Shoe worn by the racehorse Habitat.

Shoe worn by the racehorse Habitat,
mounted on a wooden plaque with easel support and set with an engraved metal plaque, 20 by 15cm.

Provenance: The Ray Goddard Collection (lots 97 to 178). For further information on Ray Goddard and the collection see lot 144.

Habitat was an American-bred bay colt foaled in 1966 by Sir Gaylord out of Little Hut (Occupy). He was bought at the Keeneland Sales by Charles W. Engelhard Jr. and sent to England to be trained by Fulke Johnson Houghton at the Woodway Stables, Blewbury, Oxfordshire.

The colt proved a late developer and did not race as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old he made up for lost time recording major wins in the Lockinge Stakes, Prix Quincey, Wills (now the Celebration) Mile and Prix du Moulin.

At the end of 1967 he was sold to a syndicate for £400,000 and retired to the Grangewilliam Stud, Co. Kildare and was a great success. His G1 winners included Bassenthwaite, Brocade, Distant Relative, Flying Water, Habat, Habibti, Hittite Glory, Marwell, Rose Bowl, Sigy, Steinlen, Double Form, Smokey Lady and Steel Heart. In addition to this he appears in the pedigree of many other champions as the damsire.