Selim (1802–1825) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was owned by the Prince of Wales, D. Radcliffe and later Arthur Shakespear. After retiring from racing he became a successful stallion and was British Champion sire in 1814. His progeny included Azor, Medora, Sultan and Turquoise.

Background Selim was a chestnut colt bred by General Sparrow and foaled in 1802. He was sired by Buzzard, who won the Craven Stakes twice and the Jockey Club Plate. Selim's dam was the bay Alexander mare, a daughter of Alexander. She also produced Castrel, Rubens and Bronze (all of whom for full-siblings to Selim.

Racing career

1806: Four-year-old season Selim did not race until he was four years old. He made his debut on 29 July 1806 at Brighthelmston, where he beat the colt Wormwood over a mile for 50 guineas. His only other race of the season was in the first class October Oatlands Stakes over a mile at Newmarket. Now the property of D. Radcliffe, he started the 7/4 favourite in the field of five and won the race from Captain Absolute, with second-favourite Lydia finishing in third place.

1807: Five-year-old season Selim returned to the track as a five-year-old in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket on 30 March 1807, when he started favourite of the eleven-strong field. Selim won the race from Walton and Currycomb, who finished in second and third respectively. Two days later he finished second to Lydia in the £50 Subscription Place. He then won the third class October Oatlands Stakes at Newmarket from Gaiety, after starting the odds-on favourite of the five runners.

1808: Six-year-old season Selim beat Lydia for 200 guineas in April 1808 at the Newmarket Craven meeting. He was then acquired by Arthur Shakespear and was beaten by Tim in a match race at Newmarket. Tim was apparently carrying much less weight than Selim. He lost another match race in October, this time to Earl Grosvenor's Violante. This was Selim's last race and he was then retired to stud.

Stud career In his first season at stud Selim stood at Six Mile Bottom near Newmarket for a fee of ten guineas and half a guinea for the groom. The following year he moved to Newmarket itself and his fee doubled to twenty guineas and one guinea to the groom. He went on to become a successful stallion and was British Champion sire in 1814. His progeny included Epsom Derby winner Azor, Epsom Oaks winners Medora and Turquoise, 2000 Guineas winners Nicolo and Turcoman and an unnamed filly that won the 1000 Guineas. Selim also sired six-time Champion sire Sultan. He died in 1825.

Sire line tree

SelimByerley Turk LineFoundation sire: Selim Champion Fandango Azor SultanPortraits: SultanSultan’s huge influence has been overlooked for too long Augustus Mahmoud Hoemus Beiram Phlegon Leopold Phaeton Alpheus Evenus Despot Hooton Brill Divan Ishmael Ilderim Ishmaelite Herold Dr Jenner Vaccination Hambledon The Star of Erin Abd El KaderImages: Abd El KaderGrand National memories: Abd-el-Kader the ‘pintsized’ horse who won back to back Grand Nationals Burgundy Old Malt Shanbally GlencoePortrait: GlencoePedigree Analysis: Glencoe Thornhill Winnebago Glencoe (Howard) Union Highlander Everlasting Star Davis Jerome Edger Metaire Day Star Darby VandalAmerican Classic Pedigree: Vandal Jack the Barber Revill Volscian Therit VirgilChart: VirgilAmerican Classic Pedigree: Virgil Pompey Payne Versailles Survivor Council Bluffs Vagabond Vicksburg Voltigeur Frankfort Little Arthur Pryor Bay Dick Bay Wood Bonnie Laddie Foreigner Nicholas I France King Bird Glencoe Jr Walnut O'Meara Trumpeter Young Trumpeter Glencoe (Hunter) Panic Aurelius Caliph Ibrahim Bay MiddletonPortraits: Bay Middleton Aristides Bramble Farintosh Gaper Baveno Bay Momus Pastoral Collingwood The-Devil-To-Pay Best Bower Cowl The Confessor The Friar The Grand Inquisitor Joy Gabbler Planet Aster Honeycomb The Flying DutchmanPortraits: The Flying Dutchman Ellington Fly-By-Night Peter Wilkens Flying Pieman Ignoramus Purston Amsterdam Duneany Glenbuck The Rover Cape Flyaway Tom Bowline Winton Young Dutchman Ellerton Romulus Walloon DollarPortraits: Dollar Tourmalet Dutch Skater Massinissa Jarnac Osterley Hesperus Sir Birtram Diomedes St Aubyn Barbatus Vanderdecken Andover Craymond Walkington The Hermit Freetrader Autocrat Bessus Milton Anton HamptonStudbook: Early H Leaconfield Achmet Adrian Dardanelles Hibiscus Jereed Great Heart Nat The Bishop of Romford's Cob The Free Lance Sultan Jr Wisdom Caesar Clarion Kremlin Scutari FeramorzStudbook: Early EF De Vere LangarPortraits: Langar Felt Godolphin Fang Philip the First King Dan Ratcatcher Stockport Skipton Cotton Lord Post TemporeStudbook: Early P The Potentate Elis Jordan Kentuckian Master Wags La Cloture Nat Epirus Pyrrhus The First King Alfred New Warrior Magus Snowden Mouravieff Ringer Pitsford Ramornie Ephesus Emilius Grecian Warhawk Buzzard Flying BuckAustralian Champion Sweepstakes Camden Little Harry Epaminondas Lord Stafford Epidaurus Montreal Langar Flagsman Galanthus Marcellus Nicolo Saracen The Moslem Turcoman Roscius

Pedigree

* Selim is inbred 3S x 4D to the stallion Herod, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References