Epsom’s race days

Part One 1779-1830

   Bridget & Diomed – Priam

 

In 1779, Epsom ran two race meetings, the first in mid-May and the second in late October.

The May Meeting was run over three days – two races on Wednesday, 12^th – the first won by the Duke of Queensbury’s Slim, who won two of the three-mile heats. The second race, a match between Dennis O’Kelly’s Eclipse colt, Trimbush, and Mr Walker’s Scamp, was won by O’Kelly after agreeing the distance to be 980 yards.

Thursday had only one race – the Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Plate for horses of five years and upwards, run in four-mile heats – the Duke of Queensbury’s 6-y-o mare, Rosalba by Herod winning both heats.

On Friday, 14^th May, following the Ladies Plate won by Leapfrog, the inaugural Oaks was run over the last mile and a half of the old Orbicular course, and won by Lord Derby’s Bridget, from Mr Vernon’s Fame and ten others. The last race of the meeting, the Town Plate, was run in four-mile heats until one horse had won twice. Mr Stacie’s Toper took the prize after winning the third and fourth heat of a gruelling contest.

The three-day October Meeting opened on Tuesday, 26^th with another Town Plate, this won in two heats by Mr Redfearne’s Hephestion by Marske. Also that afternoon, was a Sweepstake for Hunters carrying 12st, over four miles.

On Wednesday, a Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Subscription Plate for ten 4-y-o’s was run in three-three-mile heats, Mr Jenning’s colt, Standby, winning two.

Thursday’s sport was taken up with another Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Plate, this one for ten 3-y-o’s over two miles. Captain Bertie’s filly, America by Marske, starting at Evens, took the prize, winning two of the three heats.

 In 1780, Epsom continued to run two meetings, the first in early-May and the second in late October. The May Meeting opened on Wednesday, the 3^rd, with two four-mile heats, won by Hephestion. Thursday the 4^th, saw the inaugural Derby, run over the last mile of the old Orbicular or Cup Course and won by Sir Charles Bunbury’s Diomed.

This was the first of two races, the second – the Noblemen and Gentleman’s Purse, run in three four-mile heats, was won by Major O’Kelly’s Eclipse colt, King Fergus, a future Champion Sire.

On Friday the 5^th, the Oaks, won by Mr Douglas’s Tetotum, was the first of two races, but Saturday had only one, a Town Plate, won by Lord Milsintown’s grey mare, Tiffany by Eclipse, who won both four-mile heats from six rivals.

Epsom’s 1780, four–day October meeting, opened on Monday the 23^rd, with a Hunters Sweepstake, both heats won by Mr Page’s colt by Matchem. Tuesday, featured a Town Plate, where Leapfrog beat the favourite Hephestion, in both four-mile heats; Wednesday had an 11-runner, 4-y-o Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Plate, won by Mr Dymock’s Alfred by Goldfinder, and on Thursday, a sweep for 3-y-o’s, run in three two-mile heats, was won by Sir John Lade’s Bishop Blaze.

In 1784, the Derby distance was increased to a mile and a half, so bringing it in line with the Oaks.

 

The Prince’s Stand, was originally built around 1784, and used by the Prince of Wales (later King George IV), for the royal party celebrations when the Prince won the Derby with Sir Thomas in 1788. Until 1829, it was the only permanent building on the Downs.

In 1799, there was no October meeting, but the May fixture was extended to four days. However, Wednesday, 8^th May, offered only a two-horse Sweepstakes over three miles, Thursday saw an 11-runner Derby, won by Archibald at 12-1. This was Sir Frank Standish’s third Derby winner, after Spread Eagle in 1795 and Didelot in 1796. The day concluded with a three-runner Sweepstakes over four miles.

Friday featured a four-runner-Oaks won by Lord Grosvenor’s Bellina. Grosvenor, a leading light on the Turf at the time, had previously owned three Derby winners, including the two brothers, Rhadamanthus(1790) and Daedalus (1794), and five Oaks winners, of which Bellina was his last.

The day continued with a 100-guinea one-mile match and closed with two two-mile heats for 3-y-o’s. Saturday’s opening race was the Woodcot Stakes (note the spelling), for 2-y-o colts and fillies over four furlongs. This was followed by a Sweepstakes for fillies (8st.) over a mile and a quarter, and won by Sir Charles Bunbury’s Pamela. The meeting concluded with a three-mile match, the winner, Mr Hay’s Midnight, conceding 2st, to the second.

For the record, this year’s even-money Derby favourite, Eagle, had yet to be named, and ran in the Derby as Brother to Spread Eagle. In the same way, the 1796 Derby favourite, Mr Teazle, had gone to post known as the Sir Peter colt. These two beaten favourites thereafter, fuelled a suspicion and prejudice against running unnamed candidates in the Derby.

 By 1830, single races were in vogue, the number of horses in training multiplied and fewer races were run in heats.

The previous year, Epsom opened the new Grandstand accommodating 5,000 spectators, including 2,000 standing on a terraced roof; the advertising proclaiming, “everyone can see the whole of the Derby Course.”

Epsom continued to run two meetings – four days in May and two days in October.

On Tuesday the ^{25th of May}, The Colonel, 2-1 favourite, took the Craven Stakes, the first of five races, before a dead-heat in the Shirley Stakes with Stakes divided. On Wednesday, Merman won the two-mile Epsom Gold Cup, followed by a Partisan filly taking the Woodcote Stakes.

Thursday started with the Derby, the first of five races, where Priam, owned and trained by William Chifney, beat 22 rivals. Friday, also had five races, commencing with the Oaks, where Mr Scott Stonehewer’s, Variation beat 17 rivals, to win at 28-1.

Finally, in mid-October – Thursday the 14^th, there were three races featuring the six-furlong, Epsom Stakes for two and three-year-olds, and on Friday, the Wellington Stakes, a handicap over the Derby Course, the first of four races.

This pattern continued to the mid-19th century when the Great Metropolitan Handicap (2 miles 2 furlongs) and the City and Suburban Handicap (1 mile 2 furlongs) injected new life into racing at Epsom, with betting on the double a major feature.

 

EPSOM’S RACE DAYS

Part Two  1844-1886

Orlando to Ormonde

 

In 1844 – the year of the Running Rein affair – the Spring Meeting was run as a single day – 29^th March – comprising the one-mile Epsom Trial Stakes, two Sweepstakes won by Lord George Bentinck and a six-furlong Match.

The May Meeting opened, as usual, with the Woodcote Stakes on Tuesday, 21^st.

The infamous Derby was run on Wednesday, 22^nd, the first of four races, after which, Colonel Peel, the owner of the second, Orlando, claimed the stakes and advised no money be paid to the owner’s of Running Rein.

Ironically, the following race, the Epsom Stakes, was won by the appropriately named, Misdeal, owned by Lord Bentinck – the main force behind the disqualification of Running Rein, whose story is related in a previous posting.

Thursday’s feature was the Surrey Cup, a handicap over two miles, won by Lord Verulam’s, Robert de Gorham, carrying the top weight of 8st 6lb and winning by two lengths from 15 rivals.

In Friday’s Oaks Stakes, the first of three races, 25 went to post, a record to that date – The Princess – a well-backed winner at 5-1 was ridden by Frank Butler. The final race saw Misdeal win again at the Meeting, this time with a different owner – Mr Death.

There was no October Meeting.

 

Forward to 1853 and the first Triple Crown winner – West Australian 

There were three Meetings at Epsom – April, May and November.

The one-day Epsom Spring Meeting run on Thursday 7^th April, featured both the City and Suburban and the Great Metropolitan handicaps, the jockeys at this time being both smaller and lighter than today .

The former race was won by the 2-1 favourite, Ethelbert, 3y-5st-13lb, and ridden by Tiny Wells, one of the tallest jockeys in the weighing room. The Great Met was won by Gadabout (3y-5st-7lb), from Richmond (4y-5st-9lb) and Contentment (3y-4st-7lb), the latter the 5-4 gamble of the day, ridden by 16-year old and future champion jockey, George Fordham.

 

The May Meeting opened on Tuesday, the 24th, with the mile-and-a-quarter Craven Stakes, won by Grapeshot with Tiny Wells aboard.

He later won the Horton Stakes on the filly Antonina. Curiously, the Woodcote Stakes was won by Mr R. E. Cooper’s completely un-backed colt, Woodcote.

On the Wednesday, the Derby, now the second race on the card, was won by John Bowes’s West Australian, later determined as the first Triple Crown winner.

Thursday featured a King’s Plate for mares, while on Friday, the Oaks, was won by the 5-4 favourite, Catherine Hayes (named after Dennis O’Kelly’s mistress).

Epsom’s one-day Autumn Meeting was run on 3^rd November – six races with the Epsom Autumn Handicap the feature; this run over the Derby Course and won easily by the even-money favourite, Little David, ridden by George Fordham.

 

By 1865 racehorses were now sent to meetings in special trains; two and four-mile Sweepstakes were a thing of the past and, the racing public were informed by Bell’s Life in London, The Field and The Sporting Life.

Epsom’s two-day Spring Meeting was run in April, on Tuesday, 25^th and Wednesday 26^th.

Tuesday’s card comprised six races including, the Inkerman Plate, a handicap for all ages, run over four furlongs.

The 2-y-o‘s carried 5st 7lb, but the winner, Hesper, aged seven, ridden by George Fordham, 10st 10lb. Also that day, the City and Suburban had a field of 20, with Tiny Wells bringing in Argonaut at 25-1.

Wednesday had eight races, including the Great Metropolitan won by Mr Craven’s Planet, ridden by Thomas French. The last race, the New 2-y-o Stakes run over six furlongs, saw Count Batthyany’s, even-money favourite, Mazeppa, driven home by Custance to win by a neck.

 

The May Meeting, opened on Tuesday, 30^th, and sported a seven-race card, with Janitor (Tiny Wells), beating Mazeppa  (Custance), in the Woodcote Stakes.

On Wednesday, the 29-runner Derby went to Comte Frederick de Lagrange’s French-bred, Gladiateur, with Christmas Carol two lengths away, second.

Swift compensation came a day later when Christmas Carol won the Epsom Cup over the same course.

Gladiateur,  publicised as The Avenger of Waterloo. was not only the first French winner of the Derby, but the Triple Crown also.

On the Friday, in the third of seven races, Mr Harlock’s 20-1 shot Regalia, won the Oaks by six lengths.

 

In 1875, after additional accommodation was hurriedly constructed for the visit of the Prince of Wales, the two-day Spring Meeting opened on Tuesday, 20^th April, with seven races, including the 23-runner City and Suburban won by Dalham at odds of 1000-15 (66-1 these days).

Wednesday went one better with eight races, starting with a seven-furlong High-weight handicap, with weights ranging from 8st 7lb to 11st 0lb.

The Great Metropolitan was won by James Nightingall’s, Hampton, a 3-y-o with 6st 3lb (including a 5lb penalty).

Hampton went on to win the Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup and Epsom Gold Cup, before siring three Derby winners: Merry Hampton (1887), Ayrshire (1888) and Ladas (1894) and the dam of Derby winners, Persimmon (1896) and Diamond Jubilee (1900).

With Derby Day crowds now regularly exceeding half a million, the four-day Summer Meeting ran from Tuesday, May 25^th to Friday, 28^th, during which many bookmakers suffered heavy losses.

Favourites won four of the five races on Derby Day, including the well-backed Derby winner, Galopin and, the last four races on Oaks Day, including the 5-4 Oaks favourite, Spinaway.

 

 1886 – Saw the opening of a new three-storey Club Stand, topped with a small tower; this replacing the previous west extension to the Grandstand.

 Epsom ran three meetings – the Spring meeting in early April, the Summer Meeting in late May and the return of the Autumn Meeting, this time in early October.

The Spring Meeting opened on Tuesday, 6^th May, with seven races, featuring the Great Metropolitan, won by Postscript, owned and trained by Tom Cannon.

Tom had ridden the winners of 13 Classic races, including Shotover (1882 Derby) and trained Busybody to win the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks.

Later that day, the Prince of Wales Handicap was won by Criterion, with the 5-y-o mare, Perdita, a length away second. At the end of the year she went to stud and mated to St Simon produced the Prince of Wales’s Derby winners Persimmon (1896) and Diamond Jubilee (1900).

On Wednesday, 7^th May, the City and Suburban provided an exciting finish between the first two in the market: Charlie Wood on Royal Hampton (100-12), beating 5-1 favourite, Highland Chief (George Barrett) by half-a-length.

The Summer Meeting got underway on Tuesday, 25^th May, with The Baron, ridden by Charlie Wood winning the Woodcote Stakes. Charlie had ridden the first of his three Derby winners in 1883, on St Blaise.

 On Wednesday, Ormonde, ridden by Fred Archer, cruised to victory in the Derby at odds of 4-9, landing the second leg of his historic Triple Crown.

The next day featured The Epsom Grand Prize, for 3-y-o’s, run over the City and Suburban Course with 1,000 sov. added for the winner and 200 sov. for the breeder. Lord Alington took both prizes with Candlemas, a son of Hermit and brother to St Blaise.

On Friday, Miss Jummy was a popular Oaks winner at even-money, but bookmakers got it back in the Epsom Cup, when the 1-8 Bird of Freedom (Fred Archer), was beaten by Radius in a three-horse race.

The two-day Autumn Meeting opened on Wednesday 6^th October, with the one-mile October Handicap centre stage. The starter, however, let them go with the favourite, Gay Hermit, facing the other way. Finishing down the field his jockey, George Barrett was called before the Stewards, but on hearing the evidence they acquitted him of “any intentional misconduct.”

Thursday’s card had six races and featured the Corinthian Plate, wherein the first three home were ridden by their owners, including George ‘Abingdon’ Baird, the successful owner/jockey buying back his bay colt, Tommy Upton for 380 guineas.

 Throughout this period the Derby was by far the most prostigious sporting event in Great Britain.

For more racing history see Michael’s Books for Sale. 

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