William the Third (1898 St Simon – Gravity by Wisdom)

A quality bay on the soundest of limbs, displayed more length and scope than most of his sire’s stock, and was recognised as the most placed of the breed.

William the Third had an electrifying turn of foot. As a stayer, he may even have been on a par with Persimmon.

Too weak and immature to do himself justice at two, he won five races (including the Newmarket Stakes) and ran second in the Derby at three, and added five more victories in the next season, when he reached his peak.

At Ascot he took the Gold Cup in a strong field by five lengths, and the three-mile Alexandra Plate by six lengths, and then he ran away with the Doncaster Cup by eight lengths, He was trained for a second Gold Cup at five but struck a stone in a gallop and split his pastern.

The best of William the Third’s sons was the stout-hearted stayer Willonyx, who won the Chester Cup, Ascot Stakes, Ascot Gold Cup, Jockey Club Cup and Cesarewitch as a four-year old in 1911. Among his other good colts where William the Fourth (1909 Ascot Derby, third in the Derby), King William (1910 Dewhurst Plate, 1911 Ascot Derby), Rembrandt (1912 Italian Derby Gran Premio di Milano), Roseworthy (1913) St James’s Place Stakes), Roseland (1914 July Stakes), and *Nassovian (1916 Princess of Wales Stakes, third in the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby).

Willonyx – (William the Third)

William the Third sired two classic-winning fillies in Ronde de Nuit (1909 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches) and Winkipop (1910 One Thousand Guineas). His daughters made him champion broodmare sire in 1922 and produced the winners of four Ascot Gold Cup (Tangiers, Trimdon-two, and Foxhunter) a Grand Prix de Paris (Transvaal), a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Parth), a Two Thousand Guineas (Adam’s Apple), plus and outstanding Italian race and broodmare (Duccia di Buoninsegna) and the highly influential stallion in Argentina in Copyright (by Tracery)

William the Third moderate son Roseland, sired Garron Lass, who descendants include The Phoenix, Dastur, Sunny Boy III and Bahram.

Inclusive to: Phar Lap, Donatello, Copyright, Felstead, Bahram, Neckar (Ger), Agio (Ger), elite mare -Uganda, Djebel, Gay Crusader, Khaled, Blushing Groom, St James (USA), Sovereign Edition (IRE), Forli, Court Martial, Roberto, Danzig, Zamazaan (Fr), Shirley Heights, Miswaki (USA), Zabeel (dam Lady Giselle 4×5 Sunny Boy), Sunday Silence

William the Third – contemporary influences to Winx, Black Caviar

Zabeel, photo taken a few weeks before his death. The Zabeel progeny are acclaimed for stayers with his electrifying turn of foot.

*Nassovian by William the Third & Carbine – influences, Display (USA) sire of Discovery > Miss Disco, Geisha.

William the Third’s dam Gravity to her full sister Florence, dam of Pitti (St Frusquin) dam of i) Beppo (Marco) & ii) dam of Contessina (USA), the dam of Reigh Count sire of classic Chief-de-Race, Count Fleet.

Beppo his daughter Vaya is dam to 2nd dam sire in Vandale (FR) sire of Herbager (FR).

Vaya’s daughter Vasthi is dam of Vatout (Fr). Vatout sired Bois Roussel (FR) & Atout Maitre (FR) & Antonym (FR), a champion sire in Brazil. Antonym sired Narvik and the William Third genetics are exercised at Vatout & b/m sire Denbigh via son, Willonyx.

Willonyx daughter Bobolink is dam of St James (USA), sire line of Johnstown (USA) – b/m sire of Nashua > Mr Prospector.

Antonym also produced great Brazilian mare Leocardia (BRZ) noting, 3x William the Third.

The Vatout male line continued to grand-son Le Filou (FR). Le Filou came to New Zealand and sired 22 Gr.1 winners inclusive of 2 Melbourne Cup winners, 4 Derby and 3 Oaks winners.

Le Filou (Vatellor) – 5th generation, tail male descendant of St Simon. Considered one of the truly great outcross influences of the century, Australian. Ross du Bourg

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🏆William the Third son Majestic (Ger) was a successful sire but destroyed when his services where not needed. By Majestic, the dam of sire Graf Isolina (Ger) producer of Nanon (Ger) – grand dam of the greatest bloodlines in German sire Neckar (Ger).

🐴🐴🐴German Hanoverian bred & Olympian horse FischerChipmunk (FRH) takes 4 strains to William the Third daughter Trimestral. The dam of TB sire Foxhunter and grand dam of TB sire Young Lover (GB). Foxhunter was exported to Argentina. Trimestral has 4×5 King Tom, 3×4 Galopin.

🐴🐴🐴William the Third mare Weiner Madel (Ger) dam of German bred sire Wallenstein, 3rd dam of Agio (Ger) sire of Lombard. Wallenstein sire of mares, Mafalda and Arkebuse sighted to Alameda (Ger) 5th dam of Urban Sea, dam of Galileo.

Bibliography:

Notable English and Irish Thoroughbreds – Alister Taylor

Bloodstock Breeding – Leicester

Breeding Racehorse by the Figure System – Lowe

https://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/WilliamtheThird.html

@janebielski – researcher The Thoroughbred Link