Sweeper (horse)

{{Infobox racehorse

| horsename = Sweeper

| image_name =

| caption =

| sire = Broomstick

| grandsire = Ben Brush

| dam = Ravello

| damsire = Sir Hugo

| sex = Stallion

| foaled = 1909{{cite web|url=https://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm/*Sweeper?page_state=DISPLAY_REPORT&reference_number=490949®istry=T&horse_name=*Sweeper&dam_name=*Ravello%20II&foaling_year=1909&include_sire_line=N|title=Sweeper pedigree|publisher=Equineline }}

| country = France

| colour = Chestnut

| breeder = Herman Duryea

| owner = Herman Duryea

| trainer = Atty Persse

| record = 11: 3-5-1

| earnings =

| race = Triennial Stakes (1911)
Richmond Stakes (1911)
2000 Guineas (1912)

|awards =

|honours =

|updated=

}}

Sweeper (also known as Sweeper II, 1909 – 1923) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed high-class form as a juvenile in 1911 when he won the Triennial Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood as well as finishing second in the Middle Park Plate and third in the July Stakes. In the following spring he recorded his biggest success on his seasonal reappearance when he took the 2000 Guineas. He failed when favourite for the Epsom Derby and never won again although he finished second in both the St James's Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes. After his retirement from racing he had some success as a breeding stallion.

Background

Sweeper was a chestnut horse bred in France by his American owner Herman Duryea. Like several major American owners Duryea had moved most of his hoses to Europe following the passing of the Hart–Agnew Law.{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9902E0DA123AE633A25757C1A9679C946396D6CF|title=Americans prosper on French tracks|first=Pierre|last=Rochecourt|date=January 14, 1912|access-date=September 2, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}} The colt was sent to England and entered training Henry Seymour "Atty" Persse at Chattis Hill near Stockbridge in Hampshire.{{cite book | last1 = Mortimer|first1=Roger |last2=Onslow|first2=Richard|last3=Willett|first3=Peter| title=Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing|publisher=Macdonald and Jane's| year=1978|isbn=0-354-08536-0}} Physically, Sweeper was described as a "golden chestnut, rather dipped in his back, but with rare limbs and a lovely action".{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19120612.2.19?end_date=15-06-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=11-06-1912|title=Notes and Comments|date=12 June 1912|work=The Evening Post|pages=2|via=Papers Past}}

Sweeper was sired by Broomstick, an American horse who won the Travers Stakes in 1904 and later became a three-time champion sire. His dam Ravello was bred in England before being exported to the United States (where she was sold for 120 guineas) and producing Frank Gill, whose wins included the Travers and Withers Stakes.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19110928.2.26.2?end_date=30-09-1911&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-09-1911&type=ARTICLE|title=Notes and Comments|date=28 September 1911|work=The New Zealand Times|pages=4|via=Papers Past}} Ravello was a granddaughter of Genuine, a broodmare whose other descendants included Nijinsky and El Gran Senor.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family8f.htm|title=Remembrancer Mare – Family 8-f|work=Thoroughbred Bloodlines}}

Racing career

=1911: two-year-old season=

In June 1911 Sweeper was sent to Royal Ascot for the 59th Triennial Stakes and looked to be "a real flyer" as he won easily from Jaeger.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19110726.2.74?end_date=31-07-1911&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-07-1911&type=ARTICLE|title=The Sporting World.|date=26 July 1911|publisher=The Star (Dunedin)|pages=8|via=Papers Past}} At Newmarket Racecourse he came home third in the July Stakes behind an unnamed colt (later given the name White Star) owned by Solomon Joel.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19110812.2.105.3?end_date=31-08-1911&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-08-1911&type=ARTICLE|title=Notes and Comments|date=12 August 1911|work=The New Zealand Times|pages=10|via=Papers Past}} In the following month the colt contested the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse in which he was ridden by the French jockey Georges Stern and won at odds of 11/10.{{cite book|last1=Abelson|first1=Edward|last2=Tyrrel|first2=John| title=The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records|publisher=Breedon Books Publishing |year=1993|isbn=978-1-873626-15-3}} On 13 October in the Middle Park Plate over six furlongs at Newmarket Sweeper finished second to Absurd with White Star in third.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19111016.2.59.1?end_date=31-10-1911&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-10-1911&type=ARTICLE|title=English Racing.|date=16 October 1911|work=The Press|pages=8|via=Papers Past}}{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19120502.2.92?end_date=02-05-1912&page=2&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-05-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=Sporting|date=2 May 1912|publisher=Evening Star|pages=10|via=Papers Past}} At the end of the year he was rated the fourth best two-year-old colt in England behind Absurd, White Star and Lomond.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19120502.2.55?end_date=02-05-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-05-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=Sporting.|date=2 May 1912|publisher=The Star (Christchurch)|pages=3|via=Papers Past}}

=1912: three-year-old season=

File:Herman B Duryea.jpg

On 1 May 1912 Sweeper started at odds of 6/1 in a fourteen-runner field for the 104th running of the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket. Ridden by Danny Maher, he settled behind the leaders as Jaeger set the pace from the favourite White Star. He took the lead two furlongs from the finish and won by a length from Jaeger with Hall Cross half a length away in third.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19120608.2.80?end_date=10-06-1912&page=2&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=05-06-1912|title=The Racing World.|date=8 June 1912|work=Auckland Star|pages=10|via=Papers Past}}

Sweeper started favourite for the Derby over {{frac|1|1|2}} miles at Epsom on 5 June, but never looked likely to win and finished seventh as the filly Tagalie won from Jaeger and Tracery.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19120614.2.86?end_date=15-06-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=11-06-1912|title=Race for the Derby.|date=14 June 1912|work=Poverty Bay Herald|pages=7|via=Papers Past}} At Royal Ascot late in June Sweeper was dopped back in distance and started odds-on favourite for the St James's Palace Stakes over one mile but was beaten into second place by Tracery.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19120803.2.108?end_date=15-08-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-08-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=Sporting.|date=3 August 1912|work=The New Zealand Herald|pages=9|via=Papers Past}} At the same meeting he came home second behind Hector in the Triennial Stakes, with Jaeger in third place.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19120803.2.163?end_date=15-08-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-08-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=Notes and Comments (by Sir Bedivere.)|date=3 August 1912|work=The Evening Post (New Zealand)|pages=14|via=Papers Past}} In July he finished second by a neck to the King's colt Le Lac in the Dullingham Plate over {{frac|1|1|2}} miles at Newmarket{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19120827.2.96?end_date=31-08-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=25-08-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=Racing News|date=27 August 1912|work=The New Zealand Times|pages=9|via=Papers Past}} and then finished runner-up yet again when chasing home Tracery in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

On 11 September Sweeper contested the St Leger Stakes over {{frac|14|1|2}} furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse and rated at odds of 12.5/1 in a fourteen-runner field. He raced just behind the leaders until half way, but then quickly dropped out of contention and finished unplaced behind Tracery.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19121023.2.51?end_date=31-10-1912&phrase=2&query=Sweeper&start_date=01-10-1912&type=ARTICLE|title=The Racing World.|date=23 October 1912|work=Auckland Star|pages=7|via=Papers Past}}

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Sweeper an "inferior" winner of the 2000 Guineas.{{cite book|last1 = Morris | first1 = Tony |last2=Randall|first2=John|title=A Century of Champions|publisher=Portway Press|year=1999|isbn=1-901570-15-0}}

Stud record

After his retirement from racing Sweeper stood as a breeding stallion in France and the United States. The most successful of his offspring was the American gelding Osmand, who won two editions of the Carter Handicap. More influential however was Ondulation, a broodmare whose descendants included Dahlia and Rail Link.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Families/Family13c.htm |title=Stray Shot – Family 13-c |publisher=Thoroughbred Bloodlines |access-date=2013-09-18}} Sweeper died in 1923 and his last foals were born in 1924.{{cite news |title=Equine Necrology List: Field of Breeding Hardest Hit in 1923 Death Toll |url=https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1924010901/drf1924010901_12_1 |access-date=4 January 2019 |work=Daily Racing Form |date=9 January 1924}}