Royal Charger

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Royal Charger


caption =
sire = Nearco
grandsire = Pharos
dam = Sun Princess
damsire = Solario
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1942
country = Great Britain flagicon|UK
colour = Chestnut
breeder = Sir John Jarvis
owner = Irish National Stud (1946 at stud)
George D. Widener, Jr. (1953 at stud)
trainer = Not found
record = 20: 6-7-2
earnings = £5,057
race = Queen Anne Stakes (1946)
Challenge Stakes (1946)
Ayr Gold Cup (1946)
awards=
honours =
updated= November 23, 2006

Royal Charger (1942-1961) was an British Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful in racing but even more so as a sire. He was the son of the very important sire, Nearco.

Retired after his four-year-old racing season in 1946, Royal Charger's owner sold him to the Irish National Stud for £52,000. There, he sired a number of important horses before being purchased in 1953 by American George D. Widener, Jr. who brought him to stand at his Old Kenney Farm (now Green Gates Farm) in Lexington, Kentucky. A three-quarters brother to the important sire Nasrullah, who too was brought to Kentucky from England, Royal Charger sired more than 55 stakes winners. Among his Irish progeny was Turn-To who also was sent to the U.S. where he was the leading Juvenile Sire in 1958, notably through his colt First Landing. Other offspring included:

* Copenhagen, 4-time Leading sire in New Zealand
* Happy Laughter, U.K. Champion 3-year-old filly
* Idun, 1957 U.S. Champion 2-year-old filly and the 1958 U.S. Champion 3-year-old filly
* Mongo, the 1963 U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse
* Royal Duchy, Irish Champion 2-year-old filly
* Royal Native, the 1959 U.S. Champion 3-year-old filly, 1960 U.S. Champion Handicap Mare
* Royal Orbit, won the 1959 Preakness Stakes
* Royal Palm, U.K. Champion sprinter
* Royal Serenade, two-time U.K. Champion sprinter
* Sea Charger, Irish Champion 3-year-old colt
* Sheila's Cabin, Irish Champion 2-year-old filly

In addition, Royal Charger was an important broodmare sire of more than 70 stakes winners, including Crowned Prince, the 1971 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt in England, the 1969 U.S. Champion Two Year Old Filly, Tudor Queen, and of U.S. Hall of Famer, Majestic Prince.

Royal Charged died in November 1961 and was buried at Old Kenney Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/royal+charger Royal Charger's pedigree and racing stats]
* [http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0136/D.0136.195302100026.html Dáil Éireann - Volume 136 - 10 February, 1953, Committee on Finance - Adjournment Debate - Purchase of Racehorse]