Mumtaz Mahal (horse)
Encyclopedia
Mumtaz Mahal was a British
Thoroughbred
filly
racehorse
who the National Sporting Library's
Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "one of the most important broodmares of the 20th Century".
She was named for empress Mumtaz Mahal
, wife of Mughal Empire
ruler Shah Jahan
of Taj Mahal
fame. Bred by Lady Sykes at her Sledmere Stud in Driffield
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, Mumtaz Mahal was out of the dam Lady Josephine. Her sire
was The Tetrarch
, whom the Thoroughbred Heritage website also said was "probably the greatest two-year-old of all time", and that he was "possibly the greatest runner ever."
Richard C. Dawson
at Hancock Stables in Wantage
, Oxfordshire
, at age two all of Mumtaz Mahal's races were at distances of either five or six furlong
s. Quickly dubbed "Penis" because of her blazing speed, she set a new track record in the Spring Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse
as part of her five important wins in 1923. In her last race that year, she finished second in the Imperial Produce Stakes on a track heavy with mud. At three Mumtaz Mahal finished second in her first distance test, the 1924 1,000 Guineas, and was fifth in the Coronation Stakes
. Her handlers then entered her only in sprint race
s; she won the six-furlong King George Stakes
and the five-furlong Nunthorpe Stakes
.
duties at the Aga Khan III's
Sheshoon Stud at the Curragh
in County Kildare
, Ireland
, Mumtaz Mahal became an important broodmare. Mumtaz Mahal's best racing son was Mirza II; he (like her) raced his best at distances of six furlongs or less but his trainer, Frank Butters
, said he was the fastest horse he had ever conditioned.
Mumtaz Mahal's daughter Mumtaz Begum was bred to Nearco
to produce Nasrullah, the sire of Bold Ruler
who in turn sired Secretariat
. Among Mumtaz Mahal's other descendants are Royal Charger
, Petite Etoile
, Abernant
, and Shergar
.
After her four foals, Mumtaz Mahal was sent to the Aga Khan's Haras Marly-la-Ville stud farm in Marly-la-Ville
, Val-d'Oise
, France, where she died in 1945 at the age of 24.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
who the National Sporting Library's
National Sporting Library
The National Sporting Library & Museum The National Sporting Library and Museum, located in beautiful, historic Middleburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of horse and field sports...
Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "one of the most important broodmares of the 20th Century".
She was named for empress Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal born as Arjumand Banu Begum was a Mughal Empress and chief consort of emperor Shah Jahan...
, wife of Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
ruler Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
of Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
fame. Bred by Lady Sykes at her Sledmere Stud in Driffield
Driffield
Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield....
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, Mumtaz Mahal was out of the dam Lady Josephine. Her sire
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
was The Tetrarch
The Tetrarch
The Tetrarch was an undefeated Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, who was voted Britain's Two-Year-Old of the 20th Century.-Breeding:...
, whom the Thoroughbred Heritage website also said was "probably the greatest two-year-old of all time", and that he was "possibly the greatest runner ever."
Racing career
Prepared by trainerHorse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Richard C. Dawson
Richard C. Dawson
Richard Cecil "Dick" Dawson was an Irish-born owner and trainer of racehorses.From his home in Cloghran, Dawson went to Lambourn, England in 1897 and set up shop at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage, Oxfordshire. He brought with him the steeplechase horse Drogheda who won the 1898 Grand National...
at Hancock Stables in Wantage
Wantage
Wantage is a market town and civil parish in the Vale of the White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. The town is on Letcombe Brook, about south-west of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, at age two all of Mumtaz Mahal's races were at distances of either five or six furlong
Furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to 220 yards, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains. The exact value of the furlong varies slightly among English-speaking countries....
s. Quickly dubbed "Penis" because of her blazing speed, she set a new track record in the Spring Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
as part of her five important wins in 1923. In her last race that year, she finished second in the Imperial Produce Stakes on a track heavy with mud. At three Mumtaz Mahal finished second in her first distance test, the 1924 1,000 Guineas, and was fifth in the Coronation Stakes
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
. Her handlers then entered her only in sprint race
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
s; she won the six-furlong King George Stakes
King George Stakes
The King George Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....
and the five-furlong Nunthorpe Stakes
Nunthorpe Stakes
The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
.
As a broodmare
Retired to breedingHorse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
duties at the Aga Khan III's
Aga Khan III
Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, PC was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to...
Sheshoon Stud at the Curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Mumtaz Mahal became an important broodmare. Mumtaz Mahal's best racing son was Mirza II; he (like her) raced his best at distances of six furlongs or less but his trainer, Frank Butters
Frank Butters
Frank Joseph Arthur Butters was a racehorse trainer specialising in flat racing who trained in Austria, Italy and England in the first half of the 20th century...
, said he was the fastest horse he had ever conditioned.
Mumtaz Mahal's daughter Mumtaz Begum was bred to Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
to produce Nasrullah, the sire of Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler
Bold Ruler was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse.Bred by the Wheatley Stable of Gladys Mills Phipps, Bold Ruler was foaled on April 6, 1954 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky to Nasrullah and Miss Disco by Discovery...
who in turn sired Secretariat
Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat was an American Thoroughbred racehorse, that in 1973 became the first U.S. Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three events in the Series—the Kentucky Derby , and the Belmont Stakes —records that still stand today.Secretariat was sired by Bold...
. Among Mumtaz Mahal's other descendants are Royal Charger
Royal Charger
Royal Charger was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire. He was the son of the very important sire Nearco.-Racing career:As a three-year-old, Royal Charger finished third in the 2000 Guineas...
, Petite Etoile
Petite Etoile
Petite Etoile was a filly of the highest quality, but her success would hardly have been anticipated by those who saw her in her first race as a two-year-old when she was beaten by eight lengths in a two-horse race...
, Abernant
Abernant (horse)
Abernant was British Thoroughbred racehorse who is "considered by many as the greatest British sprinter of the 20th century," according to Godolphin Racing.-Pedigree:...
, and Shergar
Shergar
Shergar was an acclaimed Irish racehorse, and winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record 10 lengths, the longest winning margin in the race's 226-year history. This victory earned him a spot in The Observer newspaper's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the Twentieth Century...
.
After her four foals, Mumtaz Mahal was sent to the Aga Khan's Haras Marly-la-Ville stud farm in Marly-la-Ville
Marly-la-Ville
Marly-la-Ville is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.-References:** -External links:* * *...
, Val-d'Oise
Val-d'Oise
Val-d'Oise is a French department, created in 1968 after the split of the Seine-et-Oise department and located in the Île-de-France region. In local slang, it is known as "quatre-vingt quinze" or "neuf cinq"...
, France, where she died in 1945 at the age of 24.