The Duchess

The Duchess (1813–1836) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1816. In a racing career which lasted from March 1815 until October 1819 she competed in thirty-three races and won nineteen times. She was still unnamed when winning three races as a two-year-old in 1815, when she was one of the leading juveniles in the north of England. In the following year she was named Duchess of Leven, which was shortened to The Duchess when she was sold to Sir Bellingham Graham. She won seven of her nine races as a three-year-old, including the Gold Cup at Pontefract and the St Leger at Doncaster. The Duchess remained in training for a further three seasons, winning five times in 1817, twice in 1818 and twice in 1819, beating many leading horses of the time including Blacklock, Doctor Syntax, Rhoda and Filho da Puta. After her retirement from racing, The Duchess had some success as a broodmare.