Berkshire Stakes, Newbury

Brigadier Gerard began his career as a two-year-old on June 24, 1970, in the Berkshire Stakes at Newbury. The race was run on good ground over five furlongs and attracted a field of five runners including three previous winners. Brigadier Gerard was ridden by Joe Mercer and was relatively unfancied at odds of 100/7. In the race Mercer sat behind the more experienced runners until approaching the two furlong marker where, when he gave the Brigadier the office he strode eight to ten lengths clear before being allowed to ease down before the line for an easy five length success. John Lawrence in the Daily Telegraph wrote: "This was the big bay colts first race, but showing no sign of inexperience he proceeded to treat his opponents, including three previous winners, with total disrespect. ^[4]

Champagne Stakes, Salisbury

So easy was this first success Brigadier Gerard's owners decided to run him eight days later on 2 July in the Champagne Stakes, run over six furlongs at Salisbury. Carrying a penalty for his previous win Brigadier Gerard was favourite at 13 to 8 on. Another easy success, by 4 lengths, ensued.^[5]

Washington Singer Stakes, Newbury

Having had two races in quick succession Brigadier Gerard was given a six-week break before reappearing in the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury on 15 August. Starting favourite at odds of 4/9 and carrying a penalty Brigadier Gerard led comfortably at the furlong marker winning by two lengths from Comedy Star.^[6]

Middle Park Stakes, Newmarket

Following three easy successes the Brigadier was now ready for his biggest test, the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, run over six furlongs and for a value of £10,515 18s. The opposition included Mummy's Pet, unbeaten in his three starts including the Hyperion Stakes and Norfolk Stakes, and Swing Easy, winner of three of his four starts including the New Stakes at Royal Ascot, July Stakes at Newmarket and the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, his only defeat being at the hands of My Swallow in the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp. Mummy's Pet started favourite at 6 to 5 on, Swing Easy was 9 to 4 with Brigadier Gerard at 11 to 2. After a slow early pace Joe Mercer allowed Brigadier Gerard to stride into the lead where he drew steadily clear winning easing down by three lengths from Mummy's Pet with Swing Easy a further half a length away in third place.

Len Thomas, The Sporting Life wrote: "Yesterday, in the Middle Park Stakes, the early pace was very slow for the first couple of furlongs but when Brigadier Gerard reached the incline he settled the issue in a few strides to win impressively. It was interesting to note Brigadier Gerard finished the same distance ahead of Swing Easy as did My Swallow in the Prix de la Salamandre at Longchamp recently".

Owner John Hislop wrote: "It was a truly thrilling moment. To have won the Middle Park Stakes was a triumph in itself, but for the Brigadier to have slaughtered the opposition in this way was unbelievable. His right to contest the Two Thousand Guineas has been won with honours."

As three-year olds Mummy's Pet and Swing Easy remained at sprinting where they proved themselves to be top class winning, among other successes, the Sceptre Stakes, Temple Stakes, Daniel Prenn, King's Stand Stakes and the Nunthorpe Stakes.^[7][8]

2000 Guineas Stakes, Newmarket

The field of six runners for the season's first colts' classic, the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, was one of the smallest in recent memory. However, the three colts that had headed the Free handicap, My Swallow, Mill Reef, and Brigadier Gerard, had between them won 18 of their 19 races, including every major two-year-old race in Europe. My Swallow, unbeaten in eight races as a two-year old including the four best races in France, and Mill Reef, winner of five of his six races as a two-year old including the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, Gimcrack Stakes at York and Dewhurst Stakes at [Newmarket, had won their prep races, the Usher Stakes at Kempton Park and the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. Brigadier Gerard, as planned, arrived at the Rowley Mile without a preparatory race. The race was generally billed as a match between the 6/4 favourite Mill Reef and the 2/1 second favourite My Swallow. Brigadier Gerard was relatively overlooked at 11/2, Minsky, a full brother to Nijinsky and Irish champion 2-y-o in 1970 at 15/2, Good Bond at 16/1 and Indian Ruler the complete outsider at 100/1.

In the race My Swallow made the early running from Mill Reef until they came together, three furlongs from home. At this point neither Geoff Lewis, on Mill Reef, nor Frankie Durr, on My Swallow, had yet to ask their charges any serious questions. When Joe Mercer asked Brigadier Gerard to close the gap on the two leaders the response was immediate. With under three furlongs left to run, Brigadier Gerard drew alongside Mill Reef before striding away to win by a comfortable three lengths. My Swallow was 3/4 length back in third, Minsky finished fourth.^[9][10]

What they said afterwards:

Mill Reef's jockey Geoff Lewis:‘The moment Joe appeared it was all over’. ‘Joe’s horse had too much speed - he was too good’. ‘The winner was always going too well for me. As soon as Joe produced Brigadier Gerard I knew we were beaten’.

My Swallow's jockey Frankie Durr: ‘We didn’t cut each others throats in front, the winner just beat us‘.

Minsky's jockey Lester Piggott: ‘He was going as well as the leaders for six furlongs then found nothing‘.

Good Bond's jockey Jimmy Lindley: ‘My colt was nearly flat out the whole way. It must be the best Guineas for 50 years‘.

Brigadier Gerard's jockey Joe Mercer: ‘Not a moment’s trouble. I thought we were going to win as soon as we went under the five furlong gate. I had to waken him up because they suddenly went an extra length away. But there was never any doubt when he got going. His neck was in front a quarter of a mile out and that was that’.

John Lawrence: The Daily Telegraph. He took a moment to find his full stride and Mercer tapped him once. But the response was more than he or anyone can have expected. For in 100 yards racing down the hill into the dip, Brigadier Gerard brushed aside the two colts who last year dominated European two-year-old racing. They finished together far ahead of the others, but he was three lengths clear and going away, as decisive and brilliant a winner of the 2000 Guineas as has been since Tudor Minstrel. Mill Reef who duly took his revenge on My Swallow ran, it must be presumed, right up to his best form.

Mill Reef was not beaten again winning The Derby, Eclipse Stakes, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Prix Ganay and Coronation Cup. He was retired to stud after suffering a serious leg injury.

My Swallow ran twice more. He dropped back in distance to contest the Prix de la Porte Maillot at Longchamp finishing 2nd to top French miler Faraway Son. Then, just 11 days later, contested the July Cup at Newmarket where he was beaten narrowly by Realm. He was then retired to stud having won 9 of his 12 races in just under 14 months. Minsky, winner of four of his 7 races never ran again and also retired to stud.

St James's Palace Stakes, Ascot

The weather had been so bad it was questionable whether or not racing would go ahead on the first day of Royal Ascot. As the St James's Palace Stakes was the last race on the card it would be run in the worst of the going. Only four runners were declared including the main danger Sparkler. Trained by Sam Armstrong and ridden by Lester Piggott. Sparkler was a very good two-year old rated only 8lbs behind the very best of his age including My Swallow, Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard. As a three-year old he had won the Thirsk Classic Trial easily before being beaten, some thought unluckily and following a stewards enquiry, in the Irish 2000 Guineas. Sparkler had subsequently won the Diomed Stakes at Epsom. Good Bond, a long way behind Brigadier Gerard in the 2000 Guineas and Ballyhot, a maiden winner completed the four runner field. Brigadier Gerard started at odds of 4/11.

In the prevailing conditions the visibility was poor. Sparkler made the running until the two furlong marker where Joe Mercer brought Brigadier Gerard to challenge. Some viewers suggested the Brigadier hit a patch of false ground and lost 6 lengths. Mercer had picked him up and renewed his challenge eventually catching Sparkler only 25 yards from the line to win going away.

John Lawrence, Daily Telegraph. "After the race John Hislop confirmed that his plans for Brigadier Gerard depended, in part, on David Robinson the owner of My Swallow. John Hislop had offered him the chance of revenge for his colts defeat in the 2000 Guineas if he ran the colt in the July Cup. When the offer was not accepted the decision was made to run Brigadier Gerard next in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood".^[11][12]

Sussex Stakes, Goodwood

Heavy rain on the Tuesday and plenty more in the hour before racing had made the going at Goodwood not as deep as Royal Ascot, but still considered to be much to the disadvantage of Brigadier Gerard. The four-year-olds were well represented. Leading the opposition was French challenger and soft-ground specialist Faraway Son who, as a three-year old, had finished first but subsequently disqualified in the Poule d'Essai des Poulaines (French 2000 Guineas) in favour of French horse Caro whose only defeat this season had been by Mill Reef in the Eclipse Stakes. Faraway Son had also just beaten the 2000 Guineas third, My Swallow by six lengths at xLongchamp. Joshua had won three times from his four starts with only a very narrow defeat in the Lockinge Stakes by top miler Welsh Pageant being his only blot on his season. The three-year old division was also well represented by King's Company and Ashleigh. King's Company, the second highest rated two-year old in Ireland had won the Irish 2000 Guineas in somewhat controversial circumstances, in course record time and by the narrowest of margins from Sparkler. He had, more recently, won the Cork and Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot. Ashleigh, highly regarded by his trainer, Paddy Prendergast, had easily won the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on his only run this season.

As a result of prevailing conditions Joe Mercer allowed Brigadier Gerard to stroll along at the head of affairs until approaching the furlong maker, where Faraway Son and Joshua threw down their challenges. Brigadier Gerard pulled away to win easily by 5 lengths from Faraway Son, with the finishing time two seconds outside the course record.^[13][14]

Faraway Son was not beaten again. He next won the Prix du Rond Point (beating Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) winner Bold Fascinator), the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, and the Prix de la Foret.

John Oaksey, Daily Telegraph wrote: "Truly great horses are rare enough at the best of times and finding two in the same generation is liking striking oil and gold in adjacent fields. But yesterday, as Brigadier Gerard swept away from his older rivals to win the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, it was clearer than ever before that 1971 is indeed a double vintage year. For the message this supremely stylish victory conveys is that the 2000 Guineas result may have meant precisely what it said. After Epsom, Sandown Park and Ascot it seemed barely credible that any horse could be three lengths better than Mill Reef, but the horse we saw yesterday could be and at a mile very probably is".

Goodwood Mile, Goodwood

A small field contested the Goodwood Mile run in damp, wintry conditions. Only two horses opposed Brigadier Gerard, Gold Rod and Ashleigh, resulting in the favourite's cramped odds of 1/6. In 1970 Gold Rod was extensively campaigned running 12 times and winning three including the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. It took the very best milers in this country to prevent him from also winning the St James's Palace Stakes, [Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Ashleigh, having his third run of the season had won the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot easily before losing to Brigadier Gerard in the Sussex Stakes. In the race Brigadier Gerard made the running then quickened at the two-furlong mark to win very easily by 10 lengths. Gold Rod beat Ashleigh by four lengths for the runner-up spot.^[15][16]

TV commentator Julian Wilson referred to the win as being just an exercise canter where the winning margin could easily have been doubled. Len Thomas, The Sporting Life reported "Conditions at Goodwood on Saturday were almost wintry, but it was heart-warming to see the brilliant miler Brigadier Gerard in action again, and what action. This big powerful colt is surely the best miler we have seen for many a year.

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Ascot

Another small field contested this race run before a bumper cowd at Ascot. In opposition was leading French challenger Dictus, fourth in last season's Champion Stakes just behind Nijinsky, and now fresh from victory in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, where he defeated Sparkler by half a length. And to complete the three runners was Ashleigh whose two previous defeats were at the hands of Brigadier Gerard. Starting at odds of 2/11 Brigadier Gerard never saw another rival and was completely unchallenged throughout. He won very easily beating Dictus by eight lengths in near course record time.^[17]

John Oaksey, wrote "Brigadier Gerard stormed home last Saturday in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes] at Ascot and, in several different respects this was an unbelievable performance. On ground by no means lightning fast, without being shown the whip and completely unchallenged throughout the last half mile, Brigadier Gerard's time was half a second outside the track record set by Meldon in 1957 carrying 10lbs less. So, if possible, the Brigadier enhanced his reputation. He looks bigger and stronger every time he appears and demonstrated his super abundant energy last week with an alarming rodeo display in the paddock. Next year, and Mill Reef, that will be the moment of truth and whoever predicts the outcome with any confidence will have more courage than sense. This was Brigadier Gerard's ninth consecutive success with a step up to a mile and a quarter in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket the next race on his agenda.

Champion Stakes, Newmarket

Following Brigadier Gerard's narrow success in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot it was with some trepidation that he lined up for his first attempt at ten furlongs in conditions rapidly approach those he encountered that day at Ascot. Brigadier Gerard's owner had stated that they would never run him in such conditions as he had encountered at Ascot but with huge crowds turning up to watch him run they did not want to disappoint them. A field of ten contested the £35,000 prize. From Great Britain the leading older horses included Welsh Pageant who was having his fourth run of the season, winning the Lockinge Stakes and Hungerford Stakes and he had finished third in the Eclipse Stakes behind Mill Reef and Caro. Gold Rod was fresh from his win in the Prix La Coupe where he had exacted revenge on Amadou who had finished 5 lengths in front of him in the Prix Ganay. Great Wall (fourth to Nijinsky in the Epsom Derby), Leander (winner of the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly as a three year old) and Tamil winner of a minor event at Deauville.

From France came Tratteggio, trained by Alec Head, having just won the Prix Henri Delamere by 6 lengths, Amadou who had run Caro, the best older horse in France, very close before being beaten narrowly by Gold Rod and Roi Soliel, a mud lover, who had won the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot before being narrowly defeated by Dictus and Gold Rod in the[Prix Jacques le Marois.

From Ireland came Rarity, trained by Paddy Prendergast and ridden by Pat Eddery. This lightly raced four-year old had shown a distinct preference for soft ground. In his last race, the Desmond Stakes at the Curragh, he had easily beaten Lombardo by 4 lengths in similar conditions. Lombardo boasted Epsom Derby form having been beaten into 4th place at Epsom, 6 lengths behind Mill Reef, and was then beaten 3 lengths into 2nd place in the Irish Derby at the Curragh by the Epsom Derby third, Irish Ball.

The rain had continued throughout the day and the race itself was run in very poor visibility and in very soft underfoot conditions. In the race Welsh Pageant, Leander, Gold Rod and Roi Soleil were all in the leading group with Brigadier Gerard being ridden patiently behind them. As they entered the dip three furlongs from home Brigadier Gerard moved into the lead and pulled three lengths clear. On reaching the rising ground Rarity made progress on the outside where Brigadier Gerard held on to win by a short head with Welsh Pageant two and a half lengths away in third. After the race Brigadier Gerard's owners declared they would not run Brigadier Gerard again in similar, testing, underfoot conditions.^[18][19]

John Oaksey: "For the second time in his life the English climate did its beastly best to bring about Brigadier Gerard's defeat at Newmarket yesterday. But for the second time his fighting heart proved equal to the test and, hanging on to win the Champion Stakes by inches from the Irish-trained Rarity, he kept intact his unbeaten record.

The 1971 season ended with Brigadier Gerard maintaining his unbeaten record with 10 wins. He became the first English classic winner since Ormonde, who was foaled in 1883, to be unbeaten in 10 or more races. Mill Reef also remained unbeaten since their meeting in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. The scene was now set for a showdown between these two great champions in the 1972 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park run over ten furlongs. It was advertised widely as the Race of the Century.