Hethersett and Blakeney are representatives of the Byerley Turk sire line,[1] unlike more than 95% of modern thoroughbreds, who descend directly from the Darley Arabian.

Shortly before the sale the colt was kicked by another horse and the resulting swelling deterred potential buyers[3] so that he failed to reach his reserve price of 5,000gns.

A month later, Blakeney, ridden by Ernie Johnson, recorded his first victory by winning the twenty-seven runner race at Newmarket.

[6] At Epsom, Blakeney was reunited with the twenty-one-year-old Ernie Johnson, who had been promised the ride after the win at Newmarket, and started at odds of 15/2.

Budgett then took the unusual decision to move Blakeney up in distance for the two and a half mile Ascot Gold Cup, a race which had not been won by a Derby winner since Ocean Swell in 1945.

Blakeney's best performance of the year came in defeat, when he ran in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July.

Although he was no threat to the odds on favourite Nijinsky he kept on well under pressure to finish second, four lengths clear of the other runners who included Caliban (Coronation Cup), Crepellana (Prix de Diane) and the Washington, D.C. International winner Karabas.

"[12] Blakeney stood as a stallion at the National Stud at Newmarket, where was later joined by his fellow Derby winners Mill Reef and Grundy.