Pitcairn (horse)

Pitcairn made a winning debut on 9 May 1973 in the five furlong Warminster Stakes at Salisbury which he took by four lengths.[5] He followed up with a victory over six furlongs in Kempton's Nightingale Stakes beating two previous winners. Pitcairn would not win any of his remaining five races for the season but he did run with credit in his final three starts. After finishing third to the talented Giacometti in Doncaster's Champagne Stakes,[6] he was a two and a half length runner up to the season's leading juvenile, Habat, in Newmarket's Middle Park Stakes while wearing a hood for the first time.[7] Pitcairn then returned to Newmarket to finish runner up to Cellini in the Dewhurst Stakes. He would surpass his latter two conquerors during the following season.

Pitcairn began his 1974 season with an eight length victory from Deerslayer in Epsom's Blue Riband Trial Stakes.[8] This was followed by a solid effort on his return to Ireland in the Irish 2000 Guineas where after making the running, he was caught in the final strides by Furry Glen and beaten a short head.[9] A fever of 104 ruled him out of the Epsom Derby,[10] a race for which he was as low as 16/1.[11] Pitcairn returned to action in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Prior to the race, trainer John Dunlop was not convinced that his charge would be at his best. During the race, he was slow to break and unable to adopt his usual front running tactics so in light of his lack of fitness, the sixth-place finish was not without merit.[12] He returned to winning ways next time out when taking the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury by three lengths from the useful Midsummer Star.[13] Eight days later, Pitcairn added a third and final victory to his seasonal tally when beating his two rivals in the Goodwood Mile despite hanging left.[14] Following a short break, Pitcairn finished a respectable third behind Giacometti and Northern Gem on his sole attempt over ten furlongs in Newmarket's Champion Stakes. His season closed with a rather tepid fifth in the Prix de la Forêt at Longchamp before finishing second behind the two-year-old and subsequent Italian Oaks winner Carnauba in the Premio Chiusura.

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding