Soothsayer was a large, golden chestnut horse with no white markings bred in Yorkshire by his owner Richard Oliver Gascoigne.

Ridden by Ben Smith he was made the 6/1 second choice in the betting behind Mr Astley's colt Magic, the 2/1 favourite, who had finished second to Phantom in the Derby.

Before the end of the year, the St Leger winner was sold for 2000 guineas to Lord Foley, and officially named Soothsayer.

Despite carrying top weight of 130 pounds he started 5/4 favourite[7] for a ten furlong sweepstakes and won the 750 guineas prize by beating the Duke of Rutland's colt Grimalkin by a neck.

He was withdrawn from both the Garden Stakes (won by Grimalkin) and a match against the Duke of Rutland's filly Elizabeth before finishing last of the three runners behind Sorcery in a sweepstakes over the Abington Mile course.

Phantom was made the 2/5 betting favourite, but Soothsayer, ridden by Bill Clift defeated the Derby winner easily[10] to claim a 500 guinea prize.

His next crop of foals included the Derby winner Tiresias whose victories in 1819 enabled Soothsayer to become that year's Champion sire.