Bahram

Bahram (1932–1956) was an Irish-bred, English-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was undefeated in nine races in a career that lasted from July 1934 until September 1935. He was one of the most impressive horses and was named "Horse of the century" and The leading British two-year-old of 1934. He went on to take the Triple Crown in 1935 by winning the 2000 Guineas Stakes, Epsom Derby, and St. Leger Stakes. He was retired to stud at the end of the year. After a promising start to his stud career in Britain, he was exported to the United States, where he had moderate success before being exported again to Argentina. Background Bahram was a bay horse with a white star and strip foaled at the HH Aga Khan III's stud farm on The Curragh, Ireland. He was by the highly successful stallion Blandford, who sired four Derby winners and was British Champion sire on three occasions. His dam, Friar's Daughter, was inbred to St Simon in the third and fourth generations. Friar's Daughter won one small race, but was a good broodmare who produced eleven winners of over £58,000' including Dastur, who finished runner-up in all three legs of the Triple Crown in 1932 and Sadri II By Solario who was exported to South Africa and won the 1941 July Handicap. Bahram stood 16.2 hands high, had a good temperament, and was described by equine experts as having flawless conformation. The Aga Khan originally registered the colt as "Bahman" but renamed him in honour of his cousin, who was killed in the torpedoing of the SS Sussex in 1916. Bahram was trained by Frank Butters for the Aga Khan at Newmarket in England. His regular rider was the veteran jockey Frederick Fox (1888–1945). Racing career 1934: two-year-old season Bahram made his debut in the valuable National Breeders Produce Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse in July for which he started a 20/1 outsider. He won by a neck from his more fancied stable companion Theft, who had won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in a result which reportedly stunned the crowd. Later in July, Bahram won the Rous Memorial Stakes at Goodwood before being sent to York for the Gimcrack Stakes in which he ran lazily and had to be driven out to win by a length from Consequential.