Brigadier Gerard (horse) the Sussex Stakes and the Lockinge Stakes, and the non-winning racemare, La Paiva, a daughter of Prince Chevalier. On his female side he traced back to the brilliant fillies' Triple Crown winner, Pretty Polly, who was his fifth dam. This beautifully balanced bay colt was named after Arthur Conan Doyle's swashbuckling hero. Brigadier Gerard had good conformation, an excellent temperament and stood 16 hands 2 inches high. Brigadier Gerard was trained during his racing career by Major Dick Hern and ridden in all his races by Joe Mercer. Brigadier Gerard began his two-year-old career on 24 June 1970 in the
Brigadier Gerard (horse) 2000 Guineas, and more recently had won the Diomed Stakes at Epsom. Good Bond, last in the English 2000 Guineas and third to Sparkler in the Diomed, and Ballyhot, a recent maiden winner, made up the rest of the field of four runners. Brigadier Gerard only led in the very last stride to defeat front-running Sparkler. After the race, John Hislop confirmed that his plans for Brigadier Gerard depended, in part at least, on Mr David Robinson, because Hislop was offering My Swallow one more chance of revenge. If Robinson would run his colt in the six-furlong July Cup, then