“Polymelus” & “Pretty Polly, Cicero & Bachelor’ s Button” (a pair), 1906 It stands to reason that Polymelus, the leading Thoroughbred sire in Great Britain and Ireland for the years of 1914, 1915, 1916, 1920, and 1921, would have a lasting effect on the breed. Through his son Phalaris, leading sire of 1925 and 1928, we have such names as Northern Dancer, Bold Ruler, Native Dancer, Nasrullah, Tom Fool, Mr. Prospector, Hail to Reason, and more in pedigrees today. The skeleton of Polymelus is on display at the University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology. Among noted upsets in race finishes the 1906 Ascot Gold Cup remains on the list. Going to the starter was Major Eustace Loder’s Pretty Polly under jockey Bernard Dillon at unheard-of odds of 4-to-11. The accomplished Pretty Polly had already been victorious in 22 of 23 starts. She made a valiant effort, feeling the whip for one of the few times in her career, but at the end of 2½ miles Bachelor’s Button had her by a length. Epsom Derby winner Cicero finished badly and was unplaced. Pretty Polly lived to the age of 30 and became one of the breed’s foundation producers.