CHEFS DE RACE: BLANDFORD

Blandford (1919-1935) was an Irish bred Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the three-time Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland who sired eleven British Classic Race winners including four which won the Epsom Derby. He was the Leading sire in France and also in England in the same year.^[2]
He was bred by the Irish National Stud at Tully. Blandford had pneumonia as a foal and was not ready for the early sale, but was later offered at the December Newmarket Sale where he sold for 720 guineas ro Messrs. RC & SC Dawson.^[3]

 

 Race record
Trained by co-owner Dick Dawson, Blandford raced only four times in his career. At age two he ran second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot Racecourse and at three won the Princess of Wales's Stakes. Bad forelegs, inherited from his grandsire, John O'Gaunt, limited Blandford's career to four starts.

Stud record

When he was retired to stud he initially stood at a fee of ₤149 which was later raised to 400 guineas.^[3] During 1924 his progeny earned ₤70,510.^[4]
According to Thoroughbred Heritage, at stud Blandford proved to be one of the great sires of the English turf. Among his offspring were:

• Bahram (b. 1932), won the 1935 English Triple Crown
• Blenheim II (br. 1927), won 1930 Epsom Derby, Leading sire in North America in 1941
• Brantome (b. 1931), one of France's greatest runners and an important sire. His racing wins include the 1934 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
• Campanula (b. 1931), won the 1,000 Guineas Stakes
• Trigo (b. 1926), wins include the 1929 Epsom Derby, St. Leger Stakes, and Irish St. Leger
• Harinero, a stakeswinner and later a sire of stakeswinners in Australia.^[2]
• Midstream, a stakeswinner and later a Leading sire in Australia.
• Pasch (b. 1935), won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes
• Udaipur (br. 1929), won the Epsom Oaks
• Windsor Lad (b. 1931), won 1934 Epsom Derby, St. Leger Stakes, 1935 Coronation Cup

Blandford was still successfully breeding at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage, Oxfordshire when he died unexpectedly on 24 April 1935 at age sixteen. He is buried in Whatcombe's equine cemetery. Blandford sired the winners of 308 races worth ₤327,840 in England, plus overseas winners.^[3]