THE well-named Gustavus Weston won a thrilling Group 3 Qatar Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh and is a horse to watch for in the sprinting ranks into the future. A gelded son of Equiano (Acclamation), he is named after Olaudah Equiano, who was also known during his lifetime as Gustavus Vassa and Gustavus Weston.

A writer and abolitionist from Ihiala, which is today in south-east Nigeria, Equiano was enslaved as a child, taken to the British West Indies and sold as a slave to a captain in the Royal Navy, and later to a Quaker trader. Eventually, he earned his own freedom in 1766 and went to live in London.

Doubly sweet

The equine Gustavus Weston was bred by Micheal Orlandi and John Harrod and sold as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland for €15,500. Pat Donworth resold him in the same sale ring the following September for €55,000 to Joe Murphy who trains him for Alfred Sweetnam. This Group 3 victory was doubly sweet for Sweetnam as he snapped up the now Cappella Sansevero (Showcasing) two-year-old half-sister to Gustavus Weston as a foal and she is in training with Joe Murphy.

The second foal and first winner for his dam, Gustavus Weston is out of Chrissycross (Cape Cross), a three-time winner in England. That mare also has a yearling colt by Epaulette (Commands), her fourth produce. A full-sister to a winner, Chrissycross is one of five winners from Penang (Xaar). Though she was only placed, Penang had 10 winning siblings, the best of which was the listed winner and Group 1-placed Badminton (Zieten).

Equiano is best known as the sire of The Tin Man, a triple Group 1 winning sprinter, and Gustavus Weston is the Newsells Park stallion’s 11th group winner.