Bay Middleton – Derby winner & Champion Sire
Bay Middleton with Jem Robinson aboard
BRED BY 5th Earl of Jersey. CHAMPION SIRE 1844, 1849.
WON 7 races incl. Riddlesworth Stakes,Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, Derby Stakes, Buckhurst Stakes, Grand Duke Michael Stakes (never beaten).
A bay colt born in 1833, Bay Middleton’s excellence lay in his pedigree.
His sire was William Crockford’s Sultan, a Champion Sire six times and the sire of eight Classic winners; his dam was Cobweb, winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks and breeder of three Classic winners. With such references, Bay Middleton was a hot property and was backed at 8-1 for the Derby before he even set a foot on the gallops.
Bay Middleton’s first race was at the Craven Meeting in 1836, where he won the Riddlesworth Stakes, then on the last day of the same meeting, he walked over for the Bruton Street Stakes.
Two weeks later, Bay Middleton won the Two Thousand Guineas as 4-6 favourite from the future St Leger winner Elis and four others.
On Derby day, rumours abounded about Bay Middleton’s doubtful leg and bad temper, but despite the latter made worse by countless deliberate false starts – he held fast in the market going off the 7-4 favourite. And, after shaking off the late challenge of Gladiator, he won easily by two lengths.
Although the judge placed only two, Venison was third and Slane fourth, both future Champion Sires.
Such was the pace of the race and the class of the winner that many of the field tailed in nearly two furlongs behind.
At Ascot, Bay Middleton won the Buckhurst Stakes at odds of 1-20 from Lord Exeter’s Derby runner Muezzin and followed this up by beating Elis again in the Grand Duke Michael Stakes at Newmarket in October.
His final race was a match at the Houghton Meeting, in which he conceded 13lb to Muezzin over the Ditch Mile and landed odds of 1-8.
Bay Middleton, unbeaten in his seven races, was promptly retired to the Turf Tavern, Doncaster, at a fee of 30 guineas. He sired four Classic winners, including Derby heroes The Flying Dutchman (1849) and Andover (1854) and was Champion Sire in 1844 and 1849. Altogether, he sired the winners of 487 races, and died at Danebury in 1857.
HIS NOTABLE PROGENY
ALL ROUND MY HAT br.f. 1841 ex CHAPEAU D’ESPAGNE by DOCTOR SYNTAX.
WON Nassau Stakes, Goodwood.
ELLEN MIDDLETON br.f. 1846 ex MYRRHA by MALEK.
WON Yorkshire Oaks. Dam of WILD DAYRELL br.c. 1852 by ION, won Derby Stakes.
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN br.c. 1846 ex BARBELLE by SANDBECK
WON 14 races (from 15 starts) incl. July Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, Derby Stakes, St Leger Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Match for £1,000 against VOLTIGEUR over 2 miles, York.
SUNFLOWER b.f. 1847 ex IO by TAURUS.
Dam of SUNBEAM b.f. 1855 by CHANTICLEER, won St Leger Stakes, Coronation Cup.
APHRODITE br.f. 1848 ex VENUS by SIR HERCULES.
WON Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, One Thousand Guineas Stakes, Park Hill Stakes. Second in St Leger Stakes. Dam of SIDEROLITE b.c. 1866 by ASTEROID, won Ascot Gold Vase, Goodwood Cup.
ANDOVER b.c. 1851 ex daughter (1844) of DEFENCE.
WON Molecomb Stakes, Brighton Club Plate, Derby Stakes, Stockbridge Triennial Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Brighton, Don Stakes, Doncaster.
THE HERMIT br.c. 1851 ex JENNY LIND by TOUCHSTONE.
WON Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, Ascot Gold Vase, Stewards Plate, Stockbridge, Queen’s Plate, York. Third in Derby Stakes.
ANTON b.c. 1854 ex daughter (1844) of DEFENCE.
WON St James’s Palace Stakes. Second in Two Thousand Guineas Stakes.
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