Chamant (horse)

Chamant (1874–1898), was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won the classic 2000 Guineas in 1877. In a career that lasted from July 1876 to May 1877 he ran eleven times and won five races. In 1876, Chamant won one of his first six races, but showed improved form at Newmarket in autumn when he won both the Middle Park Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. In 1877, Chamant won the 2000 Guineas and started second favourite for the Epsom Derby despite being found to be lame before the race. He finished unplaced behind Silvio, aggravating a back injury which ended his racing career. He later became a successful stallion in Germany.

Background

Chamant was a bay horse bred at the Haras Dangu stud of his owner Comte Frederic de Lagrange. Lagrange had extensive racing and breeding interests on both sides of the English Channel in partnership with his compatriot Claude-Joachim Lefevre. Chamant was sired by Mortemer, a French-bred horse who won the Ascot Gold Cup for Lefevre in 1871. Chamant's dam, Araucaria, was a daughter of Pocahontas, the foundation mare of Thoroughbred family 3-n. Araucaria was an important boodmare in her own right: apart from Chamant she produced the St Leger winner Rayon d'Or and the 1000 Guineas winner Camelia.