Pilsudski (23 April 1992 – 4 June 2015) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a four-season career from 1994 to 1997, he progressed from winning modest group races to be regarded as one of the best racehorses in the world. He won eleven races in five different countries, six of them at Group One level. He also finished second in successive runnings of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Background Pilsudski was a "big, imposing" bay horse. He was bred in Ireland by his owner's Ballymacoll Stud near Dunboyne, County Meath. Pilsudski was sired by Polish Precedent, a son of Champion sire Danzig out of the Troy mare Cocotte. Polish Precedent won the Prix Jacques le Marois and the Prix du Moulin in 1989 and went on to sire the winners of almost five hundred races. Apart from Pilsudski, his most notable offspring was the champion miler Rakti. Apart from Pilsudski, Cocotte produced at least seven other winners, most notable Fine Motion, the winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup and the Shūka Sho. Pilsudski was trained throughout his career by Michael Stoute at Newmarket, Suffolk. He was jointly owned by Lord Weinstock and his son Simon, until Simon's death in May 1996. Pilsudski was named after the Polish politician and patriot Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935) who was known for his love for horses. Racing career 1994: two-year-old season Pilsudski's racing career began unremarkably in September 1994 when he ran sixth in a nineteen-runner maiden race at Newmarket behind the future Gran Premio del Jockey Club winner Court of Honour. He was then made favourite for a similar race at Leicester but made no impression, finishing eighth. 1995: three-year-old season Pilsudski failed to win in his early three-year-old career, finishing second in a maiden at Ripon and then running down the field in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. In July, Pilsudski won at his fifth attempt, staying on strongly to win a mile and a quarter handicap at Newmarket under a light weight. Two weeks later, he followed up over a mile and a half at Glorious Goodwood, winning another handicap by a neck from Rokeby Bowl. On his final start of the year he finished third to the future Caulfield Cup winner Taufan's Melody in a handicap at Ascot in September. He had proved himself to be a useful handicapper, but his official