Racing

This is a card advertising that Hotspur will serve mares at Allington near Devises. Thoroughbreds £5.5s,  Half-Breds, £2.5s  Groom’s fee included This celebrated Horse is by Sir Hercules, his dam by Rajah. He contested the Derby with Flying Dutchman in 1819, Beating the best horses of the year; at the meeting of the Royal Agricultural

The Durdans in 1746 The Durdans house is approached along Chalk Lane and Woodcote end, in Epsom in the county of Surrey. Its name can be traced back to 1375, to its first owner, Richard Diridenne or Dirden, it is likely that this first house was visited by Samuel Pepys, John Evelyn and Charles ll,

The mare Scapa Flow 1914 was purchased by Lord Derby on the advice of his trainer, George Lambton, He was not to know then that she would through her matings produce a slew of Derby winners. This chart shows how they came about. She was responsible for the Northern Dancer line and Frankel. Derby Winners

It remains a mystery as to when and how the first horse was tamed and ridden. As to the first training program for fitness we have only the available records. Trying to assess when the first horses were ridden or used as pack animals has also been a matter of wide contention; as bit wear

In 1776 the St Leger was the first of the classic races to be instigated in England. Colonel Anthony St Leger lived not far from the Doncaster Racecourse at Park Hill.  It was his idea to run a race for 3 year old colts to carry 8st stone and fillies to carry 7 stone. It

The Oaks was the second classic race to be added to the Racing Calendar.   The first Classic race over a mile and a half was the St Leger.  Instigated by Anthony St Leger, (prounced Sellinger) a great sportsman. A field of six went to the post in 1776. It never looked back and Laura Mongan

Collecting race cards can become a ghastly habit. of course some are really rare. The Epsom Derby cards are not, except perhaps the very early ones. In this country we have them printed up into little leaflets. In France they just have a sheet with all the races on it.  I have an extensive collection