Darius

Darius (1951–1968) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the Classic 2000 Guineas in 1954. In a racing career which lasted from the spring of 1953 until November 1955 he ran twenty-one times, won nine races and was placed on ten occasions. He was one of the best British two-year-olds of his generation, winning four races including the July Stakes and the Champagne Stakes. In the following year he won the 2000 Guineas and the St James's Palace Stakes, finished second in the Eclipse Stakes and third in both The Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He won three more races as a four-year-old including the Eclipse Stakes. After a disappointing run in the Washington, D.C. International Stakes he was retired to stud where he had considerable success as a sire of winners. Background Darius was a "good-looking" bay horse with one white foot, standing 16 hands high, bred by his owner Sir Percy Loraine. He was sired by the 1945 Derby winner Dante, from the same crop of foals which also produced The Oaks winner Carrozza. Darius was the best of nine winners produced by the broodmare Yasna. The colt was sent into training with the former champion jockey Harry Wragg at his Abington Place stable at Newmarket, Suffolk. Racing career 1953:two-year-old season After winning finishing second on his debut and winning one minor race, Darius was moved up in class for the Coventry Stakes over six furlongs at Royal Ascot and finished second to the Paddy Prendergast-trained The Pie King. Less than a month later Darius recorded his first important success when he won the July Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. Starting at odds of 7/4 and ridden by Manny Mercer, who became his regular jockey, he won by a short head from Princely Gift. The colt won a Rous Memorial Stakes at Goodwood and was then sent to Doncaster in September where he added an impressive victory in the Champagne Stakes. At Newmarket in October he was expected to win the Middle Park Stakes, but finished second to Royal Challenger.