Amphion (1886 – 30 October 1906) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He won some minor races as a two-year-old, but was not entered into any of the Classics. As a three-year-old he won several races including the Great Jubilee Stakes. He improved again as a four-year-old, winning the Hardwicke Stakes, Lancashire Plate and Champion Stakes, beating several classic winners in the process. He remained in training as a five-year-old, winning the March Stakes and Rous Memorial Stakes. Amphion was trained by Mr. Chandler and owned by General Byrne. As a stallion he sired several top class horses including the sprinter Sundridge, Champion Stakes winner Dieudonne and Eclipse Stakes winner Lally.
Background
Amphion was a chestnut colt foaled in 1886 and bred by G. S. Thompson. He was sired by either Speculum or his son Rosebery. Speculum was champion sire of Great Britain in 1878, when his son Sefton won the Derby. Rosebery won both the Cesarewitch Handicap and Cambridgeshire Handicap in 1876. The uncertainty over his paternity was due to Speculum dying shortly after covering Amphion's dam. His dam then came in heat and she was covered again by Rosebery. Amphion's dam was Suicide, a daughter of Hermit.
Amphion was purchased for General Byrne by Mr. Chandler as a yearling for 350 guineas. Chandler trained him throughout his racing career.
Racing career
1888: Two-year-old season
Amphion's first race was the five-furlong Spring Two-year-old Race at Croyden on 20 April 1888. He started as the 2/1 favourite, with L'Abbesse de Jouarre next at 5/2. Amphion won the race by three lengths from Ravenswood, with third placed Outcry a further two lengths behind. On 27 June he started as the odds-on favourite for the Champagne Stakes at Stockbridge. He was near the fore in the early stages of the five-furlong race and in the last few hundred yards he pulled away to win by a length from Kettlebury. One month later Amphion started as the 1/2 favourite for the Great Kingston Two-year-old race at Sandown Park. Ridden by Tom Cannon, he won the race easily by two lengths from Yard Arm.
In October he carried top weight for the seven-furlong Champion Nursery Handicap at Kempton Park. He was near the rear of the field from the start of the race and never challenged the leaders, finishing in seventh place behind winner Fleur de Lys. In his final race of the season he carried top weight again for the Chesterfield Nursery Handicap at the Derby November Meeting. The race was won by Eulalia and Amphion was unable to finish in the top ten.
1889: Three-year-old season
In April 1889 he started as the 5/2 favourite to win the Doveridge Handicap at Derby. He got to the front with a quarter of a mile left to run and went on to win by one and a half lengths from the colt Johnny Morgan. In May he started as a 100/8 outsider for the Great Jubilee Stakes, run over one mile at Kempton Park. He got away to a good start and led the field, but was soon overtaken by Screech Owl, with Orbit following Amphion in third place. The first two places remained unchanged and Amphion moved up and overtook Screech Owl with about 300 yards left to run. Amphion then pulled away to win by three lengths from Screech Owl, with The Rejected a similar distance behind Screech Owl in third place.
At Royal Ascot he started as the odds-on favourite for the five-furlong Fern Hill Stakes. In the early stages of the race he was second, behind leader L'Abbe Morin. Amphion closed right up to L'Abbe Morin with a quarter of a mile left to run. He overtook him in the closing stages to win easily by one and a half lengths. At Glorious Goodwood he started at the odds of 100/14 for the six-furlong Stewards' Cup. As the field entered the closing stages of the race he closing in on leader Dog Rose (who was carrying a stone less weight), but just failed to catch him by a neck. Noble Chieftain was three quarters of a lengths behind Amphion in third place. At the Newmarket Houghton Meeting, Amphion finished second in the Free Handicap Sweepstakes, two lengths behind winner Ormuz. His final race as a three-year-old came in late November in the Manchester Handicap, run over one mile and six furlongs at Manchester Racecourse. He could not challenge the leaders and finished a long way behind winner Fallow Chat.