Born on December 8th, Count (later Prince) Gustav Batthyany-Strattman came from a Hungarian noble family. Because of political unrest, he left his home country as a young man, moving to the U.K. and was naturalized by an Act Of Parliament passed in 1838.
As a jockey, he rode winners at Croxton Park, Egham and Bedford.
In 1843 he founded a stud at Newmarket, but met with only moderate success before installing John Dawson as trainer. Batthany’s stables were maintained in an appropriately princely style. Horse rugs were of scarlet while the stable lads wore dark blue liveries and tall hats.
In 1875, Batthyany, who suffered from heart trouble, won the Epsom Derby with Galopin.
Triumph turned to tragedy when The Prince - excited at the prospect of Galloping’s son, Galliard, winning that year’s Guineas - dropped dead at the feet of Lord Charles Beresford and the Duke of Portland upon entering the Jockey Club rooms.
A short time later, Galliard, ridden by Fred Archer, did win the Two Guineas.
Prince Batthyany was a great friend of the Archers and, as a wedding guest, had given the bride a jewelled bracelet set with a pearl ‘the size of a Brazil nut’.
Another son of Galopin was the great St Simon. After his death, Prince Batthyany’s horse came up for sale, including the mighty St Simon. Its trainer, John Dawson, knowing how good the horse was, painted one of its hocks and covered it with a dressing, giving the impression that the horse suffered from blisters. His brother, Matthew Dawson, alive to this scam, bought the horse anyway on behalf of the Duke of Portland. At the sale price of 1,000 guineas, it was probably the greatest ever bargain to be made in the sale ring.
The Prince was an exceptionally caring person and did his best to make sure that the poor of Newmarket had food and warmth during the winter.
