Tontine (horse)

The Duke of Grafton, who bred and owned Tontine

Tontine made her first racecourse appearance on 6 April 1825 at the Newmarket Craven meeting. She started 4/6 favourite for a Sweepstakes over the Abington Mile course but was beaten by her only opponent, an unnamed colt owned by the Duke of York.[6] Three days later, Tontine started 3/5 favourite for the Wellington Stakes over the same distance. Ridden by Frank Buckle, she won from two opponents to take a prize of 1,200 guineas.[7] On 21 April, Tontine was scheduled to contest the twelfth running of the 1000 Guineas Stakes over the Rowley Mile course. Seven other fillies had been entered for the race by their owners, at a cost of £100 each, but none of them appeared to oppose Tontine on the day. The Duke's filly was therefore allowed to claim the prize by walking over the course.[8] Although many early runnings of the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas attracted very small fields this was the only occasion on which a British classic race was decided without a competitive heat.[9] On 20 May at Epsom Downs Racecourse Tontine was made 4/6 favourite for the Oaks Stakes over one and a half miles. She finished third of the ten runners behind Wings, a filly owned by the Duke of Grafton's cousin Thomas Grosvenor.[10]

Tontine did not appear again until the First October meeting where she was matched against the 2000 Guineas winner Enamel in the Post Sweepstakes over the Rowley Mile. Tontine led from the start and defeated Enamel, but both classic winners were beaten by the Duke of Portland's colt Mortgage, who got the better of a "severely contested" finish to prevail by a neck from the filly.[11] At the Second October meeting two weeks later Tontine finished last of the four runners in a Subscription race behind Camel, Dahlia and Mortgage. Tontine's last appearance of the year came on 2 November at the Houghton meeting. In a Handicap Plate over ten furlongs she carried a weight of 112 pounds and ran a dead heat with Mr Hunter's unnamed grey filly, with Dahlia in third place. Mr Hunter declined to run his filly in a deciding heat, leaving Tontine to walk over for the victory, although the owners did agree to divide the prize.[12]

Tontine was kept in training as a four-year-old in 1826, but her campaign consisted of a single unsuccessful start. On 26 April at the First Spring meeting she was one of three runners for a subscription race over the four mile Beacon Course. The filly lost her chance by bolting and finished last behind Chateaux Margaux and Nigel. She did not run again.[13]