Family B-6: Modesty

The first known mare in this family, Modesty, was bred in Wales, or Shropshire, which borders Wales. A story printed in Bailey's Magazine in 1883 stated that she was a thoroughbred born on the Hall farm called the Vron, in south Shropshire and that, as a filly, was secretly switched with a non-thoroughbred colt on the Davies farm near Knighton in Wales, the purported reason that she would grow up to race in the big Radnorshire Stakes for horses "not thoroughbred." Prior, who made a number of corrections to the subsequent story of Modesty and her family, based on racing calendars, made no judgement regarding the merits of the genesis of the family, stating it was "possibly correct."

Modesty's sire was apparently not in dispute: he was Pilgarlick, born in 1819, by Woful, and out of a Sancho mare. Her breeder, as a half-bred, was John Davies of Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales. As a runner at age three, Modesty ran fourth and sixth in two heats for the Radnorshire Stakes, and at age four, a filly by Pilgarlick, probably Modesty, ran second in both heats in that race. Also at age four, the fillly by Pilgarlick ran first, third and fourth in three heats in the Members' Plate at Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. At age five she was unplaced in a race at Knighton, and the next day ran first, second and third in heats in the Hunters' Stakes. In Davies' stud she produced Gorsebush, a winner of four races on the flat, and a hurdle race; Waterdine (later Greenfinch), a winner of 20 races; Pyefinch, who won two races; and Princess of Wales, by the Humphrey Clinker son, Bran.

Princess of Wales won fourteen races between the ages of three and five, including the North Shropshire Stakes, a sweepstakes at Wolverhampton, the Herefordshire (twice) and Wolphy Stakes at Hereford, and races at Leominster, Chester, Worcester, and Oswestry. She ran in Ascot's Royal Hunt Cup, unplaced, and broke down running in the Radnorshire Stakes at age five. In the Davies stud she produced three winning daughters, Butterfly, Minerva, and Boadicea. Minerva was a good jumper, winning seven races, and placing second in the 1856 Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree to Freetrader, beating future National winners Little Charley and Emigrant and seventeen others. Boadicea, by Faugh-a-Ballagh, ran nineteen races for various owners, and in the stud produced the dual-Grand National winner The Colonel (see below).

The Butterfly won four small races at Tenbury, Knighton, Wolverhampton and Leicester at age five for two different owners, and was then in the stud of George Mather. She produced the winners Pastime and Farfalla, and the unplaced Boeotia. Farfalla, by the Melbourne son The Prime Minister, was a good juvenile runner, winning the Great Baddow Stakes, the Champagne Stakes and a plate at Stockbridge, and a £500 match; a sweeptstakes and Newmarket's Houghton Handicap at age three, and three races at age four. In the Duke of Beaufort's stud at Badminton Park she bred some winners, after which she was sold at Tattersall's to R. Porter of Sussex, for whom she bred a number of winners by Orest, a son of Orestes. These were Slumber, a winner of fourteen races; Sluggard, winner of three races; Schmetterling, who won five races; King of the Furies, who ran a dead-heat with Geheimness in the Sandown Park Stakes; and Wideawake, who ran at ages two and three, placing once at age three.

Butterfly's daughter Pastime, sister to Farfalla, was also a good flat runner that won nine races between the ages of two and five, including a Queen's Plate and a cup, the South Lancashire Stakes, and the Gold Cup at Newton. She bred Pucelle, a winner of six races, including a two mile Queen's Plate at age three, two handicaps and a Queen's Plate at age four, and a hunters' flat race at age nine. She was in the stud of L.W. Humby of The Warehams, near Guildford in Surrey, where she produced three winners and some daughters that bred on. Her daughter Patent Stopper won a small hurdle race, and in the stud bred winners of small races on the flat, over hurdles and steeplechases; Patent Stopper's daughter Pressure, unplaced in twelve races at ages two and three, produced several winners, including Pressman, a winner of five National Hunt races and thirteen hurdle races.

Pucelle's daughter Juno, who ran third in Ascot's queen Stand Stakes and in the Sandown Park Stakes, was retrained in Huby's stud, and there produced Jove, a winner of 14 steeplechases; Pants, a winner on the flat, over hurdles, and in steeplechases; Hebe, winner of the Royal Artillery Gold Cup and second in the Aldershot Cup; Golden June, a winner over hurdles; and Louis William, who won the Great Foal Plate and one other flat race, and seven hurdle races.

Pucelle's son Kingfisher, by Macaroni son Heron, won six races, including the Doncaster Handicap and the Esher Stakes, and at stud in Surrey got several good chasers. His sister, Queen Anne, was a stakes winner, and in Humby's stud produced four winners, including Royal George (see below) and daughters that bred on.

Notable Descendants