Morel was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1808. In a racing career which lasted from April 1808 until July 1812 the mare ran twenty-seven times and won fourteen races. She was mainly campaigned at Newmarket Racecourse, running against some of the best horses of the era in match races and frequently carrying large weights in handicaps. Unlike many champions of the early 19th century, she was particularly effective at shorter distances, recording many of her successes over a mile or less. After her retirement from racing, Morel became a highly successful and influential broodmare, whose direct descendants have won numerous major races in Europe, North America, Japan and Australasia.
The Duke of Grafton, who bred and owned Morel
The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards, about 1½ miles, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June. It is the second-oldest of the five Classic races, after the St Leger. Officially the Betfred Oaks, it is also popularly known as simply The Oaks. It has increasingly come to be referred to as the Epsom Oaks in both the UK and overseas countries, although 'Epsom' is not part of the official title of the race.)
1801 Oaks winner Eleanor