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A Rare Cased Queen Elizabeth II Hallmarked Sterling Silver "DAHLIA" Champion Racehorse Plate by Roberts & Dore Ltd

One of Four Racehorse Plates I have listed

The Dahlia plate has a diameter of 9 1/8" with a height to the rim of 5/8" and has a substantial weight of 16.9 oz or 478 grams

The Plate has an excellent design with a flat base and wide upper rim and ribbed outer border

The Plate is Stunning with the centre of the plate bearing a beautiful raised image of "DAHLIA" in relief with an anodized finish and signed by the designer John Skeaping R.A 1973

Dahlia

"Foaled in 1970, by Vaguely Noble out of Charming Alibi, Harsh Thakor"

This great mare was a true empress to racing -the equivalent of a Queen Victoria to Racing!. She won races in five different territories reminiscent of a great conqueror like Alexander conquering lands all over the world.

She was truly one of the most versatile racehorses of all times and played a fitting tribute to her great father, Vaguely Noble.Unlike her sire who was sparingly raced this horse ran more races than most great racehorse running in four seasons. She thus made up for the loss Vaguely Noble's fans had to face when the superstar had to be retired as a 3 year old (he missed the English Classic Season before winning the Arc). This great mare was owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt and trained by Maurice Zilber.

As a three year old, she won races in France, but amazed racegoers with a spectacular victory in the Irish Oaks, where she beat the English 1,000 Guineas and Oaks winner, Mysterious. Subsequently, she won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in a manner reminiscent of Mill Reef and Nijinsky. She was last with half a mile to go but in the straight simply cruised like a missile winning by 6 lengths from horses of the calibre of Rheingold and Roberto. She had equalled Mill Reef's record 6 length winning margin.It was one of the most spectacular performances by a racing mare in the history of racing. That performance was comparable to the all-time great performances by colts!

Sadly, she finished unplaced in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as she was still recovering from an injury. However, she ended the season with a spectacular climax pulling of a great win over Big Spruce in the Washington International. In all her races, Dahlia was partnered by Billy Pyers (who was sacked the following season).

As a 4 year old, the great mare found her true form in July. Now, the great Lester Piggott was assigned the task of riding the mare. She won the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud from a mediocre field. However, the empress regained her crown in the King George beating a high-class international field, consisting of the 1,000 Guineas and French Oaks winner, Highclere, the 1974 Epsom Derby winner, Snow Knight, French Derby runner-up, Dankaro, and the leading 4 year od horse in Britain, Buoy. Dahlia's trainer, ran the French 1,000 Guineas runner-up, Hippodamia in the King George to set a strong pace for Dahlia to be well-settled in the earlier stages.

In the big race, Hippodamia set a scorching pace with Piggot restraining Dahlia in check in the rear. At around half-way, the leader slowed down allowing Snow Knight and Bouy to run just behind him. Turning for home, Dahlia was still on the bridle. A furlong from home, Piggot made a thrust for home and Dahlia showing magnificent acceleration cruised into the lead to win by 2 and a half lengths from Highclere. Dahlia became the first horse to win the King George in successive years. Dahlia had also beaten that year's Derby winner, Snow Knight, by 9 lengths!

Dahlia followed this big win with a spectacular triumph in the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup. Quite strangely the previous two favourites for the first two runnings of the race, Brigadier Gerard and Rheingold, failed mysteriously Dahlia again met a highly competitve field.

The rivals included Snow Knight and Imperial Prince, the first two in the Derby, Ksar, the Eclipse Stakes winner and Highclere, the 1,000 Guineas and English Oaks winner. In the straight, Dahlia had to be switched around to find an opening and once she found a gap a furlong and a half from home, she simply cruised past Snow Knight and Imperial Prince, to win by 2 and a half lengths. The winning margin she spared over runner-up, Imperial Prince did true justice to the ability of the mare.

In the Prix d'Orange, where she participated as a preliminary to the Arc, Dahlia face a dramatic reversal. She was on the bridle, a furlong out but when urged failed to re-produce her normal acceleration. This enabled On My Way and Toujours to clich the race in a photo.

There were two possible reasons why she lost. The first one was Lester's explanation that the mare was asked to respond too early in the straight. The second was the fact that the mare was conceding 3lb. to On My Way. After this strangely Dahlia was with drawn from the Arc.

The superstar was now transported to North America.She made a glorious start in the Man O'War Stakes, despite facing adverse circumstances.On landing at Kennedy airport, the mare had to travel 60 miles by road to a quarantine centre at Clifton, New Jersey, where she had to stay for 24 hours in unsatisfactory stable conditions.Again, she had to re-travel 70 miles to go to Belmont. Thus, Dahlia lost her condition and her coat appeared dull.However in the race she turned the tables winning by 2 and a half lengths from Crafty Khale and London Company, two of North America's best grass horses.

In the Canadian International, the equine queen had to face a tough field, which included high-class horses, like Snow Knight and Big Spruce. Snow Knight set a blistering pace. On entering the straight, Dahlia's passage appeared to be blocked. However, Snow Knight weakened enabling Dahlia to find an opening and the mare cruised through into the lead.In the closing stages, Dahlia staved of a strong Challenge from Big Spruce whom he beat by a length at the winning post. Dahlia had broken the Course record.

The mare was now a piping hot favourite for the Washington International. She started at odds of 10 to 6. Her main rival was the high-class rival, Desert Vixen, who won nine of his eleven races as a three year old and that season was rated only below, Secretariat and Riva Ridge.

Sadly, she was beaten into third place by Admetus and Desert Vixen. The race was run at a slow pace and in the final straight Dahlia was 6 lengths a drift of the leaders. She was also carried wide by the French Colt, Margouillat. One hundred and fifty yards from home she drew within half a length of Deset Vixen and Admetus.

Critics blamed Piggot for the defeat, stating that he rode his mount too far from the pace, but it must be stated that the previous season she had won the race from a similar position. A furlong from home, Dahlia had every chance of winning the race. There had been horse who had won in a worse position from what Dahlia had been at the bend (Sir Ivor being the best example). Thus, it was ridiculous to blame Lester who made a most profound statement at the end of the race, "They can't win all the time. They are not machines, you know", he told the press.

The following season, Dahlia won her 2nd Benson and Hedges Gold Cup.She bowed out of racing like a true heroine winning the Hollywood Turf International at Hollywood Park.

It was a most appropriate place to end her career as this mare had truly performed like a hollywood star in her racing career!

In Autumn 1975, she was retired to her owner Nelson Bunker Hunt's Stud in Kentucky. Dahlia had earned 497,741 pounds, a record for a European horse. At stud, she produced the great Dahar as well as several top-class horses.

How can Dahlia compare with the all-time great racing mares?

These include Pretty Polly, Sceptre, Meld, Petite Etoile, Allez France, and Pebbles.

There is one thing that there is no doubt about which is that no mare in the history of racing was so versatile. In fact, even the greats like Sea Bird, Nijinsky and Mill Reef have not exhibited this quality (they certainly had superior ability and performances but hadn't travelled in so many countries). To win in five different countries (England, France, Ireland, USA and Canada) is an unprecedented feat!

Pretty Polly certainly has the best racing record by a mare-22 wins from 24 starts and could well have made a clean sweep of the English Classics, but was not entered in the Derby. Her 15 consecutive wins, has only been equalled by Brigadier Gerard and surpassed only by Cigar, Ribot and Citation in the history of flat racing. Thus, in my opinion she is the best filly or mare of the Century.

When compared to Meld and Petite Etoile, I rate Dahlia ahead because, though Meld had a far more consistent record, she did not run as a 4 year old, while Petite Etoile never displayed her true qualities to stay a mile and a half (she was beaten by Aggressor in the King George).

Allez France beat Dahlia all the 6 times they met and thus many have rated her better. I disagree. Allez France, only won in France. In England, she was beaten by a narrow margin by Hurry Harriet. I don't deny that Allez France turned in remarkable performances in France by winning the Arc and other classics, but even her best efforts have not equalled Dahlia's 1973 King George and Washington International wins. Although Allez France has a better record statistically, in versatility Dahlia was far ahead and thus only marginally Dahlia wins my vote ahead of her.

Pebbles, was the closest in versatility to Dahlia but didn't convince me of her true ability to stay a mile and a half. I must admit that her Breeders' Cup victory, was one of the greatest achievements by a filly in modern times, but I feel she was still marginally below Dahlia.

This mare will never be forgotten in the annals of racing. She was truly the equivalent of a Martina Navratilova to racing!

The Plate is a Limited Edition with the number 1234

The Plate comes in its original fitted case

The Plate is in Excellent Condition

Please note the Black lines showing in the photo's are reflections from the conservatory roof bars