Rowena (horse)

Rowena was a chestnut mare bred by her owner George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton at his stud at Euston Hall in Suffolk. Her sire Haphazard won 15 races between 1800 and 1804 before becoming a successful breeding stallion. His offspring included the 2000 Guineas winners Antar and Reginald, as well as the St Leger winner Filho da Puta.[1] Rowena's dam Prudence was a daughter of Prunella, described as one of the most important broodmares in the history of the Thoroughbred breed. Prudence herself produced several major winners (all beginning with the letter "R") including the 2000 Guineas winner Reginald and the Riddlesworth Stakes winners Rebecca and Rufus.[2] Rowena was Prudence's third foal, but the first to appear on a racecourse, her two older siblings having died young.[3] Grafton sent the filly to be trained at Newmarket by Robert Robson, the so-called "Emperor of Trainers".[4]

Rowena was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the Duke of Grafton's stud. After producing five foals, she was sold to Mr Greville and then passed into the ownership of Lord Chesterfield.[3] Her first foal, Nigel, sired by Election, won several races in 1826, including a King's Plate at Guildford.[8] Through her daughter Blanche of Deven, Rowena was the remote female ancestor of two Italian classic winners and the French horse Fantastic, whose wins included the Prix Royal Oak and the Prix du Cadran.[9]

• Rowena's pedigree contained a large amount of inbreeding. She was inbred 3 × 3 to Highflyer, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the third generation of her pedigree. She was also inbred 3 × 4 to Eclipse, 4 × 4 to Snap and 4 × 4 × 4 to Herod.