Selene (GB)
1919 – 1942
Chaucer (GB) x Serenissima (GB), by Minoru (GB)
Family 6-e
1919 – 1942
Chaucer (GB) x Serenissima (GB), by Minoru (GB)
Family 6-e
The great English trainer George Lambton made few mistakes during his long career on the Turf, but he made a big one when he decided that the tiny yearling Selene was too small for it to be worth keeping up her engagements for the 1922 English Classics. Selene never grew much, but she proved to be the best English-based filly of her crop at both 2 and 3. If anything, she was even more remarkable as a broodmare, producing four notable sire sons and founding a strong family.
Race record
22 starts, 16 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, £3,695
1921:
1922:
Honors
Assessments
Although Selene was unable to compete in any of the English Classics, most racing experts of her time believed her to be superior not only to both 1922 Oaks Stakes winner Pogrom and One Thousand Guineas Stakes winner Silver Urn but to the St. Leger Stakes winner Royal Lancer.
As an individual
A bay mare, Selene stood no more than 15.2 hands at maturity and was slightly short-legged in proportion to her height. She had good bone, clean joints and short cannons.
As a producer
Selene produced 14 foals, of which 11 started and 10 won. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Selene was bred and owned by the 17th Earl of Derby. She was trained by George Lambton.
Pedigree notes
Selene is inbred 3x4 to 1878 One Thousand Guineas and Two Thousand Guineas winner Pilgrimage and 4x5 to three-time English leading sire Galopin and seven-time leading English sire Hermit, both winners of the Derby Stakes. She is a half sister to 1923 One Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes winner Tranquil (by Chaucer's half brother Swynford) and to Bosworth, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup. Selene is also a half sister to Composure (by Buchan), dam of 1936 Middle Park Stakes winner and 1952 French leading sire Fair Copy (by Fairway).
Selene's dam Serenissima is out of Gondolette (by Loved One), a foundation mare for Lord Derby's stud who also produced 1918 One Thousand Guineas winner Ferry (by Swynford), 1924 Derby Stakes winner Sansovino (by Swynford), 1914 Dewhurst Stakes and 1915 Champion Stakes winner Let Fly (by White Eagle), stakes winners Great Sport (by Gallinule) and Piazzetta (by Chaucer's best son, Stedfast) and Dolabella (by White Eagle), dam of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by Tetratema) and second dam of 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner Big Game.
Fun facts
Race record
22 starts, 16 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, £3,695
1921:
- Won Cheveley Park Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Newmarket)
- Won Rous Memorial Stakes (ENG, 6FT, Goodwood)
- Won Houghton Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket; dead heat with Fodder)
- 2nd Queen Mary Stakes (ENG, 5FT, Ascot)
1922:
- Won Nassau Stakes (ENG, about 10FT, Nassau)
- Won Park Hill Stakes (ENG, about 14.5FT, Doncaster)
- Won Liverpool Autumn Cup (ENG, 10FT, Liverpool)
- Won Hampton Court Great 3-Year-Old Stakes (ENG, 13FT, Hurst)
- 2nd Coronation Cup (ENG, about 12FT, Epsom)
- 2nd Falmouth Stakes (ENG, 8FT, Newmarket)
Honors
- English champion 2-year-old filly (1921)
- English champion 3-year-old filly (1922)
Assessments
Although Selene was unable to compete in any of the English Classics, most racing experts of her time believed her to be superior not only to both 1922 Oaks Stakes winner Pogrom and One Thousand Guineas Stakes winner Silver Urn but to the St. Leger Stakes winner Royal Lancer.
As an individual
A bay mare, Selene stood no more than 15.2 hands at maturity and was slightly short-legged in proportion to her height. She had good bone, clean joints and short cannons.
As a producer
Selene produced 14 foals, of which 11 started and 10 won. Her important foals are as follow:
- Sickle (1924, by Phalaris) was rated the third-best English juvenile of his year and placed in the 1927 Two Thousand Guineas. Exported to the United States, he led the American general sire list in 1936 and 1938 and led the American juvenile sire list in 1945.
- Pharamond II (1925, by Phalaris) won the important Middle Park Plate. He also went to the United States and did very well there, ranking among the top 10 American leading sires five times. He also ranked among the top 10 American broodmare sires eight times and led the American juvenile sire list in 1937.
- Hunter's Moon (1926, by Hurry On) won the 1929 Newmarket Stakes. He was exported to Argentina at the end of 1929 and was an important sire there, reaching second on the Argentine general sire list in 1939. He was also third in 1935 and fourth in 1938 and led the Argentine broodmare sire list in 1954. Hunter's Moon led the Brazilian general sire list in 1953 and the Peruvian general sire list in 1944.
- Guiscard (1928, by Gay Crusader; a gelding) won the Queen's Prize at Kempton Park in 1932 and placed in good races.
- Hyperion (1930, by Gainsborough) won the 1933 Derby Stakes and St. Leger Stakes and was the English champion 3-year-old male of his year. One of the greatest sires in Thoroughbred history, he led the English general sire list six times and the English broodmare sire list four times and was a great sire of sires.
- Coronal (1932, by Coronach) won only one race but produced Afghan II (by Mahmoud), a two-time leading sire in Chile. She is the second dam of stakes winner Lady Midge and the third dam of 1961 Lockinge Stakes winner Prince Midge, 1966 Cesarewitch Stakes winner Persian Lancer and Italian Group II winner Saint Paul.
- Hecate (1934, by Felstead) produced the stakes winner Downrush (by Bobsleigh).
- Night Shift (1936, by Trimdon) won the 1939 Yorkshire Oaks but died without issue.
- Moon Priestess (1937, by Dastur) produced stakes-placed Sabaean, who ranked four times among the top 10 general sires in New Zealand and three times among the top 10 broodmare sires.
- New Moon (1940, by Solfo) produced the stakes winners Turn a Penny (by Umidwar), Hervine (by Umidwar) and New Move (by Umberto) and is the second dam of multiple stakes winner Prince Moon and the third dam of 1966 Coronation Stakes winner Haymaking and French Group II winner New Bruce.
- All Moonshine (1941, by Bobsleigh) produced 1949 Lancashire Oaks winner Eyewash (by Blue Peter) and multiple stakes winner Mossborough (by Nearco), who led the English/Irish general sire list in 1958. Eyewash, in turn, produced four stakes winners including 1959 Park Hill Stakes winner Collyria (by Arctic Prince) and is the second dam of seven stakes winners including Jefferson Smurfit St. Leger Stakes (ENG-I) winner Mountain Lodge (by Blakeney), the excellent stayer Raise You Ten (by Tehran) and English Group III winner Varishkina. All Moonshine also produced Parthenope (by Nearco), dam of 1969 Gran Premio di Milano winner Epidendrum (by Ribot); French Polish (by Sicambre), third dam of French Group II winner Exclusive Order; and All My Eye (by My Babu), second dam of three stakes winners including Grade III winner Variety Queen. In addition, All My Eye is the second dam of six-time champion Australian sire Sir Tristram, who also led the New Zealand general sire list in 1986/87.
Connections
Selene was bred and owned by the 17th Earl of Derby. She was trained by George Lambton.
Pedigree notes
Selene is inbred 3x4 to 1878 One Thousand Guineas and Two Thousand Guineas winner Pilgrimage and 4x5 to three-time English leading sire Galopin and seven-time leading English sire Hermit, both winners of the Derby Stakes. She is a half sister to 1923 One Thousand Guineas and St. Leger Stakes winner Tranquil (by Chaucer's half brother Swynford) and to Bosworth, winner of the Ascot Gold Cup. Selene is also a half sister to Composure (by Buchan), dam of 1936 Middle Park Stakes winner and 1952 French leading sire Fair Copy (by Fairway).
Selene's dam Serenissima is out of Gondolette (by Loved One), a foundation mare for Lord Derby's stud who also produced 1918 One Thousand Guineas winner Ferry (by Swynford), 1924 Derby Stakes winner Sansovino (by Swynford), 1914 Dewhurst Stakes and 1915 Champion Stakes winner Let Fly (by White Eagle), stakes winners Great Sport (by Gallinule) and Piazzetta (by Chaucer's best son, Stedfast) and Dolabella (by White Eagle), dam of 1932 English champion 2-year-old filly Myrobella (by Tetratema) and second dam of 1942 Two Thousand Guineas winner Big Game.
Fun facts
- The Selene Stakes is a race for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada. It is currently carded at 8½ furlongs on the main track and is a Canadian Grade III race.
- In Greek mythology, the titan Hyperion was the father of the moon goddess Selene; the equine Selene reversed the order by producing the colt Hyperion.