Medora (horse)

Medora began her racing career on 26 April in the sixth running of the 2000 Guineas Stakes over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket Racecourse. Despite being the only filly in the field and her lack of previous experience, she was made third favourite at odds of 7/1 against thirteen colts, but finished unplaced behind Mr Wyndham's Olive. Two days later Medora was one of five fillies, from an original entry of ten, to contest the inaugural running of the 1,000 Guineas over the Ditch Mile. She started 5/2 third favourite and finished third to Charlotte and the Duke of Grafton's Vestal.[5]

On 27 May Medora was moved up in distance to contest the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles at Epsom. The Duke of Grafton's Wire and Lord Grosvenor's Zadora were made joint favourites, with Medora relatively unfancied at odds of 10/1 in a field of nine fillies. Ridden by Sam Barnard, she won the classic from Vestal, with Wire in third place.[6] At the Ascot meeting the following month, the Oaks winner ran twice. On the 9 June she defeated two opponents in the Windsor Forest Stakes over the Old Mile course, despite carrying a five pound weight penalty for her Epsom success. On the following afternoon she won the Billingbear Stakes over one and a half miles, conceding three pounds to General Gower's colt Mulatto.[7]

After a break of almost four months, Medora returned for the autumn meetings at Newmarket where she had three engagements. On 6 October, the Duke of Rutland was able to claim a 200 guinea prize without having to race his filly when Mr Wyndham withdrew his colt from a match against Medora over the Abington Mile course.[8] Eleven days later, on the opening day of the Second October meeting started 5/2 favourite for a sweepstakes over the Ditch Mile in which she was pitted against the Derby winner Blucher. She defeated her fellow classic winner, but both were beaten by the third runner, a four-year-old named Alcohol.[9] Three days later Medora ended her season by finishing third to Partisan in a sweepstakes over five furlongs.

Medora began the 1815 season, in which she ran exclusively at Newmarket, in the Port Stakes for four-year-old over two miles on 26 April. She finished last of the four runners behind Wire, Blucher and Wanderer.[10] On 12 May the filly contested a five furlong sweepstakes. She started the even money favourite and won from Mr Wilson's colt Capricorn and three other runners.[11]

Medora's only other run, after a break of more than five months, came on 18 October, when she ran in a division of the Oatlands Stakes, a handicap race over the Bunbury Mile. Carrying a weight of 115 pounds, she finished second to Castrella, with the 2000 Guineas winner Tigris in fourth.[12]

Before the start of the 1816 racing season Medora was sold to Thomas Cussans, but continued to race exclusively at Newmarket. Her first run for her new owner was scheduled to be a four furlong match against Skipjack on 1 May, but she was able to win the prize of 200 guineas without racing when her opponent was withdrawn. On the following afternoon, Medora contested a five furlong handicap in which she carried 124 pounds. She finished second to Lord Darlington's colt Sir Thomas, with the 1812 2000 Guineas winner Cwrw among the unplaced runners.[13] On 13 May at the next meeting, Medora was beaten Lord Darlington's Paulus on a five furlong match and ended her career two days later by finishing fourth to Equator, Partisan and Cwrw in a ten furlong handicap.[14]