The Barb

:"For information on the breed of horses: Barb"

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = The Barb


caption = The Barb (1863-1888)
sire = Sir Hercules
grandsire = Cap-A-Pie
dam = Fair Ellen
damsire = Doctor
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1863
country = Australia
colour = Black
breeder = George Lee
owner = John Tait
trainer = John Tait
record = 24: 17-?-?
earnings = Not found
race = Nursery Stakes (1865)
AJC Derby (1866)
Melbourne Cup (1866)
Australasian Champion Stakes (1866)
Launceston Town Plate (1867)
Port Phillip Stakes (1867)
Sydney Cup (1867, 1868)
Craven Plate (1868)
VRC Royal Park Stakes (1868)
AJC Metropolitan Handicap (1868)
Queens Plate (1868)
awards=
honours = Australian Racing Hall of Fame
updated= June 24, 2007

The Barb (1863-1888) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse, famed for winning the 1866 Melbourne Cup. He was foaled in Bathurst, New South Wales in 1863, sired by Sir Hercules out of Fair Ellen, and was sold for 200 guineas.

The Barb proved to be highly strung and temperamental. At his first appearance he threw his rider and bolted and because of this side of his nature was known as the "Black Demon". As a Spring three year old, The Barb won the 6th AJC Derby by two lengths at his first start from a spell. The Barb started favourite in the Melbourne Cup and went on to win by a short head. The Barb continued to show he was the best horse in Australia and won the Sydney Cup in 1868 and 1869 (under the huge weight of 10st 8lbs). In all The Barb won 17 of his 24 starts. He was owned and trained by John Tait, who owned and trained three other Melbourne Cup winners: Glencoe, The Pearl and The Quack.

After The Barb was retired from racing, owner John Tait sold him to Charles Reynolds who sent him to stand at stud at Tocal Stud in the Hunter Valley. As a sire, The Barb was unable to produce offspring to equal his own success. However, he proved a good sire of broodmares and a granddaughter was the dam of Wallace, Carbine's best racehorse son in Australia.

The Barb died at the age of twenty-five in 1888 at Mitta Mitta. Following its formation, The Barb was inducted in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/the+barb The Barb's pedigree and partial racing stats]
* [http://www.racingmuseum.com.au/ The Australian Racing Museum and Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.tbheritage.com/HistoricDams/ColonMares/C3.html The Barb at Thoroughbred Heritage.com]