Atmah

Atmah (1908 – after 1915) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She failed to win as a two-year-old but showed considerable promise on her final start when she ran third in the Dewhurst Stakes. In the following year she contested four of the five British Classic Races, recording her biggest success when taking the 1000 Guineas. She made no impact as a broodmare.

Atmah
Atmah in 1911.
SireGaleazzo
GrandsireGalopin
DamMrs Kendal
DamsireTenny
SexMare
Foaled1908[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
ColourBay
BreederJimmy de Rothschild
OwnerJimmy de Rothschild
TrainerFred Pratt
Record12: 1-1-1
Earnings£4,600[2]
Major wins
1000 Guineas (1911)

Background

Atmah was a bay mare bred and owned by Jimmy de Rothschild. She was trained by Fred Pratt at the Waltham House stable at Lambourn in Berkshire. In 1907 the mare Mrs Kendal (with Atmah in utero) was bought for 510 guineas at the Tattersalls Knightsbridge sale by F Lort-Phillips on behalf of Jimmy de Rothschild.[3] Atmah shared her name with a yacht owned by the Rothschild family.[4]

Mrs Kendal was an American-bred daughter of the Brooklyn Handicap winner Tenny and a female-line descendant of the influential British broodmare Polly Agnes.[5] Atmah's sire Galeazzo recorded his biggest victory when taking the Newmarket Stakes as a three-year-old in 1896.

Racing career

1910: two-year-old season

In her first six races Atmah failed to win, and finished second only once, when she was runner-up in a minor event at Leicester Racecourse.[6] Atmah was matched against top-class male opposition in the Dewhurst Plate over seven furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse on 27 September. She produced her best effort of the year as she finished third behind the colts King William and Phryxus, who dead-heated for first place.[7]

1911: three-year-old season

On 28 April 1911 Atmah, ridden by Freddie Fox, started at odds of 7/1 for the 98th running of the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile. In a very close finish she prevailed by a short head from Radiancy, with two lengths back to Knockfeerna in third place.[8] Her winning time of 1:38.4 was a new record for the race.[9]

Atmah took on male opponents again when she was the only filly to contest the Epsom Derby on 31 May. She never fully recovered from being "crowded out" at the start and came home in about tenth place behind Sunstar.[10] In the Epsom Oaks two days later over the same course and distance Atmah started at odds of 10/1 but finished unplaced behind the outsider Cherimoya.[11] She was then brought back in distance for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in mid-June but made no impact in a race won by Knockfeerna.[12] In September at Doncaster Racecourse Atmah contested her fourth Classic and finished unplaced behind Prince Palatine in the St Leger.[13]

1912: four-year-old season

Atmah ran at least once as a four-year-old in 1912, finishing unplaced in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot on 19 June.[14]

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Atmah a "poor" winner of the 1000 Guineas.[8]

Breeding record

Atmah was retired from racing to become a broodmare for her owner's stud.

  • Alectoromancy (GB), a chestnut filly, foaled in 1913, sired by Valens.
  • In 1914, she was bred to Bomba and exported to France.[15] The resulting colt, Bingo (1915), had limited racing success.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Atmah (GB), bay mare, 1908[1]
Sire
Galeazzo (GB)
1893		 Galopin (GB)
1872		 Vedette Voltigeur
Mrs Ridgway
Flying Duchess The Flying Dutchman
Merope
Eira (GB)
1881		 Kisber (HUN) Buccaneer (GB)
Mineral (GB)
Aeolia Parmesan
Breeze
Dam
Mrs Kendal (USA)
1898		 Tenny (USA)
1886		 Rayon d'Or (FR) Flageolet
Araucaria (GB)
Belle of Maywood Hunter's Lexington
Julia Mattingly
Star Actress (IRE)
1891		 Kendal (GB) Bend Or
Windermere
Petrachina (GB) Petrarch
Jessie Agnes (Family 16-g)[5]

References
  1. "Atmah pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "Sporting". Taranaki Herald. 8 November 1911. p. 4 – via Papers Past.
  3. Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 978-0-354-08536-6.
  4. "The Baron's Yacht". New Zealand Herald. 16 April 2018. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  5. "Polly Agnes - Family 16-g". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
  6. "Sporting". The Star (Christchurch). 6 May 1911. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  7. "English Racing". Evening Post (New Zealand). 28 October 1910. p. 7 – via Papers Past.
  8. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
  9. "In a Nutshell". Otago Witness. 21 June 1911. p. 70 – via Papers Past.
  10. "Sporting". New Zealand Herald. 11 July 1911. p. 9 – via Papers Past.
  11. "Racing in England". Otago Witness. 12 July 1911. p. 57 – via Papers Past.
  12. "Sporting". The Star (Christchurch). 5 August 1911. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  13. "Engltsh St. Leger". Poverty Bay Herald. 23 September 1911. p. 7 – via Papers Past.
  14. "Notes and Comments (by Sir Bedivere.)". Evening Post (New Zealand). 3 August 1912. p. 14 – via Papers Past.
  15. "Atmah". The General Stud Book. 23: 42. 1917. hdl:2027/coo.31924066667340.
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