Ladas (horse)

2000 Guineas

Ladas progressed well over the winter,^[20] despite a reported bout of coughing in early March,^[21] and was sent straight for the 2000 Guineas for his first appearance of 1894. On 9 May he started at odds of 5/6 (0.83/1) in a field of eight with Matchbox the second choice on 9/2 (4.5/1). Ladas raced towards the rear in the early stages before moving into third place behind Matchbox and St Florian just after half way. Two furlongs from the finish, Watts (riding on his thirty-third birthday)^[22] moved him up to challenge for the lead and, as predicted, the race developed into a contest between Ladas and Matchbox. Matchbox "came again" after being overtaken and the colts raced together for a few strides before Ladas pulled away to win by one and a half lengths.^[23] Immediately after the race, bookmakers offered Ladas at odds of 8/13 (0.62/1) for the Derby, which was expected to be his next major target.^[24]

On 23 May Ladas started at odds of 1/12 (0.08/1) for the Newmarket Stakes against four opponents. He took the lead soon after half way and won easily ("unextended") by two lengths from St Florian.^[25] His price for the Derby was immediately shortened (reduced) to 4/9 (0.44/1).^[26] In the next two weeks, Ladas was the subject of intense interest, and was protected by a group of police detectives.^[27]

Epsom Derby

At the Epsom Derby on 6 June, Ladas was the shortest-priced favourite in the history of the Derby, starting at odds of 2/9 (0.22/1) in against six opponents. Matchbox was the second favourite on 9/1 ahead of his stable companion Bullingdon on 100/6 (16/1).^[28] Ladas started well, but was held up (restrained) by Watts and raced in fourth or fifth place in the early stages as Matchbox and Bullingdon made the running. Bullingdon weakened just after half way and Matchbox led the field into the straight, where Ladas emerged to challenge him, traveling in "grand style" and looking likely to win easily.^[28] Matchbox, however, responded well and, for the first time in his career, Ladas was placed under pressure. He "forged ahead" inside the final furlong and won the race by one and a half lengths from Matchbox, with Reminder six lengths further back in third.^[28]

The victory, which was received with "immense enthusiasm",^[29] completed a three-part prediction made by Rosebery as a student: that he would marry an heiress, become Prime Minister and win the Derby.^[30] He required the assistance of the police to extricate himself from the crush of well-wishers at the course, while at Westminster, Ladas's win was cheered in the House of Commons.^[31] By contrast, Rosebery was strongly criticised by some churchmen for involving himself in the "dishonesty and degradation" of the racing world.^[32] Rosebery, who responded to criticism by saying that he had "no vestige of shame" in owning a good horse,^[10] used the Derby win to his advantage; he presented one of Ladas's winning horseshoes as a gift to the United States ambassador Thomas F. Bayard.^[33]

Rivalry with Isinglass

Ladas was then matched against Isinglass, the Triple Crown winner of 1893, in the £10,000 Princess of Wales's Stakes over one mile at Newmarket on 5 July. The race attracted a large crowd including the Prince of Wales (who supported Isinglass) and the Queen's cousin George, Duke of Cambridge (who favoured Ladas). The field also included Raeburn, the only horse to have beaten Isinglass, Ravensbury, who had won impressively at Royal Ascot, and Bullingdon, who had recovered from the bout of coughing that had reportedly affected him at Epsom.^[34] The early pace was slow, and Watts held Ladas up behind the leaders before moving into the lead just over a furlong out. He was immediately challenged, however, and overtaken inside the final furlong by both Isinglass and Bullingdon. Isinglass prevailed by a short head with Ladas, who was eased in the closing stages, finishing a well-beaten third.^[35] Ladas appeared to be perfectly sound after the race, and the only explanation offered (by The Sportsman) was that the slow pace (the winning time was 1:48.4) had produced a false result.^[36]

In the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on 20 July, Ladas met Isinglass again, this time over ten furlongs on soft ground. Isinglass started favourite at 4/5 (0.8/1) with Ladas on 13/8 (1.6/1) and the other runners, who included Raeburn, Ravensbury and a filly named Throstle virtually ignored. The outsider Priestholme set off at an unsustainably fast pace, followed by Isinglass, with Watts restraining Ladas towards the rear. Priestholme dropped away in the straight, leaving Isinglass in the lead with Watts moving Ladas up to challenge.^[37] The two Derby winners dominated the race in the closing stages but in spite of a "game pursuit", Ladas was unable to overhaul Isinglass, who won by a length with the rest of the field, headed by Throstle, well beaten.^[38] There were no excuses for Ladas: Watts admitted that he had been beaten by a better horse.^[37]

St Leger

Ladas was sent to Doncaster for the St Leger on 12 September in an attempt to win the Triple Crown. Ridden by Tommy Loates, Ladas started at odds of 10/11 (0.9/1) in a field of eight, with Matchbox (ridden by Watts) the second choice on 2/1 and the filly Throstle ignored on 50/1. As usual, Ladas was held up at the back of the field as, at first Throstle, then a horse named Legal Tender, then Matchbox made the running.^[39] Ladas moved steadily closer and turned into the straight in second, before overtaking Matchbox and going into a clear lead.^[40] In the final furlong, however, he was challenged by Throstle, and in the closing stages the latter pulled ahead to win by three quarters of a length.^[41] According to The Sportsman, the cheers of the crowd were replaced by those of the bookmakers as the outsider overhauled the favourite.^[42]