Flying Childers was a thoroughbred stallion purchased as a yearling by the 2nd Duke of Devonshire in 1719. He was purchased from noted breeder Colonel Leonard Childers of Cantley Hall, having been foaled in 1714. The Flying Childers was sired by Richard Darley’s Arabian, who had been imported from Aleppo in Syria around 1704 out of Betty Leedes, a grandaughter of the celebrated Godolphin Arabian. Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian are two of the three foundation Arabian sires from whom all modern Thoroughbred racehorses in the world descend and are collectively known as 'the three pillars of the stud book'. Flying Childers began his racing career at the age of six and over the following two years, racing at Newmarket and York, ran in a total of six races winning them all. By comparison to modern standards, Flying Childers would have beaten Frankel by a furlong on the Newmarket Rowley Mile. The Duke received many offers for the colt, including one to pay for the horse’s weight in gold! In 1723 Childers was retired to the Racing Stables at Chatsworth, where he went on to sire a number of thoroughbred racehorses, all famous in their day. --------------------- Flying Childers was a famous undefeated 18th century Thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1714, and is often cited as the first truly great racehorse in the history of Thoroughbreds. His dam Betty Leedes, was by (Old) Careless and she was inbred to Spanker in the second and third generations (2x3). Betty Leedes was also the dam of the unraced, but successful sire, Bartlett's or Bleeding Childers who was also by the Darley Arabian. (Old) Careless was by the great stallion Spanker, and both were thought to be the best racehorses of their generation.[2] Betty Leedes was one of the few outside mares allowed to breed to the Darley Arabian, who was mostly kept as a private sire by his owner. Foundation sire for both French and US trotters vis Sampson. -----------------