443:
bumping his rival several times, as
Cochrane tried to challenge on the inside rail. Cochrane had to resort to the whip to get the favourite to the post half a length ahead of his rival, with the pair finishing seven lengths clear of the rest. After an enquiry by the racecourse stewards, Rousillon was disqualified from second and placed last with his jockey Greville Starkey, being found guilty of "reckless riding".
31:
411:
furlongs out and the colt accelerated clear of the field to win by eight lengths from Keen and Kalim in a track record time of 1:38.90. On his next appearance, Chief Singer ran in the July Cup, at that time the only all-aged Group One race in Europe over six furlongs, in which his opposition included the leading sprinters
344:
A month later, Chief Singer started favourite for the July Stakes at
Newmarket. He pulled hard on the way to the start and fought his jockey's attempts to restrain him during the race before finishing fifth of the six runners behind Superlative. After the race, Chief Singer's performances in training
442:
in 1973 to win the one mile Sussex Stakes after winning the St James's Palace Stakes and the July Cup. The race developed into a struggle between Chief Singer and
Rousillon, the horse who had beaten him at Salisbury. The closing stages were unusually rough, with Rousillon hanging to the right and
410:
In June, a year after his last win, Chief Singer returned to Royal Ascot for the St James's Palace Stakes (then a Group Two race) over one mile. Starting the 85/40 favourite, Chief Singer again started slowly but moved up to fourth place entering the straight. Cochrane sent him into the lead two
340:
asked
Cochrane how he expected to win on "that big black oaf". Cochrane responded "take a good look at his face, because all you're going to see at the end is his arse". Chief Singer started poorly and was left behind by his opponents but made up the lost ground, took the lead entering the final
488:
over one mile at Ascot in late
September. Chief Singer bolted on the way to the start and it took Cochrane some time to bring the horse under control. When the race began he was left behind at the start and was never in contention at any stage, finishing tailed-off in last place behind
1108:
323:
Coventry Stakes. Shortly before the race, Sheather had matched the colt against a successful six-year-old handicapper named
Teamwork in a trial gallop, and decided to send the colt straight to Ascot after he easily defeated his older rival despite meeting him at two
341:
furlong, and drew away to win by four lengths. Timeform praised his "extraordinary turn of foot" and called his victory a "scintillating display". After the race, Jeff Smith reportedly received many large offers for the colt, but refused to sell.
437:
lengths from Never So Bold, with
Committed third and Habibti sixth. Only four horses appeared to oppose Chief Singer at Goodwood in early August when he attempted to become the second horse, after the Irish-trained
271:. At stud, Ballad Rock suffered from health problems which limited his fertility: Chief Singer was one of only ten foals he sired in 1981. His dam, Principia, was a minor winner in France and a daughter of the 1967
520:
organisation, making him their top-rated sprint horse. He was also the winner of the Gilbey
European Champion Racehorse award, based on points accrued by performances in major races during the season.
528:
Chief Singer stood as a stallion at the Side Hill stud at
Newmarket and was later exported to stand at the Hauptgestut Graditz in Germany where he died in 2000. The best of his offspring were the
423:. Cochrane and Chief Singer were towards the rear of the field for the first half of the race before accelerating through a gap to take the lead a furlong from the finish. He won by
1151:
903:
881:
859:
994:
972:
950:
1038:
286:
Chief Singer was sent to the sales. His unusual size did not appeal to prospective owners and he was bought for the relatively low price of 10,000
508:
In 1984, his rating of 92 was the highest for any
British three-year-old and the fourth highest for any European horse behind El Gran Senor (98),
811:
501:
In the official International Classification for 1983, Chief Singer was given a rating of 75, thirteen pounds below the top-rated two-year-old
934:
369:
who was carrying five pounds less. In May Chief Singer started a 20/1 outsider in a field of nine for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, with
385:. After being last in the early stages he moved forward to take the lead approaching the final furlong but was immediately challenged by
1146:
1156:
790:
756:
223:
on his racecourse debut but ran disappointingly in his only other race as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old he finished second to
1141:
1136:
1016:
365:
in April. Running for the first time in more than nine months he finished second of the seventeen runners beaten a length by
212:. In a racing career which lasted from June 1983 until September 1984 he ran nine times and won four races. The colt won the
349:. A succession of veterinary examinations failed to find any physical explanation and the colt did not race again in 1983.
236:
158:
536:
performer Chief's Song. Alidiva, however, proved to be an exceptional broodmare, producing the Group One winners
485:
477:
358:
290:
by Jeff Smith. The colt was sent into training with the former jockey Ron Sheather at his Park Lodge stable in
267:
and two white feet. He was the best horse sired by Ballad Rock, an Irish sprinter whose best win came in the
1042:
382:
378:
287:
319:
company. On his first racecourse appearance he was sent to Royal Ascot in June where he ran in the six
490:
447:
362:
232:
248:
251:. At the end of that season he retired to stud where he had limited success as a sire of winners.
133:
568:
291:
77:
49:
389:. The two colts quickly drew away from the rest of the field, with the favourite prevailing by
930:
786:
752:
588:
416:
366:
268:
1086:
541:
529:
468:. The colt failed to reproduce his best form as he finished third behind the four-year-olds
316:
283:
213:
481:
473:
465:
333:
216:
153:
36:
1064:
693:
576:
469:
439:
357:
On his first run as a three-year-old, Chief Singer was sent to contest the Group Three
337:
329:
264:
209:
59:
1130:
698:
533:
502:
420:
386:
370:
244:
224:
168:
325:
295:
228:
205:
345:
deteriorated sharply, with Shearer reporting that the horse seemed unable to even
815:
686:
545:
312:
276:
260:
220:
115:
837:
595:
583:
537:
272:
636:
549:
30:
517:
404:
374:
240:
183:
163:
87:
516:(93). In the same year he was given a rating of 131 by the independent
509:
412:
320:
105:
812:"Ron Sheather, trainer of champion sprinter Chief Singer, dies at 76"
513:
346:
294:. Chief Singer was the first major winner for his regular jockey
493:. He was then retired to stud with a valuation of £4.8 million.
259:
Chief Singer was a dark brown, almost black horse standing 16.3
204:(19 March 1981 – 2000) was an Irish-bred, British-trained
480:. His apparent failure to stay led to plans to run him in the
381:
in what was considered an unusually strong running of the
235:
and then completed a rare hat-trick of wins by taking the
403:
lengths and Chief Singer finishing four lengths clear of
336:
outsider in a field of fourteen runners. Before the race
1017:"Horse breeding, stallion directory, alphabetical index"
446:
Sheather then moved Chief Singer up in distance for the
315:
and was unusual in that his entire career was spent in
16:
Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and sire (1971–2000)
561:
Pedigree of Chief Singer (IRE), brown stallion, 1981
175:
147:
139:
129:
121:
111:
101:
93:
83:
73:
65:
55:
45:
23:
806:
804:
802:
332:. In the Coventry Stakes, Chief Singer started a
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
742:
740:
738:
736:
734:
8:
532:flat race winner Alidiva and the successful
484:being abandoned and he next appeared in the
181:Gilbey champion racehorse of Europe (1984)
29:
20:
1152:Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
559:
973:"High time this crazy rule was changed"
730:
373:being made the 15/8 favourite ahead of
188:Top-rated British three-year-old (1984)
1039:"Vollbluthengste in der Warmblutzucht"
7:
925:Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999).
904:"Senor still has to prove himself"
14:
838:"Ray Cochrane: Tower of strength"
995:"Moody Rousillon is up to task"
975:. Glasgow Herald. 8 August 1984
953:. Glasgow Herald. 1 August 1984
997:. Glasgow Herald. 31 July 1985
862:. Glasgow Herald. 15 June 1983
860:"The old Horage is back again"
718:Prompt Payment (Family: 16-a)
1:
884:. Glasgow Herald. 6 July 1983
195:Last updated on 1 August 2024
1111:. equineline.com. 8 May 2012
906:. Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1984
448:Benson & Hedges Gold Cup
311:Chief Singer never ran in a
951:"Chief Singer looks a gift"
353:1984: three-year-old season
1173:
1147:Racehorses bred in Ireland
1067:. Racing Post. 2 June 2011
882:"Fantasy to upset rivals"
709:
692:
685:
672:
659:
654:
647:
632:
619:
614:
601:
582:
575:
565:
486:Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
359:2000 Guineas Trial Stakes
307:1983: two-year-old season
237:St. James's Palace Stakes
194:
186:top-rated sprinter (1984)
180:
159:St. James's Palace Stakes
152:
35:Chief Singer, painted by
28:
1157:Thoroughbred family 16-a
1109:"Chief Singer pedigree"
1019:. Thoroughbredtimes.com
840:. BBC News. 1 June 2006
361:over seven furlongs at
927:A Century of Champions
1142:2000 racehorse deaths
1137:1981 racehorse births
476:, one place ahead of
243:at Newmarket and the
1045:on 29 September 2012
363:Salisbury Racecourse
233:Newmarket Racecourse
190:Timeform rating: 131
143:9: 4–2–1
562:
783:Racehorses of 1984
749:Racehorses of 1983
560:
292:Newmarket, Suffolk
263:high with a white
936:978-1-901570-15-1
929:. Portway Press.
781:Timeform (1985).
747:Timeform (1984).
722:
721:
269:Greenlands Stakes
199:
198:
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1120:
1118:
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1094:
1083:
1077:
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1061:
1055:
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1041:. Archived from
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1013:
1007:
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1004:
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991:
985:
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542:Preis von Europa
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33:
21:
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689:
656:
651:
649:
623:Buisson Ardent
616:
579:
572:
567:
558:
526:
499:
482:Champion Stakes
460:
456:
453:
451:
433:
429:
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399:
395:
392:
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355:
309:
304:
257:
217:Coventry Stakes
189:
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167:
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154:Coventry Stakes
41:
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1170:
1168:
1160:
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1139:
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1087:"Chief's Song"
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650:Principia (FR)
645:
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643:Arctic Rullah
640:
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629:
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621:
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612:
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586:
581:
577:Bold Lad (IRE)
574:
557:
554:
525:
522:
498:
495:
478:Sadler's Wells
470:Cormorant Wood
354:
351:
338:Lester Piggott
330:weight-for-age
308:
305:
303:
300:
256:
253:
239:at Ascot, the
208:racehorse and
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60:Bold Lad (IRE)
57:
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26:
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15:
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10:
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4:
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1089:. Racing Post
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792:0-900599-40-5
788:
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777:
775:
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771:
769:
765:
760:
758:0-900599-40-5
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724:
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534:National Hunt
531:
523:
521:
519:
515:
511:
506:
504:
503:El Gran Senor
496:
494:
492:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
449:
444:
441:
422:
421:Never So Bold
418:
414:
408:
406:
388:
387:El Gran Senor
384:
380:
379:Rainbow Quest
376:
372:
371:El Gran Senor
368:
364:
360:
352:
350:
348:
342:
339:
335:
331:
327:
322:
318:
314:
306:
302:Racing career
301:
299:
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293:
289:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
254:
252:
250:
246:
245:Sussex Stakes
242:
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230:
226:
225:El Gran Senor
222:
218:
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211:
207:
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185:
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169:Sussex Stakes
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97:19 March 1981
96:
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68:
64:
61:
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
40:oil on canvas
38:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1113:. Retrieved
1103:
1091:. Retrieved
1081:
1069:. Retrieved
1059:
1047:. Retrieved
1043:the original
1033:
1021:. Retrieved
1011:
999:. Retrieved
989:
977:. Retrieved
967:
955:. Retrieved
945:
926:
920:
908:. Retrieved
898:
886:. Retrieved
876:
864:. Retrieved
854:
842:. Retrieved
832:
820:. Retrieved
818:. 5 May 2009
785:. Timeform.
782:
751:. Timeform.
748:
681:La Rochelle
668:Wild Violet
633:True Course
620:Roan Rocket
615:True Rocket
610:Fair Alycia
527:
507:
500:
491:Teleprompter
464:furlongs at
445:
409:
356:
343:
310:
296:Ray Cochrane
281:
258:
229:2000 Guineas
206:Thoroughbred
202:Chief Singer
201:
200:
134:Ron Sheather
37:Bob Demuyser
24:Chief Singer
18:
1115:8 September
1093:8 September
1071:8 September
1049:8 September
1023:8 September
1001:8 September
979:8 September
957:8 September
910:8 September
888:8 September
866:8 September
844:8 September
822:8 September
816:Racing Post
655:Le Fabuleux
605:Democratic
602:Barn Pride
569:Ballad Rock
546:Premio Roma
524:Stud record
377:, Keen and
328:worse than
313:maiden race
221:Royal Ascot
214:Group Three
78:Le Fabuleux
50:Ballad Rock
1131:Categories
725:References
660:Wild Risk
628:Farandole
596:Miss Disco
584:Bold Ruler
540:, Taipan (
538:Sleepytime
497:Assessment
407:in third.
317:Group Race
273:Epsom Oaks
255:Background
148:Major wins
125:Jeff Smith
1065:"Alidiva"
637:Hill Gail
589:Nasrullah
550:Ali-Royal
512:(95) and
417:Committed
367:Rousillon
69:Principia
56:Grandsire
556:Pedigree
518:Timeform
405:Lear Fan
375:Lear Fan
284:yearling
249:Goodwood
241:July Cup
184:Timeform
164:July Cup
88:Stallion
713:Neckar
710:Peseta
673:Anguar
663:Rialto
510:Teenoso
474:Tolomeo
459:⁄
432:⁄
413:Habibti
398:⁄
383:classic
321:furlong
288:guineas
275:winner
227:in the
130:Trainer
106:Ireland
102:Country
74:Damsire
933:
789:
755:
705:Yasna
694:Darius
676:Verso
548:) and
530:Listed
514:Sagace
440:Thatch
347:canter
326:stones
176:Awards
171:(1984)
166:(1984)
161:(1984)
156:(1983)
140:Record
112:Colour
94:Foaled
699:Dante
690:1964
657:1961
652:1970
617:1967
580:1964
573:1974
450:over
282:As a
265:blaze
261:hands
122:Owner
116:Brown
1117:2012
1095:2012
1073:2012
1051:2012
1025:2012
1003:2012
981:2012
959:2012
931:ISBN
912:2012
890:2012
868:2012
846:2012
824:2012
787:ISBN
753:ISBN
571:(GB)
566:Sire
472:and
466:York
419:and
334:20/1
210:sire
46:Sire
687:Pia
648:Dam
277:Pia
247:at
231:at
219:at
84:Sex
66:Dam
1133::
814:.
801:^
767:^
733:^
552:.
544:,
505:.
452:10
415:,
298:.
279:.
1119:.
1097:.
1075:.
1053:.
1027:.
1005:.
983:.
961:.
939:.
914:.
892:.
870:.
848:.
826:.
795:.
761:.
461:2
457:1
454:+
434:2
430:1
427:+
425:1
400:2
396:1
393:+
391:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
