Happy Laughter

Racing as a two-year-old in 1952, Happy Laughter won five of her seven races, appearing to be just below top class. She won the Stud Produce Stakes at Sandown Park and the Acorn Stakes at Epsom before being sent to Royal Ascot in June where she finished second to Nigrette in the Chesham Stakes. Happy Laughter then won the Fulbourne Stakes and the Soltykoff Stakes[4] (both at Newmarket), but when moved up in class she finished third to Royal Duchy in the Lowther Stakes at York in August. In the Free Handicap, a ranking of the best two-year-olds to have raced in Britain, Happy Laughter was rated twelve pounds below her stable companion Tessa Gillian, the winner of the Molecomb Stakes. In an unusually strong year for two-year-old fillies, top place was shared by Bebe Grande (Gimcrack Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Cheveley Park Stakes) and Neemah who had beaten Pinza in the Royal Lodge Stakes.[3]

Throughout the season, the filly had been suffering from a sinus problem, and when she was moved to her owner's stud to recuperate her condition deteriorated. Veterinary examinations revealed three separate infections and the filly underwent trephining to drain her sinuses. Her condition remained serious until aureomycin was imported from Ireland to treat the infection.[3]

In February, Happy Laughter returned to Jarvis' stable cured of her infection but with a hole in her head which required constant attention. In April she made her first appearance of the season in the Free Handicap over seven furlongs at Newmarket in which she finished second to Good Brandy, a colt who was carrying five pounds less than the runner-up. On 1 May Happy Laughter was one fourteen fillies to contest the 1000 Guineas over Newmarket's Rowley Mile course. She was ridden by Manny Mercer and started at odds of 10/1 with Bebe Grande, who had finished second in the 2000 Guineas being made favourite at 4/1 and Tessa Gillian starting at 9/2. The race was run in difficult conditions, with heavy, persistent rain and soft ground. Happy Laughter overtook Tessa Gillian two furlongs from the finish and defeated her stable companion by two lengths, with Bebe Grande five lengths away in third.[5]

Happy Laughter was then moved up in distance to contest the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles at Epsom on 4 June. She was strongly fancied for the race, but there were doubts whether, as the daughter of a sprinter, she would have the stamina to cope with the distance.[6] Happy Laughter finished fourth of the twenty-one runners behind Ambiguity, Kerkeb and Noemi.[7] At Royal Ascot, Happy Laughter was brought back in distance for the Coronation Stakes over one mile and won from Tessa Gillian.[8] She then won the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July meeting and the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.[3]