Formidable

Formidable (8 April 1975 – 1997) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed his best form as a two-year-old when he won five consecutive races in little over a month, including the Mill Reef Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. At the end of the year he was regarded as the best juvenile in Britain over a distance of six furlongs. In the following year he was campaigned over one mile and failed to win, although he was placed in the St James's Palace Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Waterford Crystal Mile. As a four-year-old he won three minor races and finished third in the Lockinge Stakes before being retired from racing. He later became a successful breeding stallion. Background Formidable was a "robust, attractive, strong-quartered" bay horse with two white socks (on his right front and left hind leg) bred in Kentucky by Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. His sire Forli was a champion in his native Argentina before becoming a successful breeding stallion in the United States where the best of his offspring included Thatch and Forego. His dam Native Partner was a successful racemare and a half-sister to Jim French. She went on to become an influential broodmare with her descendants including Ajdal, Noverre, Dance in the Dark and Dance Partner. As a yearling Formidable was offered for sale and bought for $60,000 by the bloodstock agent Ray Barnes. The colt entered the ownership of Peter Goulandris and was sent to Europe where he was trained by Peter Walwyn at his Seven Barrows stable near Lambourn in Berkshire. Racing career