On 28th September 1066 William , Duke of Normandy, landed at Pevensey on the Sussex coast before going on to defeat Harold. On the same day in 1996 an Italian conquered Ascot by winning all seven races on the card.

The National Horseracing Museum has on display some great mementos from that day. But why only four?

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HMS Pique at sea

 But for this stone acting as a plug to one of the larger holes, she would certainly have foundered and sank.  A splendid feat of seamanship by the captain. What did the future hold for the enterprising Captain, the hon H J Rous? The answer lies on the Summer 2011 Museum Treasure page on www.nhrm.co.uk

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The wooden post in a field next to the A1303.

The wooden post is in fact a replica of the Beacon Course starting post in its original 17th and 18th century location.

The replica Beacon Post with the A14 in the background.

The full story behind the Beacon Course and what happened to the original post can be read on the Museum Treasure of the Month page for March 2011.

The replica Beacon Post facing south-west.

The Beacon Course is just a part of the story explored in The Heath and the Horse exhibition at the National Horseracing Museum.

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]]> http://blog.nhrm.co.uk/index.php/it-started-here-the-beacon-course-that-is/feed/ 0 http://blog.nhrm.co.uk/index.php/he-stood-accused-200-years-ago/ http://blog.nhrm.co.uk/index.php/he-stood-accused-200-years-ago/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:42:39 +0000 Alan G http://blog.nhrm.co.uk/?p=264

Daniel Dawson was an ex-groom who had become a tout and who is reputed to have lodged at the Five Bells Inn on St Mary’s Square in Newmarket in 1811.

Just up the road from St Mary’s Square, on Mill Hill,  was Richard Prince’s stables. Prince trained a number of horses that were entered for the Newmarket Spring Meeting that year, some of which had been heavily backed. As was the custom then Prince would water his horses after a strong gallop from his own locked troughs situated on the Heath near the Well Gap.

After drinking from one of Prince’s troughs four of his horses subsequently died from poison.

A notice had been posted in 1809, after two horses belonging to Mr Stevens were suspected to have been poisoned, stating that Mr Weatherby offered a 100 guinea reward to anyone providing information to the conviction of the perpetrator. A second notice was posted after the second occurence in 1811,  raising the reward to 500 guineas.                            

Notice in the Racing Calendar, 1811

Daniel Dawson soon came under suspicion. His landlady  is said to have found a poison bottle amonst his possessions.  Evidence accumulated and Dawson was arrested and sent for trial.

To find out what happened next :  Go to the Museum’s website, www.nhrm.co.uk , and check out The Museum Treasure of the Month for Winter 2010/2011.

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This engraving of Albert, with Patrick Conolly up, is from a painting by Lambert Marshall (Ben’s son) that featured in the Sporting Magazine in September 1831. Horse and jockey are attended by a handler who is thought to be the trainer Henry Neale who trained for Lord Verulam.

The Sporting Magazine reported that  ‘Albert ran only five times, but won all in brilliant style. Conolly rode him on every occasion, which he could have done successfully without whip or spur…This very fine animal made his debut at the Newmarket Craven Meeting 1830 where he beat very easily Lord Cleveland’s colt by Morisco out of Waltz.’ Albert did not appear again until the October Meeting which does suggest that he was not a particularly sound horse. He did however win twice in October and was clearly primed and ready for a demanding day at the Houghton Meeting.

On November 5th 1830 Albert gave 5lbs and a beating to Mr Roberts’s Cloudesley and later that same day lined up in the Audley End Stakes over one mile and three quarters against the Duke of Rutland’s 5-y-olds Cadland (1828 Derby winner) and Oppidan. Albert, with his weight for age allowance, was too strong for his elders and beat Oppidan with Cadland third.

Expectations for Albert’s four year old career must have been high but tragically hopes were dashed before he could get to the racecourse in 1831. On the morning of Monday March 7th Albert took part in a trial gallop on Newmarket Heath with Patrick Conolly aboard and Lord Verulam in attendance. The Sporting Magazine correspondent describes what followed: ‘A very remarkable accident happened as the horses engaged in the trial were running down the fall of the New Ground, Across the Flat; Conolly told me that life became so instantaneously extinct, that Albert was dead while yet he was in stride.’  It appears Albert had suffered a catastrophic and fatal burst blood vessel.

Lord Verulam was so moved by this tragedy that he had a plaque erected as a lasting memorial to Albert that also seems evocative of all thoroughbreds that strive to give their all. A most appropiate Newmarket memorial.

In close-up you can make out a few words - just

But Albert is only half of my story of heroism and subsequent neglect.

In 1821 Patrick Conolly was brought to England from Ireland by Mr Prendergast and through his mediation and influence Conolly obtained the patronage of Lord Exeter, Lord Chesterfield, Lord Verulam and ‘many other prominent men of the Turf, to each and all of whom he proved himself to be a most faithful servant’. Prendergast’s horses were trained by Mr Henry Neale ‘under whose direction young Conolly came as a matter of course.’  During his time with Neale a particular incident had a significant impact on his destiny. The Sporting Magazine correspondent reported that  ‘Conolly, just at this period, had been riding a trial, at the conclusion of which he was asked by Neale if he had ever ridden in a race, to which he replied in the affirmative.  “By G-d, I thought so!’” said Neale, in his usual blunt good-natured manner: “you shall go to Chelmsford, and ride Vaurien for the Gold Cup”, which he did, and fortunately won’.  This was in 1823 and significantly Lord Verulam owned the horse.  The foundation of an association between Neale, Verulam and Conolly was formed.

This portrait of Patrick Conolly is an engraving from a painting by Robert Crane of Newmarket and shows Conolly in Lord Verulam’s colours:  white satin, trimmed with yellow, edged with black, and black cap and gold tassel.

A contemporary profile of Conolly appeared in the Sporting Magazine in 1835:

‘As a jockey Conolly now ranks high, and his popularity is not unmerited; for it would be difficult to name any great Stakes which he has not at some time or other won.  His firm seat, quickness in difficulties, united with a readiness to take advantage of the momentary changes which occur in a race, leave him almost without a superior.  Conolly’s character for integrity (the keystone in the arch of life) has, by his upright conduct, become firmly fixed in the minds of all who know him.’

In 1834 Conolly was selected by Mr Baston to ride Plenipotentiary (popularly known as ‘Plenipo’ at the time) in the Derby. Against Plenipo was the Earl of Jersey’s 2000 Guineas winner Glencoe ridden by Sam Chifney junior and the Duke of Cleveland’s Shilelagh ridden by Jem Robinson. In the race Plenipo and Glencoe were very fast away but after a couple of furlongs Conolly eased Plenipo right back and left Glencoe and Shilelagh up with the leaders. Conolly now had to decide whether he would go round horses or wait for a gap. He decided to wait. The tactic worked as the gap came after Tattenham Corner and Plenipo surged forward and drew up to a tiring Glencoe at the distance and ‘bounded to the front to win in a canter by two lengths’. This was probably the high point of Conolly’s riding career and the polar opposite of that fateful Albert gallop.

Patrick Conolly and 1834 Derby winner Plenipotentiary

In all Conolly won six English Classics in between 1830 and 1841:

In 1830: The 2000 Guineas on Augustus. Trained by C Marson and owned by Lord Exeter. The St Leger on Birmingham. Trained by T Flintoff and owned by J Beardsworth.

1831: The 1000 Guineas on Galatine. Trained by H Scott and owned by Sir M Wood.

1832: The Oaks on Galata. Trained by C Marson and owned by Lord Exeter.

1834: The Derby on Plenipotentiary. Trained by G Payne and owned by S Batson.

1841: The Derby on Coronation. Trained by Painter and owned by A T Rawlinson.

Success as a jockey was to be cut short. In late 1841  and early 1842 Conolly suffered from ‘a long and painfull illness’ and in the Spring of 1842 the Sporting Magazine announced his death in Newmarket on Saturday 9th April, aged 35. He was buried on the east side of All Saints Church close by the east entrance to the church. The headstone of his grave has, like Albert’s plaque, suffered from the ravages of time and vandalism. It is virtually illegible and is lying flat.

A few letters can be made out: P, A, K and LLY but not much else

It surely cannot be right for these two memorials to gradually fade into obscurity taking with them the presence of Albert and Conolly in Newmarket. Tony Morris raised the issue in April and I hope this rallying cry adds urgency to the need for restoration.

Alan Grundy

NHRM

Acknowledgements to The Cox Library for assistance in research.

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The July Stakes – first running 1786

The July Stakes is the oldest two-year-old race in the Racing Calendar. The original conditions of the race stipulated that horses sired by Eclipse  and Highflyer should carry three pounds extra. First run in 1786 it was run over an extended five furlongs of the Bunbury Course.

The first winner  was Bullfinch, a chesnut colt by Woodpecker out of Flirt. Ridden by John Pratt and owned by Lord Clermont.

Racing Calendar 1786

Lord Clermont (1722-1806) was a close friend of the Prince of Wales and a person of some consequence in the racing world. One of the courses at Newmarket was named after him for a time. Two other close associates of Clermont were Charles Fox and Lord Foley. Bullfinch spent most of the remaining part of his career running in matches (with mixed success) against horses owned by Fox, Foley and others.

Redevelopment of the July Racecourse – 22nd September 1931

The Cherry Hinton Stakes – first running 1947

The first running of the Cherry Hinton Stakes in 1947 was won by Sir Humphrey de Trafford’s Great Fun. A brown filly by Big Game out of Merry Devon, trained by Capt Boyd-Rochfort and ridden by Harry Carr.

Great Fun brown filly, b.1945

Meyrick Good wrote in Winners for 1948 that ‘one glance at Great Fun is enough to show why she was raced but little in her first season…Even in winning the Cherry Hinton she displayed unmistakable signs of greeness and stood higher behind than in front of the saddle. She should, however grow into a filly above the average in size…The ability is there all right. It is quite within range of possibility that she will make for her sporting owner a better three than two-year-old.’

Unfortunately that was not to be. Her connections clearly thought a lot of her as she ran in the 1000 Guineas trial Stakes, the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks but was down the field in all of them and her other few races. It seems she did not develop in the right way.

July Racecourse redevelopment – 14th October 1931

The Princess of Wales’s Stakes – first running 1894

The race was founded in 1894 to honour Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who became Princess of Wales on her marriage to the future King Edward VII in 1862. The first winner of the race was the 1893 Triple Crown winner Isinglass, owned by Col. Harry McCalmont of Cheveley Park and ridden by Tommy Loates. Interestingly from 1894 to 1904 the race was won by three Triple Crown winners:

1894 PoWs winner Isinglass

1899 PoWs winner Flying Fox in training

1899 PoWs winner Flying Fox at stud

1904 PoWs winner Rock Sand

A trio of great racehorses. They liked to be able to count their ribs in those days!

July Racecourse development – 2nd November 1931

The Falmouth Stakes – first running 1911

This mile race for fillies was named in honour of the 6th Viscount Falmouth (1819-1889) who was one of the most respected and successful owner-breeders of the Victorian era. He had success in no less than sixteen Classics from 1862 until he retired from the Turf in 1883. Falmouth was a genuine sportsman without being a bettor. He raced for the love of racing.

6th Viscount Falmouth

The first running of the Falmouth Stakes was won by Alice, owned by the Viscount’s descendant Lord Falmouth and ridden by Herbert Jones. It looks like the running of Alice in the race was contrived to result in a ‘family’ win. Her odds were 1/10 !     Alice went on to win the Yorkshire Oaks later that year.

1911 Racing Calendar

July Racecourse redevelopment – 19th November 1931

The July Cup –  first running 1876

Queen Victoria bred the first winner of the July Cup, a fine big bay colt called Springfield. He was bought out of the Hampton Court Stud by Mr J H Houldsworth and was sent to Jimmy Ryan at Green Lodge Stables at Newmarket. Ryan was great-great uncle to present Newmarket trainer William Jarvis.

1876 and 1877 winner Springfield with Jimmy Ryan

The intial running in 1876 was a curious affair. There were only three runners, the three-year-old Springfield, Crann Tair and Echanson, both two-year-olds [eligible at that time]. Echanson bolted and it was left to Springfield to beat Crann Tair by 12 lengths. Springfield did however win a more competitive renewal the next year. In all Springfield won 17 of his 19 races including the Gimcrack Stakes and Champion Stakes.

The July Racecourse in the 1930s

Well it’s onward now to Wednesday July 7th 2010 !  See you there.

Alan Grundy

NHRM.

Approaching Lincoln on the A57

  Well one of the grandstands still exists and it seems it is still used for a number of municipal and community functions. Unfortunately the steps at the front are cordoned off so you cannot climb up and get a panoramic view of the site.

 The stabling area from a distance seemed in good repair but I could not see what it was being used for. The main area behind the grandstand forms part of a park area and golf course and was well kept. In the 45 minutes I was there a number of cars came and went from the little car park next to the grandstand – it clearly is still popular spot – I like that.   

The surviving grandstand overlooking the A57

2009, the grandstand from behind

 The A57 divides the grandstand from the actual course which is still laid out with railings and fencing although rather overgrown. A reminder of the layout of the racourse from The Racecourses of Great Britain by F H Bayles published early in the twentieth century: Bayles remarked that ‘it is advisable for jockeys to avoid taking a line too close to the rails, because the ground runs in hollows, and is much better going three or four feet from the rails. A very sharp active animal is most at home over this course, which is certainly not adapted to very high couraged and exitable horses, whose temperaments are often upset by close crowds.’

Course plan, early 20th century

The two most important races traditionally run on the Carholme, where the racecourse is situated, were the Lincolnshire Handicap and the Brocklesby Stakes. The first winner of the Lincolnshire was Caurire in 1853. The Brocklesby was named after a colt bred at Brockelsby Park, Lincolnshire in 1709 and was run over one and a half milesfor all ages from 1849 until 1874. It was re-framed for two year olds over five furlongs as juvenile racing had became more popular. 

1930s, looking down the straight

2009, looking down the straight

Most racing historians would probably nominate the brilliant filly Sceptre* as the best racehorse ever to have graced the racecourse on the Carholme. Ironically though her run in the 1902 Lincolnshire ended in defeat by a head to St Maclou.  Sceptre* did , however, go on that year to win four Classics.

The Lincolnshire Handicap has always been a popular early season race and has attracted large fields which reached a high when Commissar beat 57 rivals in 1948. That must have been some sight.

1933, Lincolnshire Handicap day

2009, past the finish line

The financial fortunes and attendance at Lincoln races varied over many decades but by the mid twentieth century things were not looking very prosperous and in 1964 it all came to a head. In his 1972 article Philip Clifford wrote that ‘from the roof of the Stonebow, Lincoln’s ancient south gate, the 14th century Mote Bell rings out a summons before every meeting of the City Fathers but on Tuesday 21 July 1964 there could be little doubt as to why it tolled. It lamented the imminent death of one of England’s historic racecourses. The Lincoln Council had announced the immediate end of Lincoln races. A Statement read that the Council had considered the situation arising out the Home Secretary’s decision to approve the recommendation of the Horserace Betting Levy Board that finacial assistance to Lincoln racecourse should be withdrawn after 1966 and the declared intention of the Jockey Club not to grant fixtures after 1965…and that they feel that they are being forced out of business in a way that they deplore.’  The Spring meeting in 1964 was the last Under Rules but there were a few Point-to-Point meetings in 1967.

Stood by the A57 in 2009 looking down the course imagining Sceptre and Commissar was quite poignant and worth the break in my journey.

Alan Grundy

*Sceptre:  A wonderful painting of Sceptre is featured in the current exhibition,  

Thoroughbred: State of the Art 

at the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket. It is well worth a visit.