Neva (horse)

Neva (foaled 1814, died after 1837) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse, which in 1817 became the first filly to win both the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and the Oaks at Epsom Downs Racecourse. In a racing career which lasted from April 1817 until May 1818 she ran four times and won twice.

Neva
SireCervantes
GrandsireDon Quixote
DamMary
DamsireSir Peter Teazle
SexMare
Foaled1814
CountryUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
ColourBay
OwnerGeorge Watson
TrainerR. D. Boyce
Record4:2-1-1
Earnings£4,567
Major wins
1000 Guineas (1817)
Epsom Oaks (1817)

Background

Neva was a bay mare sired by Cervantes out of Mary, a daughter of The Derby winner Sir Peter Teazle and a sister of the Doncaster Cup winner Caleb Quotem.[1] Cervantes was best known as a sire of broodmares: his daughters produced the 2000 Guineas winner Grey Momus and Melbourne, who in turn sired the Triple Crown winner West Australian. Neva was bred by a Mr. Tibbits and raced in the ownership of George Watson.[2]

Racing career

1817: three-year-old season

Neva made her first racecourse appearance in the fourth running of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on 24 April. The race was run over the Ditch Mile course rather than its modern venue on the Rowley Mile, and despite its name carried a first prize of 2100 guineas. She started the 7/4 favourite and won from Mr. Jones's brown filly Clearwell Lass, with the Duke of Grafton's Trictrac in third.[3]

On 23 May, Neva was made the even money favourite in a field of eleven fillies for the Oaks Stakes. Ridden by Francis Buckle she won from Mr. Lake's bay filly Amabel to take a first prize of 2250 guineas.[4] The two classics were Neva's only races of 1817.

1818: four-year-old season

After a break of more than ten months, Neva reappeared at the Newmarket Craven meeting in April 1818. Racing against colts for the first time, she started favourite for the two mile Claret Stakes, but finished third to The Student (the beaten favourite in the 1817 Derby).[5] At the next Newmarket meeting later that month, Neva was scheduled to run a match race at level weights against Lord Foley's colt Young Wizard. Neva failed to appear for the match and her owner was obliged to pay a forfeit of 130 guineas.[6] At Newmarket's Second Spring meeting in May, Neva ran a match over one and a quarter miles against Amabel, in which she carried 121 pounds compared to her opponent's 112. In an even betting race, Amabel reversed the form of the previous year's Oaks to defeat Neva and claim a prize of 200 guineas for Mr Lake.[7]

Stud career

Neva retired and sold as a broodmare to Sir William Milner[8] for whom she produced three foals. She then passed into the ownership of Robert Ridsdale and produced five more foals between 1825 and 1833. She delivered her last recorded foal in 1837 and was sold.[9] Despite being sent to leading stallions such as Catton, Comus, Tramp and Whisker she produced no runners of note.[2]

Pedigree
Pedigree of Neva (GB), bay mare, 1814[10]
Sire
Cervantes (GB)
1806		 Don Quixote
1784		 Eclipse Marske
Spilletta
Grecian Pincess Williams Forester
Coalition colt mare
Evelina
1791		 Highflyer Herod
Rachel
Termagant Tantrum
Cantatrice
Dam
Mary (GB)
1803		 Sir Peter Teazle
1784		 Highflyer Herod
Rachel
Papillon Snap
Miss Cleveland
Diomed mare
1788		 Diomed Florizel
sister to Juno
Desdemona Marske
Young Hag (Family:5-a)[11]
  • Neva was inbred 3x3 to Highflyer, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the third generation of her pedigree. She was also inbred 4x4 to Marske.

References
  1. Patricia Erigero Thoroughbred Heritage. "Sir Peter Teazle". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  2. The General stud book. J. S. Skinner. 1834. p. 723. Retrieved 2012-10-21. Neva.
  3. Racing calendar. 1817. Babel.hathitrust.org. 2010-10-03. p. 22. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  4. Racing calendar. 1817. Babel.hathitrust.org. 2010-10-03. p. 40. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  5. Racing calendar. 1818. Babel.hathitrust.org. 2010-10-03. p. 11. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  6. Racing calendar. 1818. Babel.hathitrust.org. 2010-10-03. p. 16. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  7. Racing calendar. 1818. Babel.hathitrust.org. 2010-10-03. p. 25. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  8. Sporting magazine. Wheble & Pittman. 1820. p. 96. Retrieved 2012-10-21. Neva guineas.
  9. Weatherby (1883). "Neva". The General Stud Book. 3–4: 171.
  10. "Neva pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  11. "Young Hag - Family 5-a". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
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