Le Ksar

Le Ksar (1934 – after 1949) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Unraced as a two-year-old, he finished second in the Prix Juigné on his racecourse debut and then recorded an emphatic upset victory in the 2000 Guineas. He finished second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains but ran poorly in the Epsom Derby and never reproduced his best form in subsequent races. He stood as a breeding stallion in England and Argentina but made no impact as a sire of winners.

Le Ksar
SireKsar
GrandsireBruleur
DamQueen Iseult
DamsireTeddy
SexStallion
Foaled1934[1]
CountryFrance
ColourBay
BreederLeon Volterra
OwnerEvremond de Saint-Alary
TrainerFrank Carter
Record8: 1-2-0 (incomplete)
Major wins
2000 Guineas (1937)

Background

Le Ksar was a big, "workmanlike"[2] bay horse standing 16 hands 2½ inches high[3] bred in France by Leon Volterra. As a yearling he was old privately to Evremond de Saint-Alary who owned him during his racing career. The colt was sent into training with Frank Carter at Chantilly.[4]

He was sired by Ksar, an outstanding racehorse who won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1921 and 1922 before becoming a successful breeding stallion.[5] He was the Leading sire in France in 1931.[6] Ksar was a representative of the Byerley Turk sire line,[7] unlike more than 95% of modern thoroughbreds, who descend directly from the Darley Arabian.[8] Le Ksar's dam Queen Iseult produced several other winners including William of Valence (City and Suburban Handicap) and King of Trumps (Prix Juigné), and was closely related to the Goodwood Cup winner Monsieur l'Amiral.[9]

Racing career

1937: three-year-old season

Le Ksar was unraced as a two-year-old and made his debut in the Prix Juigné over 2000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in April 1937 in which he finished second to Chesham.[2] The colt was then sent to England for the 129th running of the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse on 28 April and started a 20/1 outsider in and 18-runner field. Fairford started favourite, while the other fancied runners included Foray (July Stakes), Fair Copy (Middle Park Stakes), Goya (Gimcrack Stakes) and Le Grand Duc (New Stakes).[10] Ridden by Charles Semblat Le Ksar raced up the stands-side (the left-side of the course from the jockeys' viewpoint), took the lead a furlong out and won "in the easiest possible style"[2] by four lengths from Goya with Mid-day Sun half a length back in third.[11] Semblat stated that he had been confident of victory at half way and described the winner as "nice-tempered" but "a little nervous".[12] After the race Evremond Saint-Alary reportedly rejected an offer of £50,000 for the colt.[13]

Le Ksar returned to France for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains over 1600 metres at Longchamp on 15 May. Drap d'Or opened up a long lead and although Le Ksar finished strongly he was beaten by a length into second place.[14] On 2 June, with Semblat again in the saddle, started the 9/1 third favourite for the Epsom Derby. Before the race Semblat was reported to have said "I am confident I have a good chance in the Derby. I have made a careful study of the course with maps and a book and have already won the race on paper".[15] Le Ksar was towards the rear of the field throughout the race, ran very wide on the final turn, and finished unplaced behind Mid-day Sun.[16][17] Semblat claimed that the colt had failed to cope with the downhill section of the course.[18]

His subsequent form was disappointing and he finished unplaced in the Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket in October.[19]

1938: four-year-old season

Despite the death of Frank Carter at the end of 1937,[20] Le Ksar remained in training as a four-year-old but failed to win any major races. In April he ran without success in the Newbury Spring Cup and in autumn he finished unplaced in both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Cambridgeshire Handicap.[21]

Assessment and honours

In their book, A Century of Champions, based on the Timeform rating system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Le Ksar an "poor" winner of the 2000 Guineas.[22]

Stud record

Le Ksar was retired from racing in 1939 to become a breeding stallion in Britain before being exported to Argentina in 1944.[4] He sired no major winners in either country.

Pedigree
Pedigree of Le Ksar (FR), bay stallion, 1934[1]
Sire
Ksar (FR)
1918		 Bruleur
1910		 Chouberski Gardefeu
Campanule
Basse Terre Omnium II*
Bijou (GB)
Kizil Kourgan
1899		 Omnium II* Upas
Bluette
Kasbah Vigilant
Katia
Dam
Queen Iseult (FR)
1924		 Teddy
1913		 Ajax Flying Fox (GB)
Amie
Rondeau (GB) Bay Ronald
Doremi
Sweet Agnes
1915		 Sea Sick Elf
Saf Saf
Arva Gulliver (GB)
Rose d'Amour (GB) (Family: 21-a)[9]

References
  1. "Le Ksar pedigree". Equineline.
  2. "English Classics". New Zealand Herald. 19 May 1937. p. 11 – via Papers Past.
  3. "Racing Notes". Evening Star (Dunedin). 31 July 1937. p. 10 – via Papers Past.
  4. Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
  5. "The Guineas Winner". Evening Post (New Zealand). 4 May 1937. p. 15 – via Papers Past.
  6. "Leading Sires of France". www.tbheritage.com.
  7. "Byerley Turk Line". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
  8. "95% of thoroughbreds linked to one superstud". New Scientist. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
  9. "Wagtail – Family 21-a". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
  10. ""hotspur's" Vision". Evening Post. New Zealand. 4 May 1937. p. 15 – via Papers Past.
  11. "English Racing". Auckland Star. 29 April 1937. p. 24 – via Papers Past.
  12. "Le Ksar's Two Thouand Guineas Win". The Referee. 3 June 1937. p. 7 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
  13. "Easiest of Winners". Evening Post. New Zealand. 22 May 1937. p. 22 – via Papers Past.
  14. "Le Ksar Defeated". Evening Post. New Zealand. 3 July 1937. p. 24 – via Papers Past.
  15. "English Derby". The West Australian. 2 June 1937. p. 6 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
  16. "Turf News in Brief". Evening Post. New Zealand. 9 June 1937. p. 15 – via Papers Past.
  17. "Epsom Derby". New Zealand Herald. 24 June 1937. p. 9 – via Papers Past.
  18. "Topsy-Turvy Form". Evening Post. New Zealand. 6 July 1937. p. 13 – via Papers Past.
  19. "Great Britain". The Australasian. 27 November 1937. p. 47 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
  20. "Famous Trainer's Death". Evening Post. New Zealand. 12 May 2018. p. 13 – via Papers Past.
  21. "Sporting". The Press. 1 November 1938. p. 17 – via Papers Past.
  22. Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press. ISBN 1-901570-15-0.
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