Copenhagen (horse)

Copenhagen
Copenhagen as painted in his retirement by Samuel Spode.
Sire	Meteor
Grandsire	Eclipse
Dam	Lady Catherine (half-bred)
Damsire	John Bull
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1808
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Chestnut
Breeder	General Grosvenor
Owner	1) General Grosvenor 2) Marquis of Londonderry 3) Duke of Wellington
Record	12: 2-2-7
Honours
Honoured with a full military funeral upon his death.

Copenhagen (1808 – 12 February 1836) was the Duke of Wellington's war horse, which he most famously rode at the Battle of Waterloo. Copenhagen was of mixed Thoroughbred and Arabian parentage, with his dame being sired by the Epsom Derby winner John Bull and his sire Meteor finishing second in the Derby. Copenhagen was foaled in 1808 and was named in honour of the British victory at the Second Battle of Copenhagen. Copenhagen did race in England for a short period, winning two races and finishing at least third in nine races out of his 12 career starts. Copenhagen was sent to Spain with Sir Charles Vane in 1813 and was then sold to the Duke of Wellington. Becoming his favourite, Copenhagen was the Duke's mount in the Battle of Waterloo. The horse was retired to the Duke's estate Stratfield Saye House and lived there for the remainder of his life, dying on 12 February 1836 at the age of 28 years. His grave site is marked with a marble headstone that is situated under a 173–174-year-old Turkey Oak.

Copenhagen was bred by General Grosvenor, who was a nephew of the Earl of Grosvenor. Copenhagen's sire, Meteor, was second in the 1786 Derby and won several stakes races before he was retired in 1791 to the Earl of Grosvenor's stud. Copenhagen was foaled when Meteor was 25 years old and the stallion died in 1811 when Copenhagen was three years old. Copenhagen's dam, Lady Catherine, was a daughter of the 1792 Epsom Derby winner John Bull and an unnamed mare sired by the Rutland Arabian out of "a hunting mare" that was either "three parts Thoroughbred" or had no Thoroughbred parentage at all. The Rutland Arabian was owned by the Duke of Rutland and had limited success in the stud. Lady Catherine ("Lady Katherine" in the Racing Calendar) raced under General (then Colonel) Grosvenor's name as a five-year-old in 1801 and her dam was identified as "Morning Star's dam." Lady Catherine produced a half-sister to Copenhagen, Chantress by Popinjay, in 1810 and is noted in the stud-book to have been "sent to Ireland." In honour of Copenhagen's notable military service, Lady Catherine is the only "half-bred" mare listed in the General Stud Book.