Wilkes (horse)


Wilkes was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who became a leading sire in Australia. He had two victories, over 1,500 metres in the Prix Sans Souci at Maisons-Laffitte and the 2,000 metres Prix Edgard de la Charm at Saint-Cloud, for 1,446,200 francs in stakes.

Breeding

He was by the successful English sire Court Martial, his dam Sans Tares was by Sind from Tara by Teddy. Wilkes was a half-brother to two Washington, D.C. International Stakes winners in Mahan and Worden II who was also a good sire. Sans Tares was a half-sister to Norseman, a stakes-winner and sire of stakes-winners. Like Northern Dancer, Wilkes was a great-great-grandson in the sire-line of Phalaris.
Wilkes was a tall, long-barrelled chestnut with a prominent white blaze and one white sock that was said to resemble that of his sire Court Martial and his paternal grandsire Fair Trial.
Wilkes did not start as a two-year-old, but had two wins, in the Prix Sans Souci and the Prix Edgard de la Charm at Saint-Cloud, for a total of 1,446,200 francs in stakes as a three-year-old from three race starts.

Stud record

John William Kelly purchased Wilkes for £5,000 sterling in 1956 and imported him to stand at his Newhaven Park Stud, Boorowa, New South Wales in Australia. Wilkes commenced stud duties here in 1956 and was an immediate sire success from first foal crop, which produced nine winners including the champion mare Wenona Girl. He also sired three winners of the Golden Slipper Stakes, Vain, John's Hope and Vivarchi.
His progeny included 45 stakeswinners for 121 stakeswins, including the following:
Wilkes was humanely destroyed at the age of 24 years on 20 May 1976 after developing a bladder infection. A 21st season of 18 specially selected mares had been nominated at a fee of $6,000 with a live foal guarantee.