Soothsayer

Soothsayer was a chestnut colt, bred by R. O. Gascoigne, Esq., in 1808; and sold by him, after winning the St. Leger, in 1811, to Lord Foley. He was got by Sorcerer, out of Goldenlocks (bred by Sir Thomas Gascoigne in 1793), by Delpini, out of Violet, *) by Shark, out of a mare by Syphon (son of Squirt), out of Charlotte, by Blank, out of a mare by Old Crab, her dam, by Dyer's Dimple (son of the Leedes Arabian), out of a mare by Bethell's Castaway, her dam, by Why Not (son of Old Greyhound), out of a Royal Mare.

Soothsayer's Performances

1811

At York (August), for three years old, 8st 2lbs each (B. Smith), ran second in the Peregrine Stakes of 50 gs. each, h. ft., won by Mr. Garforth's b. c. by Hambletonian (Robert Johnson), beating Mr. T. Duncombe's ches. colt Contingent , by Chance (son of Lurcher), last. At Doncaster (B. Smith), won the Great St. Leger of 25 gs. each, p. p., sixty-three subscribers (val. 1550 gs.), beating Sir Wm. Gerard's b. c. Amadis-de-Gaul, by Hambletonian, Mr. C. J. Brandling's ch. c. Scamp, by Bobtail, third, Mr. Watt's b. c. Beverley, by Golumpus, Mr. Astley's ch. c. Magic, by Sorcerer, Mr. R. Riddell's br. c. X. Y. Z., Mr. Peirse's gr. f. Albuera, by Beningbrough, and twenty-one others; 2 to 1 against Magic (second to Phantom in the Derby), and 6 to 1 against Soothsayer. S. mg., for three years old, four miles, colts 6st each, won the Doncaster Stakes of 160 gs., beating Lord Scarborough's b. c. Pigeon, by Sir Solomon, and two others.

1812

(Now Lord Foley's). At Newmarket (First Spring), A. F., for horses rising four years old, 9st 4lbs, won a Handicap Sweep of 700 gs., beating the Duke of Rutland's b. c. Grimalkin, by Chance, 8st 9lbs, Mr. Ladbroke's ch. c. Hamlet, by Hambletonian, 8st 1lb, third, Lord Darlington's b. c. Hit or Miss, by Haphazard, 8st 6lbs, and three others. At Newmarket (Ho.), 8st 10lbs, R. M., match for 200 gs., h. ft., paid 100 gs. to the Duke of Rutland's b. f. Elizabeth, by Orville, three years old, 7st 4lbs. S. mg., for four years old, 8st 9lbs, ran third and last in a Handicap Sweep of 300 gs. each, p. p., won by the Duke of Rutland's b. f. Sorcery (winner this year of the Oatlands in Newmarket, and the Cup at Epsom and, in 1811, the Oaks at Epsom, the July Stakes, and the Oatlands, and 1050 gs., at Newmarket), by Sorcerer, 8st 3lbs, beating Bethlem-Gaber (now Lord George Cavendish's), by Sorcerer, second; 7 to 4 on Bethlem-Gaber, 2 to 1 against Soothsayer, and 7 to 1 against Sorcery.

1813

At Newmarket, Craven, 8st 7lbs each, A. F. (T. Shepherd), match for 500 gs., beat Sir John Shelley's br. c. Phantom, by Walton (Frank Buckle); 5 to 2 on Phantom. This was Soothsayer's last appearance on the Turf. Soothsayer was the sire of Lord Jersey's Filagree (the dam of Cobweb, Trampoline, and Riddlesworth, all bred by Lord Jersey), of Mr. Forth's Interpreter (the winner of the 2000 Guineas, &c.), of Lord Foley's Miracle (winner of the July Stakes at Newmarket), of the Duke of Portland's Tiresias (Derby winner in 1819), of Lord Jersey's Oracle, of Helenus and Witch, of the Duke of Grafton's Rebecca, the Duke of Rutland's Adeliza, Lord Exeter's Marinella, and other winners.

*) Violet was also the dam of Sir Thomas Gascoigne's gr. c. Symmetry (winner, in 1798, of the Doncaster St. Leger), by Delpini, of his b. f. Theophania (winner of the Oaks, in 1803), by Delpini, of his ch. f. Thomasina (a mare of rare excellence, who won nearly every race she started for), by Timothy, son of Delpini, of his ch. c. Lennox, by Delpini, and his ch. f. Tooee, by Buzzard – all very successful runners, and all bred and owned by Sir Thomas Gascoigne.

[Taunton, Thomas Henry: “Portraits Of Celebrated Racehorses Of The Past And Present Centuries”, 1887]