Ile de Bourbon (1975–1997) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from 1977 until October 1979 he ran twelve times and won five races. His most important success came in July 1978 when he won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. He was retired to stud in 1979 and sired the Derby winner Kahyasi. Background Ile de Bourbon was a dark-coated bay horse standing 16.1 hands high, bred in the United States by Jane Engelhard, the wife of Charles W. Engelhard, Jr. He was sired by the Triple Crown winner Nijinsky out of the French mare Roseliere, whose wins included the Prix de Diane and the Prix Vermeille. In addition to Ile de Bourbon, Roseliere also produced the leading British filly Rose Bowl and was a full sister of the leading National Hunt stallion Roselier. When the British trainer Fulke Johnson Houghton first saw the yearling in Kentucky, he described him as "all ribs, looking a right bugger", but bought him anyway and brought him back to train at his stable at Blewbury in Wiltshire. Ile de Bourbon ran in the colours of David McCall and was owned by McCall in partnership with Sir Philip Oppenheimer, Fulke Johnson Houghton and the trainer's mother, Helen Johnson Houghton. Racing career 1977: two-year-old season In 1977, Ile de Bourbon finished fourth over seven furlongs on his racecourse debut and was then moved up sharply in class for the Group One William Hill Futurity at Doncaster in which he finished ninth behind Dactylographer. 1978: three-year-old season Ile de Bourbon began his three-year-old season by finishing second to the soon-to-be Epsom Derby winner Shirley Heights in the Listed Heathorn Stakes at Newmarket. He then finished second in the Predominate Stakes, a trial race for The Derby. Ile de Bourbon missed The Derby but ran two weeks later at Royal Ascot, when he recorded his first important win in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes. He returned to Ascot in July for Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He started at odds of 12/1 in a field of fourteen runners. Ridden by John Reid, he won by one and a half lengths from the Prix du Jockey Club winner Acamas and the Epsom Derby runner-up Hawaiian Sound. Acamas was subsequently disqualified after failing a drug test. In August,