Prunella (horse)

Prunella was a bay filly bred by the 3rd Duke of Grafton and foaled in 1788. She was sired by the undefeated Great Subscription Purse winner Highflyer.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/generalstudbook00skingoog |title=The General Stud Book |publisher=J. S. Skinner, Baltimore |year=1834 |access-date=2012-12-28}} Highflyer was also a top stallion, becoming Champion sire thirteen times. He sired three Epsom Derby winners in Noble, Sir Peter Teazle and Skyscraper along with several other classic winners. Sir Peter Teazle also became an important stallion.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Highflyer.html |title=Highflyer |publisher=Tbheritage.com |access-date=2012-12-29}} Prunella's dam was Promise, a daughter of Champion sire Snap.

Prunella made her racecourse debut at Epsom Downs on 10 June 1791, when she finished unplaced behind winner Portia in the Oaks Stakes.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590989;view=1up;seq=99;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=37 |title=Racing calendar. 1791 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}} Her next race came in October at Newmarket, where she faced two opponents in a Sweepskates of 200 guineas each over two miles. Baron Foley's colt Vermin started as the odds on favourite, with both Prunella and Mopsey priced at 4/1. Prunella won the race, with Vermin finishing second.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590989;view=1up;seq=195;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=133 |title=Racing calendar. 1791 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}} Two weeks later she lost a match race against Earl Grosvenor's filly Sylph worth 200 guineas, with both fillies carrying the same weight.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590989;view=1up;seq=207;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=145 |title=Racing calendar. 1791 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}}

In April 1792 Prunella beat Mopsey at Newmarket for 25 guineas.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590971;view=1up;seq=91;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=29 |title=Racing calendar. 1792 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}} At the Newmarket Second October meeting she lost to Sir John Lade's Clifden in a Sweepstakes of 25 guineas each.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590971;view=1up;seq=196;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=134 |title=Racing calendar. 1792 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}} At the Houghton meeting she raced against six rivals in a Handicap Sweepstakes of 50 guineas each. The race was won by Mystery, with Speculator in finishing in second and Prunella in third place.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590971;view=1up;seq=202;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=140 |title=Racing calendar. 1792 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}} Her final race of the season came in a £50 Handicap Plate at Newmarket. Prunella finished the race in third place of the twelve runners. Sir Frank Standish's filly Fairy won the race and Quetlavaca finished second.{{cite web|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590971;view=1up;seq=214;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=150 |title=Racing calendar. 1792 |publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org |access-date=2012-12-29}}

Her first race as a five-year-old was the King's Plate for mares at Newmarket in April 1793. She finished second to the Earl of Clermont's filly Peggy, beating Amelia, Kezia and Magnolia.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lBUuAQAAIAAJ |title=Racing calendar.1793 |year=1794 |access-date=2012-12-29}} Her only other race of the season was at Huntingdon, where she faced two rivals in a £50 race comprising two four-mile heats. Prunella won both heats, with Bustler finishing second in both and Pill-box last.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lBUuAQAAIAAJ |title=Racing calendar.1793 |year=1794 |access-date=2012-12-29}}

At the Newmarket Craven meeting in April 1794 she finished unplaced behind winner Lurcher in the first class of the Oatlands Stakes.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nz8FAAAAYAAJ |title=Racing calendar.1794 |year=1795 |access-date=2012-12-29}} Her final race came at Newmarket's First Spring meeting in early May in the King's Plate for 100 guineas. Peggy started as the 4/6 favourite, with Kezia at 4/1, Prunella at 6/1 and Gipsy at 12/1. Peggy won the race from Prunella, with Gipsy third and Kezia last of the four runners.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nz8FAAAAYAAJ |title=Racing calendar.1794 |year=1795 |access-date=2012-12-29}}

{{multiple image

| direction = vertical

| width = 200

| image1 = Racehorse Penelope.jpg

| caption1 = Prunella's daughter Penelope

| image2 = Parasol.jpg

| caption2 = Prunella's daughter Parasol

| image3 = The Sligo Waxy.jpg

| caption3 = Prunella's son Pope

}}

Retired to stud after the 1794 season, Prunella became a very influential broodmare. Only one of her daughters that lived to produce a foal failed to produce a classic winner. In total she produced twelve foals. They were:

{{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1801|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590914;seq=7;view=1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Penelope|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios/Penelope.htm|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Bloodlines.net}} {{cite web|title=Sporting magazine : v. 39 (Oct. 1811-Mar. 1812)|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066599485;seq=209;view=1up;num=183|access-date=2013-01-20|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Parasol|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios2/Bios-P/Parasol.htm|access-date=2013-03-30|publisher=Bloodlines.net}} {{cite web|title=Sultan|url=http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Sultan.html|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Tbheritage.com}} {{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1806|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590872#page/n10/mode/1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1807|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590864;seq=7;view=1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1809|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590849;seq=13;view=1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1810|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590831;seq=9;view=1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Racing calendar. 1812|url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433066590815;seq=11;view=1up|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Babel.hathitrust.org}} {{cite web|title=Prudence|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios2/Bios-P/Prudence.htm|access-date=2012-12-29|publisher=Bloodlines.net}}

Prunella died in December 1811 at the Duke of Grafton's stud at Euston in Suffolk.

{{Pedigree

|name = Prunella, bay mare, 1788{{cite web|url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=5315649®istry=T&horse_name==Penelope%20(GB)&dam_name==Prunella%20(GB)&foaling_year=1798&nicking_stats_indicator=Y |title=Penelope (GB) pedigree |publisher=equineline.com |date=2012-05-08 |access-date=2012-12-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios/Highflyer.htm |title=Highflyer |publisher=Bloodlines.net |access-date=2012-12-29}}

|f = Highflyer (GB)
b. 1774

|m = Promise (GB)
br. 1768

|ff = Herod (GB)
b. 1758

|fm = Rachel (GB)
1763

|mf = Snap (GB)
br. 1750

|mm = Julia (GB)
b. 1756

|fff = Tartar
1743

|ffm = Cypron
1750

|fmf = Blank*
1740

|fmm = Regulus mare
1751

|mff = Snip
1736

|mfm = Fox mare

|mmf = Blank*
1740

|mmm = Partner mare
1735

|ffff = Partner*

|fffm = Meliora

|ffmf = Blaze

|ffmm = Salome

|fmff = Godolphin Arabian

|fmfm = Little Hartley Mare

|fmmf = Regulus

|fmmm = Soreheels mare

|mfff = Flying Childers

|mffm = Basto mare

|mfmf = Fox

|mfmm = Gipsey

|mmff = Godolphin Arabian

|mmfm = Little Hartley Mare

|mmmf = Partner*

|mmmm = Bay Bolton mare

}}

Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown

* Prunella was inbred 3x3 to Blank. This means that the stallion appears twice in the third generation of her pedigree. She was also inbred 4x4 to Partner.

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Category:1788 racehorse births

Category:1811 racehorse deaths

Category:Racehorses bred in the Kingdom of Great Britain

Category:Racehorses trained in the Kingdom of Great Britain

Category:Byerley Turk sire line

Category:Thoroughbred family 1-d

Category:Thoroughbred family 1-e

Category:Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton