Musket (horse)
Encyclopedia
Musket was an English
-bred Thoroughbred
racehorse and a Leading sire in Australia
and New Zealand
.
(winner of the 1853 British Triple Crown) from Brown Bess (1844) by Camel. Musket was inbred to Touchstone
in the fourth generation (4x4).
and Goodwood Stakes.
He sired 28 stakeswinners which had 107 stakes wins, including:
Musket is best remembered for siring the famous Carbine
(great-great-grandsire of Nearco
), Nordenfeldt, Trenton (a leading sire in Australasia and then exported), Martini Henry and Hotchkiss, all top sires. Carbine in his day was considered one of the greatest horses in the world, whose feats included winning the 1890 Melbourne Cup
with the impost of in the record time of 3:28¼. The bloodlines of Musket including Carbine and Trenton, are still evident in many horses racing today.
Musket had his portrait painted by the noted equine artist, Martin Stainforth
and it was reproduced in Racehorses in Australia.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-bred 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...
racehorse and a Leading sire in Australia
Leading sire in Australia
The list below shows the leading sire of Thoroughbred racehorses in Australia for each season since 1883–84. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Breeding
He was sired by Toxophilite, his dam was a bay mare (1857) who was a half-sister to General Peel’s dam, by West AustralianWest Australian (horse)
West Australian was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the first Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and the Ascot Gold Cup....
(winner of the 1853 British Triple Crown) from Brown Bess (1844) by Camel. Musket was inbred to Touchstone
Touchstone (horse)
Touchstone was a good British bred Thoroughbred racehorse and a Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland on four occasions. He was owned and bred by Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster....
in the fourth generation (4x4).
Racing record
In England Musket won nine races including the Ascot Stakes before retiring to stud there where he only had limited patronage. In spite of this he managed to sire Petronel winner of the 2,000 Guineas and Brown Bess (1876) winner of the Doncaster CupDoncaster Cup
The Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
and Goodwood Stakes.
Stud record
In December 1878 Musket was imported into Victoria by the Auckland Stud Company and then sent to Auckland, New Zealand the following month. Initially he was used here to cover “half-bred” mares to breed coach horses.He sired 28 stakeswinners which had 107 stakes wins, including:
- Cuirassier, won Great Northern DerbyGreat Northern DerbyThe Great Northern Derby is a harness racing event for 3 year old standardbreds. It is a major event for 3 year old colts and geldings in New Zealand. It is run at Alexandra Park in Auckland, on the same night as the Auckland Cup in early March...
- Foul Shot, won Auckland Derby
- Fusilade, won New Zealand CupNew Zealand CupThe New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race held at Riccarton Park racecourse in Christchurch, held on the final Saturday of New Zealand Cup week in November. The week also features the New Zealand 1000 and 2000 Guineas, with the New Zealand Trotting Cup on the Tuesday at Addington being the...
- Fusilier, won Wanganui Derby
- Manton, Derby Stakes, New Zealand Cup, Wanganui Derby
- Martini Henry, Victoria DerbyVictoria DerbyThe Victoria Derby is an Australian Thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first day of Melbourne's annual Spring Racing Carnival, Victorian Derby Day, held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. A Group One race for three-year-old horses, it is raced on a left-handed turf course at a...
, Melbourne CupMelbourne CupThe Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races... - Nordenfeldt, Victoria Derby, AJC Australian Derby
- Trenton, ARC Welcome Stakes, CJC Champagne Stakes, VRC Royal Park Stakes (twice), etc., sire of good racehorses including Wakeful.
Musket is best remembered for siring the famous Carbine
Carbine (horse)
Carbine , was an outstanding New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse, who competed in New Zealand and later Australia. During his racing career he won 30 stakes or principal races...
(great-great-grandsire of 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 ,...
), Nordenfeldt, Trenton (a leading sire in Australasia and then exported), Martini Henry and Hotchkiss, all top sires. Carbine in his day was considered one of the greatest horses in the world, whose feats included winning the 1890 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
with the impost of in the record time of 3:28¼. The bloodlines of Musket including Carbine and Trenton, are still evident in many horses racing today.
Musket had his portrait painted by the noted equine artist, Martin Stainforth
Martin Stainforth
Martin Frank Stainforth was a British-born artist best known for his portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses he painted in England and while living in Australia and the United States....
and it was reproduced in Racehorses in Australia.