1983: two-year-old season Chief Singer never ran in a
maiden race and was unusual in that his entire career was spent in
Group Race company. On his first racecourse appearance he was sent to Royal Ascot in June where he ran in the six
furlong Coventry Stakes. Shortly before the race, Sheather had matched the colt against a successful six-year-old handicapper named Teamwork in a trial gallop, and decided to send the colt straight to Ascot after he easily defeated In the Coventry Stakes, Chief Singer started a
20/1 outsider in a field of fourteen runners. Before the race
Lester Piggott asked Cochrane how he expected to win on "that big black oaf". Cochrane responded "take a good look at his face, because all you're going to see at the end is his arse". Timeform praised his "extraordinary turn of foot" and called his victory a "scintillating display". A month later, Chief Singer started favourite for the July Stakes at Newmarket. He pulled hard on the way to the start and fought his jockey's attempts to restrain him during the race before finishing fifth of the six runners behind Superlative. After the race, Chief Singer's performances in training deteriorated sharply, with Shearer reporting that the horse seemed unable to even
canter. A succession of veterinary examinations failed to find any physical explanation and the colt did not race again in 1983. In May Chief Singer started a 20/1 outsider in a field of nine for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, with
El Gran Senor being made the 15/8 favourite ahead of
Lear Fan, Keen and
Rainbow Quest in what was considered an unusually strong running of the
classic. After being last in the early stages he moved forward to take the lead approaching the final furlong but was immediately challenged by
El Gran Senor. The two colts quickly drew away from the rest of the field, with the favourite prevailing by lengths and Chief Singer finishing four lengths clear of
Lear Fan in third. In June, a year after his last win, Chief Singer returned to Royal Ascot for the St James's Palace Stakes (then a Group Two race) over one mile. Starting the 85/40 favourite, Chief Singer again started slowly but moved up to fourth place entering the straight. Cochrane sent him into the lead two furlongs out and the colt accelerated clear of the field to win by eight lengths from Keen and Kalim in a track record time of 1:38.90. Cochrane had to resort to the whip to get the favourite to the post half a length ahead of his rival, with the pair finishing seven lengths clear of the rest. After an enquiry by the racecourse stewards, Rousillon was disqualified from second and placed last with his jockey Greville Starkey, being found guilty of "reckless riding". Sheather then moved Chief Singer up in distance for the
Benson & Hedges Gold Cup over furlongs at
York. The colt failed to reproduce his best form as he finished third behind the four-year-olds
Cormorant Wood and
Tolomeo, one place ahead of
Sadler's Wells. His apparent failure to stay led to plans to run him in the
Champion Stakes being abandoned and he next appeared in the
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over one mile at Ascot in late September. Chief Singer bolted on the way to the start and it took Cochrane some time to bring the horse under control. When the race began he was left behind at the start and was never in contention at any stage, finishing tailed-off in last place behind
Teleprompter. He was then retired to stud with a valuation of £4.8 million. ==Assessment==