Newmarket Houghton meeting in late October when he started at odds of 5/2 and finished second to Speed-the-Plough in the Criterion Stakes. He was beaten by one length having been apparently unsuited by the slow early pace. Later in the same week he reversed the form with Speed-the-Plough when he started Evens favourite for the £700 Glasgow Stakes and won a more strongly run race by two lengths. 1853: three-year-old season In the 2,000 Guineas Stakes on 26 April West Australian started 4/6 favourite in a field of seven runners. The race was run in heavy rain and the second favourite, Orinoco took an early lead with the rest of the field closely grouped. Inside the last quarter mile West Australian moved into the lead with the Duke of Bedford's colt Sittingbourne emerging as his only challenger. The two pulled clear of the field before West Australian gained the advantage and won comfortably by half a length. On 25 May West Australian started 6/4 favourite for The Derby against twenty-seven opponents, despite having "tender feet" which made him unsuited by the prevailing hard ground. West Australian was ridden as usual by Frank Butler, who insisted on being the last to leave the paddock– a superstition he had acquired after Daniel O'Rourke's win in the previous year. The race began with an even start, and the very early running was made by Cheddar and Cineas, before Umbriel took the lead, with Butler settling West Australian towards the middle of the field. Early in the straight Umbriel began to tire and the lead was taken first by Rattle and then Cineas, while Butler moved into contention on the favourite closely followed by Sittingbourne. In the final furlong West Australian and Sittingbourne pulled clear of the rest and after a "very exciting" race, the favourite prevailed by a neck. Rataplan finished strongly to take third ahead of Honeywood and Rattle. Bowes, who was winning the race for the fourth time, won a first prize of £5,425. On 13 September at Doncaster, West Australian attempted to become the first horse to win the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger Stakes. Although these three races were recognised as the most important races of the season for three-year-old colts, the term Triple Crown was not used until some years later. The only previous attempt by a winner of the Guineas and Derby to win