As a three-year-old he was just beaten by a short-head in the Derby, before winning the St. Leger later in the season, despite being 100 yards behind the rest of the field at one point in the race.

Lord Clifden was purchased by Carnegie Robert John Jervis, 3rd Viscount St Vincent, after his first race and was sold to Thomas Gee as a stallion.

[3] Despite getting a bad start,[4] he took the lead as the field entered straight and won easily by a length and a half from The Orphan.

[3] After the Woodcote Stakes Lord Clifden was purchased by Captain Christie for £4,000 and then a few weeks later by Carnegie Robert John Jervis, 3rd Viscount St Vincent, for 5,000 guineas.

As the six-runner field entered the final furlong Lord Clifden had almost caught leaders Armagnac and Early Purl.

When they finally got under way, Lord Clifden was positioned in about tenth place by Fordham, as Bright Cloud led the field.

With one mile still to run Bright Cloud faded and left Donnybrook and Lord Clifden in the lead.

As the horses rounded Tattenham Corner, Lord Clifden had a slight lead over Donnybrook, with Tom Fool lying in third.

As then entered the finishing straight Donnybrook and Lord Clifden's nearest challengers were Tom Fool and Macaroni.

[6] Inside the final furlong Macaroni closed down the leader and with Lord Clifden stumbling in the last stride got the better and won by a short-head.

[8] The following day Lord Clifden turned out for the Great Surrey Foal Stakes, where his only rival was the French horse Jarnicoton.

It was a cloudy day in Paris and there was a large crowd, including the Emperor and Empress, King Fernando of Portugal and the Prince of Orange.

Both La Toucques and Lord Clifden made progress through the pack together and when the field turned into the finishing straight the pair were vying for the lead along with The Ranger and Saccharometer.

[9] In the St. Leger Stakes, John Osborne took the ride on Lord Clifden,[10] after regular jockey George Fordham expressed satisfaction over the colt getting beat in the Grand Prix de Paris (Viscount St Vincent did not ask him to ride in the Longchamp race).

[12] Inside the last mile Lord Clifden began to close rapidly on the other horses, who were still being led by Dr. Syntax.

Lord Clifden again raced at the rear of the field until he made his challenge in the straight and winning easily by half a length from Borealis (who was carrying 14 pounds less weight).

Lord Clifden never got on terms and faded in the straight to finish second, ten lengths behind Rapid Rhone.

[18] In late July Lord Clifden was allotted top weight of 8 st 12 lb for the Chesterfield Cup run over one and a quarter miles at Goodwood.

This caused him to blunder and fall on his head, throwing John Osbourne to the ground, although the jockey did not sustain any serious injuries.

[20] Lord Clifden finished sixth in the list of leading sires in 1870, when Hawthornden won the St. Leger, and at the end of the year Thomas Gee purchased him for 4,000 guineas, to stand at his Dewhurst Lodge Stud in Wadhurst, Sussex.