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Sir Ivor (5 May 1965 – 10 November 1995) was an United States, Irish-trained champion Thoroughbred horse racing and sire. In a career which lasted from July 1967 to October 1968 he ran thirteen times and won eight races. He won major races in four countries: the National Stakes in Ireland, the Grand Criterium in France, the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and Champion Stakes in England and the Washington D.C. International in the United States.
At Epsom Sir Ivor was made 4/5 favourite for the Derby. Held up in the early stages by Piggott, he turned into the straight in seventh place. In the final furlong, he produced what the Glasgow Herald described as an "electrifying surge" of speed on the outside to catch the leader Connaught well inside the final furlong and win by one and a half lengths. After the race, Piggott described Sir Ivor as "the best I have ridden." Sir Ivor had now won six races in succession, but his run of success ended in his next race, as he was beaten two lengths by Ribero in the Irish Derby. At that time Liam Ward was retained to ride for O’Brien in Ireland and rode Sir Ivor. Piggott riding Ribero set out to test Sir Ivor’s stamina over a stiffer track and held Sir Ivor at bay in the final furlong . Only a week later he was then matched against 1967 Derby winner Royal Palace in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown. In a closely contested race, Sir Ivor finished third, beaten a short head and three quarters of a length by Royal Palace and Taj Dewan. Both Piggott and O'Brien blamed the firm ground for Sir Ivor's defeat. He was then rested for an autumn campaign.
Sir Ivor returned in late September when he ran in the Prix Henry Delamarre at Longchamp in which he finished half a length second to Prince Sao, to whom he was conceding nine pounds. One week later, he returned to Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Sir Ivor, whose best distance was probably 10 furlongs was outstayed by the favourite, Vaguely Noble, in the very soft ground who won by three lengths. Sir Ivor finished four lengths ahead of the remainder of the field to take second. Two weeks after his run in Paris, Sir Ivor appeared at Newmarket, where he won the Champion Stakes easily by two and a half lengths from a field which included Taj Dewan. On his final start, Sir Ivor was sent to the United States for the Washington, D.C. International at Laurel Park, Maryland. Piggott held the colt up before producing a "furious stretch drive" to lead in the last twenty yards and beat Czar Alexander, with the American Champion Male Turf Horse Fort Marcy in third.
| + !Foaled !Name !Sex !Major Wins/Achievements | |||
| 1971 | Sir Tristram | Stallion | Leading sire in New Zealand; 17 times champion Australasian sire |
| 1972 | Ivanjica | Mare | Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe |
| 1973 | Sir Wimborne | Stallion | Vincent O'Brien National Stakes, Royal Lodge Stakes |
| 1973 | Malinowski | Stallion | Craven Stakes |
| 1974 | Cloonlara | Mare | European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly |
| 1974 | Lady Capulet | Mare | Irish 1,000 Guineas, dam of El Prado |
| 1976 | Godetia | Mare | Irish 1,000 Guineas, Irish Oaks |
| 1979 | Bates Motel | Stallion | American Champion Older Male Horse |
| Optimistic Gal | Mare | Spinster Stakes, Frizette Stakes, Kentucky Oaks | |
| Sweet Alliance | Mare | Kentucky Oaks |
Sir Ivor was the subject of the 1969 documentary film The Year of Sir Ivor.
A street in the town of Newmarket, Ontario Canada, was named after Sir Ivor. The street is called Sir Ivor Court and is located in the upper-class neighbourhood of Stonehaven in the southeast corner of the town. Matt Farrell went under the pseudonym Sir Ivor with racing tips in the Evening Press, where he was deputy editor.
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