4 May, ridden by Harry Wragg, she started 2/5 favourite for the 121st running of the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile. The best of her nine rivals appeared to be Light Brocade who was owned by George Bullough's son-in-law John Lambton, 5th Earl of Durham.[8] Campanula prevailed by a length from Light Brocade, with six lengths back to Spend A Penny in third.[11]

A month later, Campanula, with Wragg again in the saddle, was strongly fancied to win the Oaks Stakes over one and one-half miles at Epsom Racecourse. Looking "keen and anxious" before the race she started poorly and never looked likely to win and finished fourth behind Light Brocade, Zelina and Instantaneous.[3] After a four-month break Campanula returned in October for the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket in October and finished second to the Aga Khan's colt Umidwar.[2][12]

Campanula earned a total of £7,433 in 1934.[13]

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Campanula a "superior" winner of the 1000 Guineas and the best British filly of her generation.[11]

Breeding record

After her retirement from racing Campanula became a broodmare and produced at least eight foals between 1936 and her death in 1947:[14]

  • Pusilla, a chestnut filly, foaled in 1936, sired by Dastur
  • Camperdown, colt, 1937, by Hyperion
  • Hare Bell, bay filly, 1939, by Mieuxce
  • Jacinth, chestnut filly, 1940, by Mieuxce
  • Carpatica, chestnut filly, 1942, by Hyperion
  • Calluna, brown filly, 1943, by Hyperion. An outstanding broodmare whose descendants have included Bolkonski, Vitiges, Tony Bin, Athens Wood, Viva Pataca and Dibidale.[4]
  • Zoysia, brown filly, 1945, by Hyperion
  • Cassiope, chestnut filly, 1946, by Hyperion

Pedigree
Pedigree of Campanula (GB), bay mare, 1931[1]
Sire
Blandford (IRE)
1919		 Swynford (GB)
1907　		 John O’Gaunt Isinglass
La Fleche
Canterbury Pilgrim Tristan
Pilgrimage
Blanche (IRE)
1912　		 White Eagle Gallinule (GB)
Merry Gal (GB)
Black Cherry (GB) Bendigo (IRE)
Black Duchess
Dam
Vesper Bell (GB)
1921		 Pommern (GB)
1912		 Polymelus Cyllene
Maid Marian
Merry Agnes St Hilaire
Agnes Court
St Catrine (GB)
1911		 St Frusquin St Simon
Isabel
Catrine Ayrshire
Mine d'Or (Family 19-b)[4]

References
  1. "Campanula pedigree". Equineline.
  2. Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  3. "Racing and Trotting". The Press. 19 July 1934. p. 12 – via Papers Past.
  4. "Constantia – Family 19-b". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  5. "Eacing in England". The Evening Post (New Zealand). 5 May 1934. p. 15 – via Papers Past.
  6. "Racing News". Otago Daily Times. 9 August 1933. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  7. "England's Classics". The Evening Post. 22 March 2018. p. 23 – via Papers Past.
  8. "Racing and Trotting". The Press. 7 May 1934. p. 12 – via Papers Past.
  9. "Racing News". Otago Daily Times. 22 March 2018. p. 10 – via Papers Past.
  10. "Guineas's Prelude". The Evening Post (New Zealand). 29 May 1934. p. 4 – via Papers Past.
  11. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
  12. "England's Young Horses". The Referee. 22 November 1934. p. 3 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
  13. "Racing News". Otago Daily Times. 2 February 1935. p. 22 – via Papers Past.
  14. Rapier (16 January 1948). "The Thoroughbred Population in 1947". Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. No. page 23.
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