On the House (horse)

On The House began her racing career by running in a six furlong maiden race at Ascot Racecourse in July when she started favourite but finished sixth of the eleven runners behind Johara. A month later she was brought back in distance for the St Hugh's Stakes at Newbury Racecourse and recorded her first success as she won by one and a half lengths from Lavender Dance. At Doncaster On The House started favourite for the Crathorne Stakes over six furlongs despite carrying top weight in a field of eight. The filly did not have a clear run but accelerated in the closing stages to win by half a length from Apples of Gold.[4]

On her final appearance of the season, On The House was moved up in class to contest the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlong at Newmarket Racecourse. Ridden by Lester Piggott she was well-supported in the betting and started 5/2 joint-favourite with the Irish-trained filly Woodstream, the winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes. On The House and Woodstream went to the front approaching the final furlong and raced alongside each other for a few strides, but the Irish filly pulled ahead in the closing stages and won by one and a half lengths. On The House went into the winter break as third favourite (behind Woodstream and Circus Ring) for the following year's 1000 Guineas, although the independent Timeform organisation expressed doubts about her ability to stay the one mile distance.[4]

On The House began her three-year-old season in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, a trial race for the 1000 Guineas, run over seven furlongs at Newmarket. Ridden by Pat Eddery, she ran well for much of the way but faded in the closing stages and finished fifth behind the Henry Cecil-trained Chalon. The race appeared to confirm the suspicion that on the House lacked stamina, and Eddery opted to ride Merlin's Charm in the 1000 Guineas over Newmarket's Rowley Mile course on 29 April. On The House was ridden for the first time by John Reid and started a 33/1[5] outsider in a field of fifteen fillies, with the French-trained Play It Safe, the winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac, being made the 5/2 favourite. Reid positioned the filly just behind the leaders as Hello Cuddles and Time Charter set a strong pace. On The House moved into the lead two furlongs from the finish, went clear of the field and won by two and a half lengths from Time Charter, who was in turn two length clear of Dione (later to win the Prix de l'Opéra) in third. Her success was a first classic win for Reid,[6] and the third in the race for her 79-year-old[7] trainer Harry Wragg following Full Dress and Abermaid: he had also won the race three times as a jockey. On The House next appeared in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on 22 May. She started 3/1 favourite in a field of twenty-four, but after briefly taking the lead in the straight she finished third, beaten a length and a short head by Prince's Polly and Woodstream.[8]

In the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June on the House again faced the Nell Gwyn winner Chalon who had not run in the Guineas.[9] On The House appeared unsuited by the slow pace and failed to produce her best form, finishing fifth behind Chalon. Wragg reportedly felt that the filly had not fully recovered from her run in Ireland. At Goodwood Racecourse in July, On The House was matched against colts and older horses for the first time in the Sussex Stakes. Sandhurst Prince, Tender King and The Wonder were made co-favourites at 4/1 with on the House relatively unfancied at odds of 14/1.[5] She turned in to the straight in fourth place and was then moved to the outside to make her challenge. She overtook Achieved and Bel Bolide inside the final furlong and held off the late run of Sandhurst Prince to win by half a length. As a Group One winner, On The House carried a seven-pound weight penalty when she reappeared in the Waterford Crystal Mile (run over the same course and distance as the Susesx Stakes) on 28 August.[10] She reached second place in the straight but dropped away in the closing stages and finished sixth behind Sandhurst Prince.[8]