Count Pahlen (horse)
Count Pahlen was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. At two-years old in 1981, he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe, winning two of his five races including a victory over a strong field in the Group One William Hill Futurity. He won the Blue Riband Trial Stakes on his three-year-old debut, but his form deteriorated thereafter. He raced in North America in 1883 and 1984 and had very little success, winning only one minor race from twenty-four attempts. He later stood as a breeding stallion in France but had no success as a sire of winners.
Background
Count Pahlen was a grey horse bred in the United Kingdom by Tony Villar. He was sired by Hotfoot who won the Coronation Stakes and finished second in both the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Prince of Wales's Stakes. The best of his other progeny included Hot Grove and Tachypous. Count Pahlen's dam Tanara showed some ability as a racehorse, winning four minor races over middle distances. She was descended from the Irish Oaks winner Snow Maiden, the female-line ancestor of several major winners including King of Kings.Count Pahlen raced in the colours of Villar's wife and was sent into training with Bruce Hobbs at the Palace House stable in Newmarket. Hobbs had previously trained both Hotfoot and Tanara, as well as Tanara's sire Romulus. The colt was named after the Russian courtier Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen.
Racing career
1981: two-year-old season
Count Pahlen began his racing career in a seven furlong race at Great Yarmouth Racecourse in July. Looking less than fully fit he had considerable difficulty obtaining a clear run before finishing third behind Vin St Benet. When moved up in class for the Acomb Stakes at York Racecourse in August he was badly hampered in the last quarter mile and finished third to the filly Height of Fashion and the colt Ashenden, beaten two and three quarter lengths by the winner. At Newbury Racecourse in October he was one of twenty-two juveniles to contest the Haynes, Hanson and Clark Stakes over one mile. The large field split into two groups and although Count Pahlen proved the best of those racing up the far side of the course he finished only fifth behind Super Sunrise and three others who raced on the stands side. The colt recorded his first success in a division of the Westley Stakes, a maiden race over seven furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse in October, winning by half a length from Noble Gift in a twenty-two runner field.In late October Count Pahlen, ridden by Geoff Baxter, started a 25/1 outsider in a thirteen-runner field for the Group One William Hill Futurity over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse. The favourite was the Henry Cecil-trained Paradis Terrestre, a seven-length winner of his only previous start while the other runners included Norwick, End of the Line, Assert, Jalmood, Super Sunrise and Ashenden. After tracking the leaders, Count Pahlen went to the front three furlongs out, got the better of a sustained struggle and held off the late challenges of Paradis Terrestre and Jalmood to win by half a length and a head. The colt's victory gave Baxter a first Group One win.