page_title: Ossian (horse)
section_title: Autumn
hierarchical_section_title: Ossian (horse) / Racing career / 1883: three-year-old season / Autumn
caption_attribution_description: Caricature of John Watts (1861-1902). Caption read "Johnny Watts". Biography&#160;: http://www.horseracinghistory.co.uk/hrho/action/viewDocument?id=885
context_page_description: Ossian was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After finishing unplaced on his only start as a juvenile and running fifth on his thee-year old debut he made very good progress and ended the year as the biggest money-winner in Britain. He demonstrated consistent top-class form to win the Sussex Stakes, Drawing Room Stakes, Great Yorkshire Handicap, St Leger Stakes and Great Foal Stakes a well as being placed in the Craven Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes, Ascot Derby and Champion Stakes. As four-year-old he developed respiratory problems but walked over for the Claret Stakes and was placed in both the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup. He made little impact in his short career as a breeding stallion before dying at age 11 while being exported to the United States.
context_section_description: On 12 September Ossian, ridden by Watts, was one of nine three-year-olds to contest the 108th running of the £4,725 St Leger over fourteen and a half furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse and started at odds of 9/1. Lord Ellesmere's Highland Chief (second in the Derby) started 5/2 favourite ahead of Royal Angus, with the other fancied runners included Elzevir (Royal Hunt Cup), Ladislas and The Prince. Ossian started well and then settled in second place behind his stablemate Cecil Craven who was acting as a pacemaker. Cecil Craven dropped back with five furlongs left to run and Ossian entered the straight with a clear advantage over Chislehurst and Highland Chief with the rest of the runners struggling to stay in contention. Chislehurst briefly looked likely to mount a serious challenge, but Ossian drew away inside the final furlong to win by three lengths. Highland Chief came home lame in third with long gaps back to the other finishers.
  Less than two weeks after his Leger win, Ossian started at 7/1 for the Great Foal Stakes over ten furlongs "across the flat" at Newmarket, carrying a seven-pound penalty which took his weight up to 131 pounds. The nine-runner field included Goldfield, The Prince and the Epsom Oaks winner Bonny Jean. Ridden by Watts, Ossian was always among the leaders, established a clear lead entering the last two furlongs and won by a length from Goldfield. At Newmarket on 11 October Ossian was matched against older horses in the Champion Stakes and started the 9/4 second favourite behind the five-year-old Tristan. He took the lead a quarter of a mile from the finish but lost ground when swerving entering the final furlong and finished second, beaten a length by Tristan with Dutch Oven taking third.
  Ossian ended the year with earning of £9,111, making him the most financially successful horse of the year in England.
caption: John Watts,who rode Ossian to victory in the St Leger
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