# Poet Prince

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British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Poet Prince Sire Milton Grandsire Marcovil Dam Welsh Princess Damsire Hapsburg Sex Gelding Foaled 1932[1] Country United Kingdom Colour Chestnut Owner David Sherbrooke Trainer Ivor Anthony Fulke Walwyn Major wins Stanley Chase (1940) Cheltenham Gold Cup (1941)

**Poet Prince** (foaled 1932) was a British [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) racehorse who won the 1941 [Cheltenham Gold Cup](/source/Cheltenham_Gold_Cup). He had earlier won the Stanley Chase at [Aintree](/source/Aintree_Racecourse) and went on to contest two more Gold Cups. He was unplaced when well-fancied in 1942 and finished fourth in 1945 at the age of thirteen.

## Background

Poet Prince was a chestnut gelding with a broad white [blaze](/source/Horse_markings#Fae_markings)[2] bred in the United Kingdom. He was sired by Milton, a representative of the [Godolphin Arabian](/source/Godolphin_Arabian) sireline whose wins included the [Criterion Stakes](/source/Criterion_Stakes) in 1918 and the [Ribblesdale Stakes](/source/Ribblesdale_Stakes) in the following year. His dam, Welsh Princess was a great-granddaughter of Wedding Eve, an Irish broodmare whose other descendants have included the [Kentucky Derby](/source/Kentucky_Derby) winner [Ponder](/source/Ponder_(horse)).[3]

As a young horse Poet Prince had breathing problems and was not regarded as a serious racing prospect. He was acquired for only 40 [guineas](/source/Guinea_(British_coin)) by David Sherbrooke, a [veterinary surgeon](/source/Veterinary_surgeon) who also competed as an amateur jockey. He was initially sent into training with Ivor Anthony at [Wroughton](/source/Wroughton) in [Wiltshire](/source/Wiltshire).[2]

## Racing career

Poet Prince showed good form in the early part of his racing career and won the Stanley Chase at [Aintree Racecourse](/source/Aintree_Racecourse) in the spring of 1940.[4] Despite his success at the course, he never contested the [Grand National](/source/Grand_National).[5]

On 20 March 1941, Poet Prince was one of ten horses to contest the sixteenth running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. David Sherbrooke had intended to ride the horse himself but was injured in a fall on the previous day and the ride went to Roger Burford.[4] The 1940 winner [Roman Hackle](/source/Roman_Hackle) favourite ahead of Savon with Poet Prince third choice in the betting at odds of [7/2](/source/Fractional_odds)[6] whilst the other fancied runners included [Red Rower](/source/Red_Rower) (also trained by Ivor Anthony) and The Professor. In the race Poet Prince tracked Red Rower before taking the lead at the final obstacle. He drew away on the run-in and won by three [lengths](/source/Horse_length) from Savon, with Red Rower a short head away in third place.[7]

Poet Prince ran well in [hurdle races](/source/Hurdling_(horse_race)) in the early part of the next season.[8] On 21 March 1942 he made an attempt to win a second Gold Cup when he faced stronger opposition in a race run in thick fog. Ridden again by Burford he finished unplaced behind the French-bred [Medoc II](/source/Medoc_II).[7] National Hunt racing in Britain was suspended in September 1942. The first Cheltenham Festival for three years was held in 1945 and Poet Prince, now trained by [Fulke Walwyn](/source/Fulke_Walwyn), returned to contest his third Gold Cup at the age of thirteen. He traveled very well for most of the way and looked the likely winner two fences out but then began to struggle and dropped back to finish fourth behind Red Rower.[7][4]

## Assessment and honours

In their book, *A Century of Champions*, based on the [Timeform](/source/Timeform) rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Poet Prince a "poor" Gold Cup winner.[9]

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Poet Prince (GB), chestnut gelding, 1932[1] Sire Milton (GB) 1916 Marcovil (GB) 1903 Marco Barcaldine Novitiate Lady Villikins Hagioscope Dinah Misfit (GB) 1909 Collar St Simon* Ornament Miss Lettice Amphion* Vetch Dam Welsh Princess (GB) 1924 Hapsburg (GB) 1911 Desmond St Simon* L'Abbesse de Jouarre Altesse Amphion* Marchioness Welsh Bride (GB) 1912 Picton Orvieto Hecuba Irish Bride St Gris Wedding Eve (Family: 23)[3]

* Poet Prince is [inbred](/source/Inbreeding) 4S × 4D to the stallion [St Simon](/source/St_Simon_(horse)), meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

* Poet Prince is inbred 4S × 4D to the stallion [Amphion](/source/Amphion_(horse)), meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pedigree_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pedigree_1-1) ["Poet Prince pedigree"](http://www.pedigreequery.com/poet+prince). Pedigree Online. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-chelt_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-chelt_2-1) ["1940s - Cheltenham"](http://www.thefestival2016.co.uk/hall-of-fame/1940s/#mVgYAtcVbmzfePUR.97). *Cheltenham Racecourse official site*.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tbl_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tbl_3-1) ["Piping Peg's Dam - Family 23"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054326/http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family23.htm). Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Archived from [the original](http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family23.htm) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-03-29.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-insane_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-insane_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-insane_4-2) John Saville (2009). [*Insane and Unseemly: British Racing in World War II*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PH6cPa-SwycC&q=%22Poet+Prince%22+%22Cheltenham%22&pg=PA190). Matador. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781848760349](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781848760349).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Green_5-0)** Green, Reg (1993). *The History of the Grand National: A Race Apart*. Hodder & Stoughton. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-340-58515-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-340-58515-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Breedon_6-0)** Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). *The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records*. Breedon Books Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-873626-15-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-873626-15-3).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Harman_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Harman_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Harman_7-2) Harman, Bob (2000). *The Ultimate Dream: The History of the Cheltenham Gold Cup*. Mainstream Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-84018-381-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84018-381-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["English Sporting Letter"](http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63573364?searchTerm=%22Poet%20Prince%22&searchLimits=l-decade=194%7c%7c%7cl-year=1942). *[Townsville Daily Bulletin](/source/Townsville_Daily_Bulletin)*. 2 May 1942.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-century_9-0)** Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). *A Century of Champions*. Portway Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781901570151](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781901570151).

v t e Cheltenham Gold Cup winners 1924 Red Splash 1925 Ballinode 1926 Koko 1927 Thrown In 1928 Patron Saint 1929 Easter Hero 1930 Easter Hero 1931 no race 1932 Golden Miller 1933 Golden Miller 1934 Golden Miller 1935 Golden Miller 1936 Golden Miller 1937 no race 1938 Morse Code 1939 Brendan's Cottage 1940 Roman Hackle 1941 Poet Prince 1942 Medoc II 1943 no race 1944 no race 1945 Red Rower 1946 Prince Regent 1947 Fortina 1948 Cottage Rake 1949 Cottage Rake 1950 Cottage Rake 1951 Silver Fame 1952 Mont Tremblant 1953 Knock Hard 1954 Four Ten 1955 Gay Donald 1956 Limber Hill 1957 Linwell 1958 Kerstin 1959 Roddy Owen 1960 Pas Seul 1961 Saffron Tartan 1962 Mandarin 1963 Mill House 1964 Arkle 1965 Arkle 1966 Arkle 1967 Woodland Venture 1968 Fort Leney 1969 What a Myth 1970 L'Escargot 1971 L'Escargot 1972 Glencaraig Lady 1973 The Dikler 1974 Captain Christy 1975 Ten Up 1976 Royal Frolic 1977 Davy Lad 1978 Midnight Court 1979 Alverton 1980 Master Smudge 1981 Little Owl 1982 Silver Buck 1983 Bregawn 1984 Burrough Hill Lad 1985 Forgive 'n Forget 1986 Dawn Run 1987 The Thinker 1988 Charter Party 1989 Desert Orchid 1990 Norton's Coin 1991 Garrison Savannah 1992 Cool Ground 1993 Jodami 1994 The Fellow 1995 Master Oats 1996 Imperial Call 1997 Mr Mulligan 1998 Cool Dawn 1999 See More Business 2000 Looks Like Trouble 2001 no race 2002 Best Mate 2003 Best Mate 2004 Best Mate 2005 Kicking King 2006 War Of Attrition 2007 Kauto Star 2008 Denman 2009 Kauto Star 2010 Imperial Commander 2011 Long Run 2012 Synchronised 2013 Bobs Worth 2014 Lord Windermere 2015 Coneygree 2016 Don Cossack 2017 Sizing John 2018 Native River 2019 Al Boum Photo 2020 Al Boum Photo 2021 Minella Indo 2022 A Plus Tard 2023 Galopin Des Champs 2024 Galopin Des Champs 2025 Inothewayurthinkin 2026 Gaelic Warrior

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Poet Prince](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Prince) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Prince?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.