Sorcerer (horse)

Sorcerer made his debut at the Newmarket Second October meeting. He started a Sweepstakes of 200 guineas each for three-year-olds as the 2/1 favourite. In the two and a quarter mile race he finished second to Sir F. Standish's brother to Spread Eagle. Kite finished the race in third place and Rebel fourth.[4] At the end of the month he beat Lord Clermont's Royala in a match race over five and a half furlongs at Newmarket.[5]

The match race between Symmetry (foreground) and Sorcerer at Newmarket

On 28 April 1800 at Newmarket, Sorcerer lost a match race to Schedoni.[6] Three days later he faced Chippenham in a match race over the Rowley Mile. Chippenham started as the 2/7 favourite, but Sorcerer won the 100 guineas race.[7] In mid-May he beat Speculator in a one-mile race, again racing at Newmarket.[8] Racing away from Newmarket for the first time, he won the King's Plate at Ipswich in July. The race was run in two two-mile heats, with Sorcerer winning both heats, beating a Pot-8-Os colt and Skyrocket.[9] He returned to Newmarket for the July meeting, where he beat Cadet, Skyrocket and Gouty in the £50 race over two miles.[10] After a few months off he returned to the track in October, when he lost a match race against Symmetry at Newmarket. Later in the day he finished third behind winner Humbug in a 50 guineas race over the four-mile Beacon course.[11] Two days later he finished as the runner-up to Worthy in the King's Plate, a race run over almost four miles.[12] At Newmarket's Second October meeting he beat Surprise over two miles.[13] He then contested the October Oatlands Stakes. Sorcerer started the one-mile race as the 11/5 favourite, with Georgiana at 4/1, Humbug at 5/1 and First Fruits at 7/1 also near the fore of the betting. Sorcerer won the race from Scrub, who finished second, with the other seven runners not being placed by the judge.[14]

Sorcerer returned to the track again in April 1801 at the Newmarket Craven meeting. He won a Subscription plate of £50, beating three rivals after starting as the odds-on favourite.[15] He them collected a 50 guinea forfeit from Richmond, whom he was due to race at the First Spring meeting.[16] At the same meeting he beat Sir Harry and Ploughboy to win a £50 Subscription, run over almost four miles.[17] Two days later he faced Worthy and a Sir Peter colt in the King's Plate over three miles, six and a half furlongs. Worthy and Sorcerer finished in a dead heat and the race had to be decided in a run-off, which was won by Worthy.[18] A further two days later, on the last day of the meeting, Sorcerer beat Richmond in a two-mile match race.[19] The two horses met again in July, this time over four miles, with Sorcerer again coming out on top. The following day Sorcerer walked over for a £50 race over the two-mile Ditch-in course.[20] At Oxford he beat Cordovan in both of the two three-mile heats to win £50 given by the Duke of Marlborough.[21] On 29 July he walked over for King's Plate at Burford.[22] His final race came on 15 August, when he beat Rebel for a Subscription of 10 guineas each over four miles at Lewes.[23] He was then retired to stud.