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no longer survive. At once a messenger was dispatched to the local police station with orders to bring back with him a constable with a loaded gun, as a horse was required to be destroyed. The police officer – his name was
Preston – reported himself to Mr. Disney, who gave the necessary directions for the destruction of Birdcatcher. The horse was placed on the brink of a sandpit situated on the flat opposite Conyngham Lodge, Curragh; without any ceremony he was shot and his carcass tumbled into the pit. Thus ended the career of a good racehorse and a mighty sultan at the age of twenty-seven years. His head was afterwards presented to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Dublin."
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His death was accounted by
Patrick Connolly. "Among the mares sent to the son of Sir Hercules that year was Mr. Michael Dunne's Queen Bee. She was a mare of good size, and when Birdcatcher attempted to serve her, he failed to do so. Mr. Disney, who owned the stallion, thereupon decided that he should
409:
title for 1852 and 1856. He was among the top sires 15 times during his breeding career. Birdcatcher was the first Irish-bred stallion to sire winners of
English classic races, including seven offspring accounting for three St. Leger wins, two One Thousand Guineas wins, and a win at the Derby and the
213:
Birdcatcher was said to have been small, only 15.3 hh, but he had an expressive head, a well-arched neck, and nicely sloping shoulder. His back was short and compact, his loin was deep, and his hindquarters were strong and muscular. His forearms and thighs were large and strong, and attached to
1011:
Within five years of his death, one expert would concede: 'It cannot be denied that 'Irish
Birdcatcher' has done more for the racehorse than any stallion of modern days - probably than ever was heard of; not alone in speed, but in symmetry of shape and power.' His imprint on the Darley Arabian line
241:
throughout his career. He broke his maiden at the Madrid Stakes, and then won the
Milltown Stakes and fourteen-furlong Peel Stakes, and came second in the ten-furlong Wellington Stakes. His four-year-old career was also quite impressive, with a win in the Kildare and Wellington Stakes (where he
397:
The stallion retired to stud at his place of foaling, Brownstown, beginning his breeding career as a five-year-old in 1838. Birdcatcher's first crop of foals did well, and he was moved to Barrow's
Paddock in Newmarket for 1846 and 1847, before he was leased for 1848 and 1849 to
221:, or white hairs scattered throughout his flanks and at the base of the tail. He passed this trait onto many offspring, including Daniel O'Rourke, so often that the marking came to be called to
197:
in 1829. Birdcatcher's dam, Guiccioli, who had a successful career as a racehorse, foaled the chestnut colt when she was 10. She was also the granddam of another well-known racehorse,
402:
in
Yorkshire. The stallion then returned home to Brownstown for 1850, and was sent back to England for the 1852 season, and returned home to Ireland for the 1859 season.
242:
walked over the finish line). He finished second after
Harkaway in the Northumberland Handicap. In his final race, the Doris Stakes, Birdcatcher was unplaced.
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was to become so indelible that even today silver flecks in the root of a horse's tail, or scattered over the flanks, are known as 'Birdcatcher ticks'.
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William Disney bought the colt, and raced him once as a 2-year-old before beginning seriously as a three-year-old. The young
Thoroughbred raced only at
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The chestnut colt ended his career with 15 starts and 7 wins, before the horse went on to have a successful breeding career.
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312:) and Blackfoot (b.c. by Young Blacklock), beating Fusileer (ch.c. by The Colonel), Whim, and three other entries
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Despite his success as a sire
Birdcatcher met with an undeserved execution after he was unable to cover a mare.
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225:. This marking differs from the small white spots known as Birdcatcher spots, and from the dark spots called
968:
Ahnert, Rainer L. (editor in chief), “Thoroughbred Breeding of the World”, Pozdun Publishing, Germany, 1970
217:
Birdcatcher had a large star and narrow blaze, white halfway up to the hock on the left hind. He also had
189:
Foaled in 1833 at the Brownstown Stud, in Ireland, Birdcatcher was by the Irish Thoroughbred stallion
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fine, light legs. He had an elastic stride, that no doubt helped him to win as many races as he did.
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332:: won, beating Thump (b.c. Humphrey Clinker), Aigirio (gr.c. Roller), Quicksilver, and two others
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Oaks. Birdcatcher also founded two male lines, one with Oxford, and another with
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376:: 3rd, after winner Mercury (gr.c. Drone), and Austerlitz (br.c. Napoleon)
296:: came 2nd, after Maria, beating Whim (gr.f. by Drone), and eight others
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1057:. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited
1031:. Australian Turf Club Limited and Victoria Racing Club Limited
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Birdcatcher's English offspring did well, and earned him the
19:"Birdcatcher" redirects here. For the catching of birds, see
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Pedigree of Birdcatcher (IRE), chestnut stallion, 1833
284:), Quicksilver (b.c. by Memnon), and five other entries
585:Dam of Talk O' The Hill (a good sire in Australia)
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366:: 3rd, after winner Harkaway, and Gipsy (bl.f.
414:, from whom most Thoroughbreds descend today.
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318:: unplaced, won by Langford followed by Whim
201:, and dam to a full-brother of Birdcatcher,
614:Dam of Kingston (a good sire in Australia)
290:: won, beating Cushneiche (ch.c. by Roller)
56:Birdcatcher with jockey (1858), painted by
308:: 3rd, after winner Water Witch (bl.f. by
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1077:Tesio Power 2000 – Stallions of the World
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962:
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354:: 2nd, after Blackfoot, beat four others
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7:
981:Thoroughbred Heritage – Birdcatcher
325:~raced exclusively at the Curragh
269:~raced exclusively at the Curragh
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16:Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse
302:: 2nd, after Whim, beating Maria
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1025:"Talk O' The Hill – offspring"
276:: won, beating Maria (b.f. by
39:racehorse and a leading sire.
1:
1111:Racehorses trained in Ireland
193:, who lost only once, in the
993:Christopher McGrath (2017).
129:1860 (aged 26–27)
1051:"Kingston (GB) – offspring"
382:: unplaced, won by Harkaway
178:Last updated on 15 May 2009
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1106:Racehorses bred in Ireland
374:September Challenge Stakes
306:November Mulgrave Handicap
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627:Dam of Mincepie (won the
316:October Mulgrave Handicap
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1116:Thoroughbred family 11-d
983:Retrieved on 15 May 2009
771:The death of Birdcatcher
453:. Very successful sire.
434:Major Wins/Achievements
388:: unplaced, won by Maria
262:at the Curragh, unplaced
338:: Croughpatrick (br.c.
716:Dam of Jeune Premier (
352:April Challenge Stakes
280:), Langford (br.c. by
1101:1860 racehorse deaths
1096:1833 racehorse births
512:Knight of St. George
1055:Australian Stud Book
1029:Australian Stud Book
996:Mr. Darley's Arabian
888:Chanticleer (1787)
789:
746:Prix du Jockey Club
553:1000 Guineas Stakes
536:1000 Guineas Stakes
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417:Birdcatcher sired:
348:: won (walked over)
896:Chanticleer's dam
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744:Dam of Florentin (
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1079:, Syntax Software
950:
949:
929:mare by Squirrel
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608:England's Beauty
592:Bird on the Wing
380:Wellington Stakes
346:Wellington Stakes
342:) and five others
294:Wellington Stakes
223:Birdcatcher ticks
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173:15 starts, 7 wins
157:Mr. Hunt, Ireland
33:Irish Birdcatcher
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31:(1833–1860), or
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1059:. Retrieved
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1033:. Retrieved
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1019:
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995:
988:
796:Sir Hercules
777:
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761:Goodwood Cup
664:Mickey Free
621:Foninnualla
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386:Doris Stakes
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364:King's Plate
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69:Sir Hercules
58:Samuel Spode
37:Thoroughbred
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891:Woodpecker
863:Thalestris
815:Potoooooooo
675:Miss Agnes
598:2nd in the
495:Songstress
485:Epsom Derby
461:Canticleer
400:Easby Abbey
393:Stud record
249:Race record
209:Description
45:Birdcatcher
29:Birdcatcher
1090:Categories
953:References
866:Alexander
858:Catherine
831:Trumpator
755:Saunterer
727:Red Eagle
629:Epsom Oaks
600:Epsom Oaks
579:Ayacanora
546:Manganese
502:Epsom Oaks
942:Heroine (
923:Highflyer
883:Bob Booty
878:Guiccioli
848:Wanderer
803:Whalebone
566:Stallion
515:Stallion
481:Stallion
447:Stallion
443:The Baron
412:The Baron
340:Blacklock
96:Bob Booty
88:Guiccioli
79:Whalebone
75:Grandsire
837:Prunella
827:Penelope
783:Pedigree
710:Partlet
653:Marquis
563:Warlock
185:Breeding
105:Stallion
35:, was a
919:Escape
852:Gohanna
699:Oxford
572:(1856)
555:(1856)
538:(1855)
529:Habena
521:(1854)
504:(1852)
487:(1852)
425:Foaled
239:Curragh
219:ticking
154:Breeder
138:Ireland
134:Country
116: (
93:Damsire
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946:11-d)
944:Family
937:Bagot
914:Flight
904:Bagot
901:Ierne
871:Rival
821:Maria
170:Record
144:Colour
111:Foaled
916:1809
885:1804
880:1823
845:1822
806:1807
799:1826
741:Mare
713:Mare
690:Mare
678:Mare
641:Mare
624:Mare
611:Mare
595:Mare
582:Mare
560:1853
549:Mare
543:1853
532:Mare
526:1852
509:1851
498:Mare
492:1849
473:1849
458:1843
439:1842
428:Name
199:Selim
162:Owner
1063:2011
1037:2011
1001:ISBN
843:Peri
810:Waxy
793:Sire
431:Sex
126:Died
118:1833
114:1833
65:Sire
876:Dam
101:Sex
85:Dam
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