Cedric

Cedric (1821 – 1829) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career that lasted from April 1824 to August 1826 he ran eleven times and won eight races. Cedric was unraced as a two-year-old, but in 1824 he proved himself the best British colt of his generation by winning seven of his eight races including The Derby and the Grand Duke Michael Stakes. After winning a notable match on his first run as a four-year-old he lost his form and was well beaten in his remaining races. He was retired to stud at the end of 1826 but proved to be completely infertile. Background Cedric was a chestnut horse bred at Maresfield in Sussex by his owner Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet. Shelley owned the stallion Walton and used him to breed Phantom, the Derby winner of 1811. Shelley then bred Phantom to a daughter of Walton, with the unusually inbred Cedric being the result. Phantom was British Champion sire in 1820 and 1824 and made his most enduring impact as the sire of the important broodmare Cobweb. Racing career 1824: three-year-old season Cedric did not race as a two-year-old and began his racing career at the 1824 Newmarket Craven meeting. On 22 April he made his debut in a 100 guinea Sweepstakes over the Ditch Mile course and defeated his only opponent, a colt named Banquo. Later the same afternoon he ran second to the filly Rebecca in the Dinner Stakes over the Rowley Mile. On the opening day of the next Newmarket meeting on 3 May he beat Cydnus to win a 200 guinea Sweepstakes, before reappearing three days later at the same course to win a match race, beating Lord Exeter's colt Progress.