A silver-mounted racing plate worn by Rheingold when winning the 1973 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the plate set on a hallmarked silver dish by Garrard

A silver-mounted racing plate worn by Rheingold when winning the 1973 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the plate set on a hallmarked silver dish by Garrard & Co. Ltd., London, and inscribed PLATE WORN BY, RHEINGOLD, WHEN WINNING, THE PRIX de SAINT CLOUD, 1ST JULY 1973, diameter 14cm., 5 1/2in., in original Garrard case; sold with two letters of authenticity signed by Barry Hills relating to the Rheingold plate's donation for the auction at the Racegoers Clubs All-Star Charity Ball in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund at Stratford-upon-Avon on 28th September 1973. (3) Rheingold was a bay colt bred by Dr James Russell at Bansha Castle in Co. Tipperary in 1969 by Faberge out of Athene III. He was raced by Mr Henry K. Zeisel and trained at Lambourn by Barry Hills. In a highly successful career Rheingold won 9 of his 17 races and just missed out on Derby glory when beaten a short-head by the Lester Piggott ridden Roberto in 1972 (see lot 634). Lester was in the saddle, however, when Rheingold won his most notable victory in the 1973 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Also in France the colt recorded successive victories in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in 1972 and 1973. The racing plate offered here was worn by Rheingold on the latter occasion when ridden by French Champion Jockey Yves Saint-Martin. Other notable wins include the Dante Stakes, the Prix Ganay, the Hardwicke Stakes and the John Porter Stakes. Interestingly, when asked in 1974 Lester Piggott ranked Rheingold amongst the five greatest horses he had ever rode, the others being Sir Ivor, Crepello, Petite Etoile and Nijinsky. Rheingold was retired to stud after his four-year-old season and sired the dual Ascot Gold Cup winner Gildoran and the French Group 1 winner Noir et Or. In 1980 the stallion was exported to Japan where he died in 1990.