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No, it's not a misprint - the oldest book in my racing library is a McCalls Racing Chronicle, Annual Volume 1913, which gives the result of every race run under rules that year. So whilst my writing about the National Hunt meeting of 100 years ago won't help us to find any winner this year, I'm hoping some forum members will find it interesting.
The 1913 meeting was staged over two days, Wednesday March 12th and Thursday March 13th, with six races each day, first race off at 1:30, last race at 4:45. This is how the program looked, with some some familiar race names present:
Weds Mar 13th
1:30 Southam Selling Chase 2ml 100 yds £87
2:00 Stayers Selling Hurdle 3 ml £184
3:00 National Hunt Chase 4 ml £815
3:45 Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase (H'cap) 2ml 100 yds £412
4:15 National Hunt Juvenile Chase (for 4-y-olds) 2m 100 yds £395
4:45 Cotswold N.H. Flat Race 2 ml £164
Thurs Mar 14th
1:30 Cleeve Selling Hurdle 2 ml £87
2:00 Swindon Selling Chase 3 ml £184
2:45 Foxhunters Chellenge Cup (Chase) 4ml £831 6s
3:30 National Hunt H'cap Chase 3 ml 2 fur £832
4:15 County H'cap Hurdle 2 ml 2 fur £827
4:45 Gloucestershire Maiden Hurdle 2 ml £164
I'll post further info on each individual race over the next few weeks. One piece of information it would be useful to have is to know how those prize money figures match up against the cost of keeping a horse in training and the wages paid to a stable lad at that time. I've nothing in my library that would give a definitive answer, but my best guess is that an owner would have been paying around £1 10s to £2 per week and that a lad would be paid about 10s per week. But if anyone has more accurate info, please let us know.
(For younger readers, 10s is 50p in modern terms)
The 1913 meeting was staged over two days, Wednesday March 12th and Thursday March 13th, with six races each day, first race off at 1:30, last race at 4:45. This is how the program looked, with some some familiar race names present:
Weds Mar 13th
1:30 Southam Selling Chase 2ml 100 yds £87
2:00 Stayers Selling Hurdle 3 ml £184
3:00 National Hunt Chase 4 ml £815
3:45 Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase (H'cap) 2ml 100 yds £412
4:15 National Hunt Juvenile Chase (for 4-y-olds) 2m 100 yds £395
4:45 Cotswold N.H. Flat Race 2 ml £164
Thurs Mar 14th
1:30 Cleeve Selling Hurdle 2 ml £87
2:00 Swindon Selling Chase 3 ml £184
2:45 Foxhunters Chellenge Cup (Chase) 4ml £831 6s
3:30 National Hunt H'cap Chase 3 ml 2 fur £832
4:15 County H'cap Hurdle 2 ml 2 fur £827
4:45 Gloucestershire Maiden Hurdle 2 ml £164
I'll post further info on each individual race over the next few weeks. One piece of information it would be useful to have is to know how those prize money figures match up against the cost of keeping a horse in training and the wages paid to a stable lad at that time. I've nothing in my library that would give a definitive answer, but my best guess is that an owner would have been paying around £1 10s to £2 per week and that a lad would be paid about 10s per week. But if anyone has more accurate info, please let us know.
(For younger readers, 10s is 50p in modern terms)
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I bet Reg Hollinshead had a couple of entries.
Well done TA. Interesting they had a bumper all tose years ago!
The NH flat race certainly wasn't a bumper as we know it now - the winner had run in the Imperial Cup on his previous start and went on to win a handicap chase at Newbury two days later!
Anyway, the details for the opening race, which I somehow doubt produced the sort of roar we get for the Supreme Novices.
The Southam Selling Chase attracted 8 runners, all described in the manner of the time as 'aged' - i.e. more than six years old. The result:
1. Buzzy a. 11-6 Mr J George 6/1
2. Nimrod a. 12-0 Capt Paynter 11/8 fav
3. Simon The Diver a. 11-2 Mr Nelson 100/8
Dist 3/4l, 5 lengths Trainer : George (trainers didn't qualify for initials or titles and the owner gets no mention at all)
The winner was bought in for 175 gns
The jockey on the runner-up may not have been too popular with punters as he put up 3lbs overweight.
One other oddity is that the form book reports the off time as 1:29 for a race scheduled at 1:30. In later years that would have led to the race being declared void - I can certainly remember at least one such occurrence in my younger years, a hurdle race at Ascot. But the rules as they applied in 1913 are printed in full in the annual and no mention is made of race off times.
Selling races feature at all the major meetings in 1913 with the sole exception of Royal Ascot. Both Guineas were immediately followed by 2-y-old sellers, the Derby meeting had a seller just before the big race, and the Ebor meeting included a 5 furlong race called the Nunthorpe Selling Stakes.
Anyway, the details for the opening race, which I somehow doubt produced the sort of roar we get for the Supreme Novices.
The Southam Selling Chase attracted 8 runners, all described in the manner of the time as 'aged' - i.e. more than six years old. The result:
1. Buzzy a. 11-6 Mr J George 6/1
2. Nimrod a. 12-0 Capt Paynter 11/8 fav
3. Simon The Diver a. 11-2 Mr Nelson 100/8
Dist 3/4l, 5 lengths Trainer : George (trainers didn't qualify for initials or titles and the owner gets no mention at all)
The winner was bought in for 175 gns
The jockey on the runner-up may not have been too popular with punters as he put up 3lbs overweight.
One other oddity is that the form book reports the off time as 1:29 for a race scheduled at 1:30. In later years that would have led to the race being declared void - I can certainly remember at least one such occurrence in my younger years, a hurdle race at Ascot. But the rules as they applied in 1913 are printed in full in the annual and no mention is made of race off times.
Selling races feature at all the major meetings in 1913 with the sole exception of Royal Ascot. Both Guineas were immediately followed by 2-y-old sellers, the Derby meeting had a seller just before the big race, and the Ebor meeting included a 5 furlong race called the Nunthorpe Selling Stakes.
interesting stuff, that jockey putting up 3lb over weight he must of been hung for that. fav backers must of been seething. The gold cup was actually a handicap all them years ago then, and the fox hunters was nearly the richest race of the meeting 
Interesting stuff TA, keep um coming!
(you're missed on the Spurs Files)
(you're missed on the Spurs Files)
Like all this,fascinating.
More please TA,much appreciated.
More please TA,much appreciated.
The second race, and only five runners for the Stayers Selling Hurdle:
1. Silver Bay a. 12-0 Mr Heasman 7/4
2. Submit a. 12-0 Mr Ussher 5/6
3. Caldwell 5y 11-8 Mr A Smith 5/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, 15 lengths Trained by Fitton
The winner was bought in for 180 gns.
The first two had both contested a 2 ml selling hurdle just five days earlier at Hurst Park, when Submit won and Silver Bay was only 4th. Submit was chasing a five timer in this race, having also won selling hurdles at Hurst Park on Feb 14th and two at Sandown on Feb 27th and Mar 1st. All those wins were over 2 miles, so I'm sure the question of his stamina for this longer trip would have featured prominently at the 1913 Cheltenham preview evenings. Silver Bay had finished second in a non selling handicap hurdle over 2 ml 4 fur at Sandown, but otherwise punters were operating in the dark as hurdle races over 3 miles were extremely rare.
The format of opening the meeting with two sellers was quite normal for Cheltenham. The course raced on six days in 1913, these two plus two in mid April, one in early November and one in the week after Xmas. All six meetings followed the pattern of two selling races to open proceedings.
One last point of interest from this race is that when Silver Bay was second in that handicap, he was ridden by 'Piggott', which I presume was Lester's father, Keith Piggott, who was certainly a professional jump jockey in his youth. With most of the rides at Cheltenham taken by amateurs, neither he, nor the man who rode the Sandown winner, George Duller, had any rides at the meeting. Duller was known as one of the greatest riders over hurdles of that era and near the end of his career, rode the winner of the first ever Champion Hurdle. He had a handicap hurdle named in his memory at Cheltenham which was run at the April meeting until 1993.
1. Silver Bay a. 12-0 Mr Heasman 7/4
2. Submit a. 12-0 Mr Ussher 5/6
3. Caldwell 5y 11-8 Mr A Smith 5/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, 15 lengths Trained by Fitton
The winner was bought in for 180 gns.
The first two had both contested a 2 ml selling hurdle just five days earlier at Hurst Park, when Submit won and Silver Bay was only 4th. Submit was chasing a five timer in this race, having also won selling hurdles at Hurst Park on Feb 14th and two at Sandown on Feb 27th and Mar 1st. All those wins were over 2 miles, so I'm sure the question of his stamina for this longer trip would have featured prominently at the 1913 Cheltenham preview evenings. Silver Bay had finished second in a non selling handicap hurdle over 2 ml 4 fur at Sandown, but otherwise punters were operating in the dark as hurdle races over 3 miles were extremely rare.
The format of opening the meeting with two sellers was quite normal for Cheltenham. The course raced on six days in 1913, these two plus two in mid April, one in early November and one in the week after Xmas. All six meetings followed the pattern of two selling races to open proceedings.
One last point of interest from this race is that when Silver Bay was second in that handicap, he was ridden by 'Piggott', which I presume was Lester's father, Keith Piggott, who was certainly a professional jump jockey in his youth. With most of the rides at Cheltenham taken by amateurs, neither he, nor the man who rode the Sandown winner, George Duller, had any rides at the meeting. Duller was known as one of the greatest riders over hurdles of that era and near the end of his career, rode the winner of the first ever Champion Hurdle. He had a handicap hurdle named in his memory at Cheltenham which was run at the April meeting until 1993.
Great stuff,and i remember that race at Cheltenham named after Duller.
Sellers at Cheltenham,how times change!!
Sellers at Cheltenham,how times change!!
A bit of research that I should have done before my last post! Lester's dad, Keith, was only eight years old at the time of the 1913 NH meeting, so it's safe to say he didn't ride Silver Bay. In fact it must have been Lester's grandfather, Ernie Piggott, who was champion NH jockey in 1913.
Wasn't Silver Bay Jim McGrath's last winning tip?
The third race is the feature of the two day meeting, a race also known as the Amateurs Grand National. You can find a full history of this running of the race and all the others between 1860 and 2010 in the book written by Peter Stevens (aka wizardofoz on here), but for completeness, here's the result from 1913, when a field of thirty turned out:
1. Kransfugel a. 12-3 Mr R Hall 33/1
2. Wavelet 6y 12-3 Mr I Straker 4/1 fav
3. Fallen Crown a. 12-3 Mr Heasman 20/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, 8 lengths Trained by Pirie
Have a look at http://www.nhchase.co.uk/index.html, for details on the book, and also for a map that shows the course used for this race in 1913.
I haven't been able to find any archive film of Cheltenham from 100 years ago, but this newsreel footage of the NH Chaase from 1924 (the oldest available) gives a feel for the event:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/chasing-ascot/
The side on view of two horses running to the last fence at 1m 03secs into the film gives an idea of riding styles of that era, although the finish shown after that shot looks like a totally different race! One other thing I take from the film is that if you wanted to get rich in the 1920s, you opened a shop selling hats - I can't see a single bare headed person anywhere.
That British pathe site has plenty of racing footage going back to the 20's that shows how much racing has changed. Compared to today, the impact of 'elfnsafety' is very noticeable, with horses racing practically through the middle of the crowd. And on a lighter note, I wonder when it was that flat jockeys gave up the habit of wearing an overcoat over their colours in the paddock, which was only removed when they mounted up.
1. Kransfugel a. 12-3 Mr R Hall 33/1
2. Wavelet 6y 12-3 Mr I Straker 4/1 fav
3. Fallen Crown a. 12-3 Mr Heasman 20/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, 8 lengths Trained by Pirie
Have a look at http://www.nhchase.co.uk/index.html, for details on the book, and also for a map that shows the course used for this race in 1913.
I haven't been able to find any archive film of Cheltenham from 100 years ago, but this newsreel footage of the NH Chaase from 1924 (the oldest available) gives a feel for the event:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/chasing-ascot/
The side on view of two horses running to the last fence at 1m 03secs into the film gives an idea of riding styles of that era, although the finish shown after that shot looks like a totally different race! One other thing I take from the film is that if you wanted to get rich in the 1920s, you opened a shop selling hats - I can't see a single bare headed person anywhere.
That British pathe site has plenty of racing footage going back to the 20's that shows how much racing has changed. Compared to today, the impact of 'elfnsafety' is very noticeable, with horses racing practically through the middle of the crowd. And on a lighter note, I wonder when it was that flat jockeys gave up the habit of wearing an overcoat over their colours in the paddock, which was only removed when they mounted up.
Wonder if Mr I Straker (jockey on the second) was a relative of Major Ivan Straker, who owned The Tsarevich and was the boss of Seagram, one time sponsors of the Grand National?
Race four, the Grand Annual, saw twelve runners go to post, with recent Sandown winner, Selectman, the 6/4 favourite:
1. Cooldreen a. 10-12 Mr Manley 8/1
2. Legalite a. 10-12 Kay 7/1
3. Simonoff a. 10-4 Mr Drake 100/8
Dist 10 lengths, 6 lengths Traineed by Gore
Another losing favourite on a tough opening day for punters, with Selectman a well beaten sixth of eight finishers. Impossible of course at this distance to understand the reasoning of punters, but as his Sandown win came on heavy ground and was only achieved by a head, his price looks pretty skinny - perhaps he was the Pricewise tip?
The winner Cooldreen had finished a good second in a 2m handicap chase at Hurst Park just five days before, and he followed up his Cheltenham win by scoring in another 2m handicap at Manchester on March 25th.
1. Cooldreen a. 10-12 Mr Manley 8/1
2. Legalite a. 10-12 Kay 7/1
3. Simonoff a. 10-4 Mr Drake 100/8
Dist 10 lengths, 6 lengths Traineed by Gore
Another losing favourite on a tough opening day for punters, with Selectman a well beaten sixth of eight finishers. Impossible of course at this distance to understand the reasoning of punters, but as his Sandown win came on heavy ground and was only achieved by a head, his price looks pretty skinny - perhaps he was the Pricewise tip?
The winner Cooldreen had finished a good second in a 2m handicap chase at Hurst Park just five days before, and he followed up his Cheltenham win by scoring in another 2m handicap at Manchester on March 25th.
Fascinating to see how frequently horses were turned out in those days. None of this preparing them for Cheltenham although obviously today the prizes and riches on offer far outweigh those of the pre-war ere. Would be interesting if you could pin point the meeting when Cheltenham started to become the "aim". It has taken on a mythology all of its own.
The fifth race on day one must surely be the most surprising one to find on a card from 100 years ago. Although four year olds are a key part of the chasing program in France, they are not permitted to run over fences as early as March over here, where the key races for that age group are the big juvenile hurdles at Cheltenham and Aintree.
So looking back to a time when hurdling was very much the lesser part of NH racing and the principal objective of owners and trainers was to find a mature steeplechaser to contest the Grand National, I wonder how a juvenile chase became part of this meeting. It certainly wasn't part of a regular program of such races as I haven't been able to find another example in the 1913 form book. The horses that turned out for this race had either been running over hurdles, or had been taking on older horses in all aged chases.
Whatever the background, the prize money on offer attracted a field of twelve, with Bernstein sent off 6/4 favourite despite this being his chasing debut:
1. Tenbury 11-0 Alf Aylin 5/1
2. Golden Silence 11-0 W J Smith 100/8
3. Hawkins 11-0 F Morgan 100/8
Dist 5 lengths, head Trained by F Hartigan
For once the trainer's initial is included, I presume in order to identify him from other members of his family, as Hartigan was a leading name in the racing world at that time.
Bernstein added to the list of beaten favourites, finishing outside the first six - he came into the race off the back of three consecutive wins over hurdles, the latest in a 2m handicap at Gatwick a week earlier. That was a good race in it's own right, with a prize fund of £348, which puts it second only to the Imperial Cup (£825) as a valuable hurdle in the months prior to Cheltenham. The Imperial Cup was the biggest hurdle race of the season at that time, which of course pre-dates the introduction of the Champion Hurdle in 1927. The only other race of equal value was the Liverpool Hurdle, staged on the final day of the Liverpool meeting and also worth £825. That race must have been quite a sensation as the 1913 running was won by a French trained five year old - just imagine what would have been involved in transporting a horse from Paris to Liverpool!
One other curiosity involving Bernstein was that both his first two wins came in races with the title of 'maiden hurdle'. They were at Hurst Park on Jan 17th and Newbury on Jan 23rd, and I presume that he was able to run in both as the entry conditions would have specified 'maiden at closing' - i.e. if you're a maiden on the date of entry, you can run with a penalty for any subsequent win. This practice certainly continued into the 1970's, as regulars at Windsor like me were familiar with a last race maiden that usually included two or three previous winners who would dominate the market.
Just to add that Bernstein didn't reappear until November 1913, when he won a 2m handicap hurdle at Liverpool, starting 11/8 on under Ernie Piggott. Tenbury on the other hand, followed up his Cheltenham success by getting beaten carrying a penalty in an £83 maiden chase at Manchester twelve days later.
So looking back to a time when hurdling was very much the lesser part of NH racing and the principal objective of owners and trainers was to find a mature steeplechaser to contest the Grand National, I wonder how a juvenile chase became part of this meeting. It certainly wasn't part of a regular program of such races as I haven't been able to find another example in the 1913 form book. The horses that turned out for this race had either been running over hurdles, or had been taking on older horses in all aged chases.
Whatever the background, the prize money on offer attracted a field of twelve, with Bernstein sent off 6/4 favourite despite this being his chasing debut:
1. Tenbury 11-0 Alf Aylin 5/1
2. Golden Silence 11-0 W J Smith 100/8
3. Hawkins 11-0 F Morgan 100/8
Dist 5 lengths, head Trained by F Hartigan
For once the trainer's initial is included, I presume in order to identify him from other members of his family, as Hartigan was a leading name in the racing world at that time.
Bernstein added to the list of beaten favourites, finishing outside the first six - he came into the race off the back of three consecutive wins over hurdles, the latest in a 2m handicap at Gatwick a week earlier. That was a good race in it's own right, with a prize fund of £348, which puts it second only to the Imperial Cup (£825) as a valuable hurdle in the months prior to Cheltenham. The Imperial Cup was the biggest hurdle race of the season at that time, which of course pre-dates the introduction of the Champion Hurdle in 1927. The only other race of equal value was the Liverpool Hurdle, staged on the final day of the Liverpool meeting and also worth £825. That race must have been quite a sensation as the 1913 running was won by a French trained five year old - just imagine what would have been involved in transporting a horse from Paris to Liverpool!
One other curiosity involving Bernstein was that both his first two wins came in races with the title of 'maiden hurdle'. They were at Hurst Park on Jan 17th and Newbury on Jan 23rd, and I presume that he was able to run in both as the entry conditions would have specified 'maiden at closing' - i.e. if you're a maiden on the date of entry, you can run with a penalty for any subsequent win. This practice certainly continued into the 1970's, as regulars at Windsor like me were familiar with a last race maiden that usually included two or three previous winners who would dominate the market.
Just to add that Bernstein didn't reappear until November 1913, when he won a 2m handicap hurdle at Liverpool, starting 11/8 on under Ernie Piggott. Tenbury on the other hand, followed up his Cheltenham success by getting beaten carrying a penalty in an £83 maiden chase at Manchester twelve days later.
Sounds like Cheltenham 1913 was a bookies benefit. Have you got some old tweets from a time gone by Kate Miller saying they were about even for the meeting 
Fallen Angel,
Regarding the issue of horses raced sparingly before Cheltenham, I reckon there are several factors in play, not all of them down to trainer caution. First and foremost to my mind is that there are fewer opportunities to run horses that are highly rated, or which have won a couple of novice races.
I used to be a regular at Wincanton every other Thursday afternoon in the Jan/Mar period back in the 90's, and those meetings included three weight for age chases designed to provide for good horses that didn't want to contest the top handicaps. In January we had the John Bull Chase, in February the Racing In Wessex Chase and the Jim Ford Challenge Cup. That last named on Kingwell Hurdle day was a recognised Gold Cup trial.
I went back 15 years for a random look at those races and found the Jim Ford was won by Go Ballistic from Strong Promise - both went on to run in the Gold Cup, with Strong Promise second to Cool Dawn. But because these races usually had small fields and short priced favourites, they had to go (bookies rule OK!)and none of them remain in the program. Wincanton have moved several of the Thursday meetings to a Saturday and now stage the required five handicaps per day. I rarely go there any more.
Another lost race used to be run the same week as the Jim Ford, the 2M Emblem Chase at Kempton. The 1998 winner was Kadastrof, who had already won five standard novice chases that season, and there's another restriction on trainers. Now they can only win two ordinary novice chases before they are forced to run in Graded races or handicaps, so if your novice has won his two before Xmas, there are few pre Cheltenham options. Past winners of the Emblem Chase included Viking Flagship twice and Remittance Man, so it clearly served a purpose.
The other main reason for change is that trainers now have many more lucrative targets after Cheltenham than used to be the case. Aintree has upgraded it's program and prize money considerably, Sandown has added new races to Whitbread day and Punchestown also caters much more for the top British horses. So it's clearly tempting to run a horse up to Xmas, then take a break during the period when racing might be disrupted by the weather and come back for the big money in March/April.
But even taking those issues into account, what we might call Best Mate syndrome has certainly spread!
Regarding the issue of horses raced sparingly before Cheltenham, I reckon there are several factors in play, not all of them down to trainer caution. First and foremost to my mind is that there are fewer opportunities to run horses that are highly rated, or which have won a couple of novice races.
I used to be a regular at Wincanton every other Thursday afternoon in the Jan/Mar period back in the 90's, and those meetings included three weight for age chases designed to provide for good horses that didn't want to contest the top handicaps. In January we had the John Bull Chase, in February the Racing In Wessex Chase and the Jim Ford Challenge Cup. That last named on Kingwell Hurdle day was a recognised Gold Cup trial.
I went back 15 years for a random look at those races and found the Jim Ford was won by Go Ballistic from Strong Promise - both went on to run in the Gold Cup, with Strong Promise second to Cool Dawn. But because these races usually had small fields and short priced favourites, they had to go (bookies rule OK!)and none of them remain in the program. Wincanton have moved several of the Thursday meetings to a Saturday and now stage the required five handicaps per day. I rarely go there any more.
Another lost race used to be run the same week as the Jim Ford, the 2M Emblem Chase at Kempton. The 1998 winner was Kadastrof, who had already won five standard novice chases that season, and there's another restriction on trainers. Now they can only win two ordinary novice chases before they are forced to run in Graded races or handicaps, so if your novice has won his two before Xmas, there are few pre Cheltenham options. Past winners of the Emblem Chase included Viking Flagship twice and Remittance Man, so it clearly served a purpose.
The other main reason for change is that trainers now have many more lucrative targets after Cheltenham than used to be the case. Aintree has upgraded it's program and prize money considerably, Sandown has added new races to Whitbread day and Punchestown also caters much more for the top British horses. So it's clearly tempting to run a horse up to Xmas, then take a break during the period when racing might be disrupted by the weather and come back for the big money in March/April.
But even taking those issues into account, what we might call Best Mate syndrome has certainly spread!
very very interesting stuff. The debate is particularly close to my heart when trying to price up some of the races at Cheltenham there is actually very little collateral form on offer. I agree that best mate syndrome has been spreading, Silviniaco Conti would be a prime example of this, am surprised the owners have been convinced that the horse should only run once and then go straight for the GC, seems to be putting all our eggs into one basket. But I digress!
Fascinating to see the how different things were and horse racing and betting is all about knowing your history. Keep up the good work Anorak.
Fascinating to see the how different things were and horse racing and betting is all about knowing your history. Keep up the good work Anorak.
The final race on opening day is the flat race, but apart from the name and the distance, there's no connection between this and the current Festival Bumper.
Just five runners took part :
1. Ben A Beg a. 12-0 Mr Manley 6/4 on
2. Palta 6y 11-4 Mr I Straker 20/1
3. Quaker Girl II Mr Hall 20/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, the same Trained by Latham
The flat race seems to have just been exactly that, but certainly not restricted to horses that hadn't run over obstacles. Ben A Beg had finished fifth in the Imperial Cup on March 1st, and won a valuable 2m 4f handicap chase (the United Services Cup) at Newbury on March 14th. The runner-up, Palta, had finished third in a maiden hurdle at Leicester on March 10th, and the 5/2 second favourite, Glen Heston, who finished 4th here, had won a 3m handicap chase at Sandown on Feb 8th.
Although not common, there are other similar races recorded in the 1913 form book - Hurst Park staged one called a 'Welter Flat Race'. The Cheltenham runners were all amateur ridden, but the Hurst Park race was won by Ernie Piggott, so there was no restriction on that basis. The winner at Hurst Park was called Lady Madcap and he (she?) must have been top class as he later won a handicap hurdle worth £389 at Sandown on April 26th carrying 12-7 and giving 32lbs to the runner-up.
That two day Sandown meeting still includes some familiar races - the all flat card on the Friday featured the Esher Cup as a 3-y-old one mile handicap, and the all jumping Saturday card had the 'Grand International H'cap Chase' over 3m 4f. Now there's a race title with more ring to it than 'Bet365 Gold Cup'.
Just five runners took part :
1. Ben A Beg a. 12-0 Mr Manley 6/4 on
2. Palta 6y 11-4 Mr I Straker 20/1
3. Quaker Girl II Mr Hall 20/1
Dist 1 1/2 lengths, the same Trained by Latham
The flat race seems to have just been exactly that, but certainly not restricted to horses that hadn't run over obstacles. Ben A Beg had finished fifth in the Imperial Cup on March 1st, and won a valuable 2m 4f handicap chase (the United Services Cup) at Newbury on March 14th. The runner-up, Palta, had finished third in a maiden hurdle at Leicester on March 10th, and the 5/2 second favourite, Glen Heston, who finished 4th here, had won a 3m handicap chase at Sandown on Feb 8th.
Although not common, there are other similar races recorded in the 1913 form book - Hurst Park staged one called a 'Welter Flat Race'. The Cheltenham runners were all amateur ridden, but the Hurst Park race was won by Ernie Piggott, so there was no restriction on that basis. The winner at Hurst Park was called Lady Madcap and he (she?) must have been top class as he later won a handicap hurdle worth £389 at Sandown on April 26th carrying 12-7 and giving 32lbs to the runner-up.
That two day Sandown meeting still includes some familiar races - the all flat card on the Friday featured the Esher Cup as a 3-y-old one mile handicap, and the all jumping Saturday card had the 'Grand International H'cap Chase' over 3m 4f. Now there's a race title with more ring to it than 'Bet365 Gold Cup'.
The opener on day two is the two mile selling hurdle, with a field of nine going to post:
1. Henry Potts 5y 11-5 Avila 6/4 fav
2. Tiger II a. 11-5 F Morgan 3/1
3. Royal Demand a. 11-9 Mr J Anthony 9/2
Dist 1 length, 5 lengths Trained by Poole The winner was sold to Lord Binning for 270 gns
One for punters with the front three in the market filling the places - the other six runners were all sent of at 100/8.
Henry Potts was winning his fifth race of the year, with the previous four all coming in selling handicap hurdles, during which sequence his value steadily increased.
Feb 8th Sandown Sold for 70 gns, Feb 19th Lingfield Bought in 110 gns, Feb 21st Kempton Bought in 130 gns, Feb 28th Sandown Sold for 200gns.
He also finished unplaced in a seller on Feb 15th during this busy period.
Following Cheltenham, his new owner transferred him to Scotland, where he won a chase at Kelso worth £43, but his run of success ended at that point. He fell in chases at Hexham and Blackpool, and his last run in 1913 saw him finish last of three in a chase at Perth where he started 2/1 on.
1. Henry Potts 5y 11-5 Avila 6/4 fav
2. Tiger II a. 11-5 F Morgan 3/1
3. Royal Demand a. 11-9 Mr J Anthony 9/2
Dist 1 length, 5 lengths Trained by Poole The winner was sold to Lord Binning for 270 gns
One for punters with the front three in the market filling the places - the other six runners were all sent of at 100/8.
Henry Potts was winning his fifth race of the year, with the previous four all coming in selling handicap hurdles, during which sequence his value steadily increased.
Feb 8th Sandown Sold for 70 gns, Feb 19th Lingfield Bought in 110 gns, Feb 21st Kempton Bought in 130 gns, Feb 28th Sandown Sold for 200gns.
He also finished unplaced in a seller on Feb 15th during this busy period.
Following Cheltenham, his new owner transferred him to Scotland, where he won a chase at Kelso worth £43, but his run of success ended at that point. He fell in chases at Hexham and Blackpool, and his last run in 1913 saw him finish last of three in a chase at Perth where he started 2/1 on.
The final selling race, the Swindon Selling Chase (presumably named after the village just outside Cheltenham rather than the railway town) nad seven started:
1. Yonder a. 11-0 Mr A Smith 6/1
2. Spinning Coin a. 11-0 Mr H Brown 2/1 jt fav
3. Flying Shuttle a. 12-0 Mr Cottrill 10/1
Dist 10 lengths, one length Trained by R Smith
The winner was bought in for 95 gns.
Yonder had won a couple of races, including one at the now defunct course at Tenby. Based on the their meeting in January 1913, their only one of the year, I'd guess that Tenby probably didn't survive after the war. They offered a program of just ten races spread over two days, with £35 per race prize money, and on the first day there were two walkovers and a match. The second day was little better with 20 runners contesting the five races, Yonder winning the 3m handicap chase by 12 lengths from the only other finisher.
1. Yonder a. 11-0 Mr A Smith 6/1
2. Spinning Coin a. 11-0 Mr H Brown 2/1 jt fav
3. Flying Shuttle a. 12-0 Mr Cottrill 10/1
Dist 10 lengths, one length Trained by R Smith
The winner was bought in for 95 gns.
Yonder had won a couple of races, including one at the now defunct course at Tenby. Based on the their meeting in January 1913, their only one of the year, I'd guess that Tenby probably didn't survive after the war. They offered a program of just ten races spread over two days, with £35 per race prize money, and on the first day there were two walkovers and a match. The second day was little better with 20 runners contesting the five races, Yonder winning the 3m handicap chase by 12 lengths from the only other finisher.
Thanks for posting this The Anorak.
I find it fascinating. Not much has changed perhaps.
I find it fascinating. Not much has changed perhaps.
The feature on day two, the four mile race for the Foxhunters Challenge Cup, and fourteen runners went to post:
1. Chapelizod a. 12-3 Capt Paynter 5/2 fav
2. Fearless VII a. 12-3 Mr G P-Moodie 100/7
3. Our Philip a. 12-3 Maj Purvis 7/1
Dist 3/4 length, 5 lengths Trained by W Taylor
Only five of the fourteen starters completed the course. Chapelizod had run twice at the Grand Military meeting at Sandown - he refused in the Grand Military Gold Cup on Friday Feb 28th, then won the Tally-Ho Chase over three miles on Saturday March 1st. He'd also contested an oddity at Derby on Dec 19th, 1912 (the 1913 annual includes results too late in the year for inclusion in the 1912 edition) - this was a four runner 3m handicap chase that was declared void as 'none completed the course'.
Chapelizod went far and wide to race after his Cheltenham triumph, competing in a handicap chase at Bangor, the still existing Heart of All England hunter chase at Hexham (finished third), before winning a £48 hunter chase at Southwell in May on Bank Holiday Monday. The returned prices for that seven runner race suggest that little has changed at Southwell in the last one hundred years - Evens Chapelizod, Hainesby Lad, 4/1 Uncle John, 10/1 Others!
Fearless VII lived up to his name by going on to run in the Grand National under the same rider, but fell at the first fence on the second circuit. There certainly weren't the same options for a hunter chaser as now, since Liverpool had no race for them, Stratford staged only one days racing in the year and the idea of a whole evening of hunter chases would have to wait for the invention of evening meetings.
1. Chapelizod a. 12-3 Capt Paynter 5/2 fav
2. Fearless VII a. 12-3 Mr G P-Moodie 100/7
3. Our Philip a. 12-3 Maj Purvis 7/1
Dist 3/4 length, 5 lengths Trained by W Taylor
Only five of the fourteen starters completed the course. Chapelizod had run twice at the Grand Military meeting at Sandown - he refused in the Grand Military Gold Cup on Friday Feb 28th, then won the Tally-Ho Chase over three miles on Saturday March 1st. He'd also contested an oddity at Derby on Dec 19th, 1912 (the 1913 annual includes results too late in the year for inclusion in the 1912 edition) - this was a four runner 3m handicap chase that was declared void as 'none completed the course'.
Chapelizod went far and wide to race after his Cheltenham triumph, competing in a handicap chase at Bangor, the still existing Heart of All England hunter chase at Hexham (finished third), before winning a £48 hunter chase at Southwell in May on Bank Holiday Monday. The returned prices for that seven runner race suggest that little has changed at Southwell in the last one hundred years - Evens Chapelizod, Hainesby Lad, 4/1 Uncle John, 10/1 Others!
Fearless VII lived up to his name by going on to run in the Grand National under the same rider, but fell at the first fence on the second circuit. There certainly weren't the same options for a hunter chaser as now, since Liverpool had no race for them, Stratford staged only one days racing in the year and the idea of a whole evening of hunter chases would have to wait for the invention of evening meetings.
Another race that has survived to the modern day, although it's name has been changed to suit various sponsors in recent years, declining to JLT Speciality Handicap Chase in 2012! It was just as competitive in 1913 as the race we're used to now, with thirteen starters and an open market headed by 4/1 joint favourites:
1. Strangways a. 11-1 Mr J Anthony 100/9
2. Highbridge a. 12-9 Payne 100/8
3. Gale II a. 11-2 F Mason 10/1
Dist 8 lengths, 3/4 length Trained by R Smith
The rider of Strangways (J for Jack?) was presumably the brother of Ivor Anthony (later famous for his involvement with Brown Jack) and his presence in the saddle seems odd as Ivor Anthony had ridden Strangways in his three previous races, when winning at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day 1912, walking over for the Lord Lieutenants Chase at Tenby and third in the Prince of Wales Chase at Sandown on February 8th. A third member of the dynasty, Owen Anthony also had a ride in this race.
One of the joint favourites was General Fox (finished 7th), who carried a 7lb penalty for winning the Liverpool Trial Handicap Chase over 3m 4f at Sandown on Feb 27th, a race in which Highbridge finished 4th. His run looks doubly disappointing with the benefit of hindsight, as the Sandown runner-up, Covertcoat, went on to win the 1913 Grand National.
None of the first three home in this race did much to advertise the form subsequently, as Strangways finished last of three at Cardiff next time he ran, Highbridge came down at the first in the National, and Gale II was beaten in a chase at Uttoxeter.
1. Strangways a. 11-1 Mr J Anthony 100/9
2. Highbridge a. 12-9 Payne 100/8
3. Gale II a. 11-2 F Mason 10/1
Dist 8 lengths, 3/4 length Trained by R Smith
The rider of Strangways (J for Jack?) was presumably the brother of Ivor Anthony (later famous for his involvement with Brown Jack) and his presence in the saddle seems odd as Ivor Anthony had ridden Strangways in his three previous races, when winning at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day 1912, walking over for the Lord Lieutenants Chase at Tenby and third in the Prince of Wales Chase at Sandown on February 8th. A third member of the dynasty, Owen Anthony also had a ride in this race.
One of the joint favourites was General Fox (finished 7th), who carried a 7lb penalty for winning the Liverpool Trial Handicap Chase over 3m 4f at Sandown on Feb 27th, a race in which Highbridge finished 4th. His run looks doubly disappointing with the benefit of hindsight, as the Sandown runner-up, Covertcoat, went on to win the 1913 Grand National.
None of the first three home in this race did much to advertise the form subsequently, as Strangways finished last of three at Cardiff next time he ran, Highbridge came down at the first in the National, and Gale II was beaten in a chase at Uttoxeter.
Race five is another competitive handicap that remains part of the modern program, although it was run over a slightlylonger trip of 2m 2f in 1913 - the County Hurdle had a field of thirteen:
1. Lord Ninian 6y 11-10 Alf Newey 4/1
2. Rathlea a. 12-8 (10x) Payne 8/1
3. Dublin Bay 4y 10-7 W Escott 3/1
Dist 5 lengths, 4 lengths Trained by Latham
This result has the look of a coup that would be quite familiar in the history of the County Hurdle. Lord Ninian had done nothing in recent races to justify a price of 4/1, but the race report states 'Lord Ninian resisted the challenge of Rathlea and Dublin Bay between the last two hurdles and won hard held'.
His previous start had been as far back as New Years Day, when he finished last of seven finishers in a handicap hurdle at Manchester and before that he'd been well beaten in a similar race at Sandown on Dec 7th, 1912. Both those races were on heavy going, which would doubtless be the excuse trotted out for this marked improvement.
He went on to finish fourth in the Liverpool Hurdle before switching to the flat and scoring in 1m 4f handicaps at the Eglinton Hunt meeting (i.e. the Scottish National card at Bogside) and at Ripon. The runner-up Rathlea had earned his 10lb penalty for winning the Imperial Cup as the 9/2 jt favourite, another price and result you'd have struggled to explain on form. Nice to know that the essential nature of handicap hurdling hasn't changed in one hundred years!
1. Lord Ninian 6y 11-10 Alf Newey 4/1
2. Rathlea a. 12-8 (10x) Payne 8/1
3. Dublin Bay 4y 10-7 W Escott 3/1
Dist 5 lengths, 4 lengths Trained by Latham
This result has the look of a coup that would be quite familiar in the history of the County Hurdle. Lord Ninian had done nothing in recent races to justify a price of 4/1, but the race report states 'Lord Ninian resisted the challenge of Rathlea and Dublin Bay between the last two hurdles and won hard held'.
His previous start had been as far back as New Years Day, when he finished last of seven finishers in a handicap hurdle at Manchester and before that he'd been well beaten in a similar race at Sandown on Dec 7th, 1912. Both those races were on heavy going, which would doubtless be the excuse trotted out for this marked improvement.
He went on to finish fourth in the Liverpool Hurdle before switching to the flat and scoring in 1m 4f handicaps at the Eglinton Hunt meeting (i.e. the Scottish National card at Bogside) and at Ripon. The runner-up Rathlea had earned his 10lb penalty for winning the Imperial Cup as the 9/2 jt favourite, another price and result you'd have struggled to explain on form. Nice to know that the essential nature of handicap hurdling hasn't changed in one hundred years!
The final race of the meeting was the Gloucestershire Maiden Hurdle and a field of nine competed, with one 5-y-old taking on eight 4-y-olds:
1. Kenia 4y 11-0 F Morgan 100/8
2. Shelswell 4y 11-0 C Kelly Evens fav
3. Plumstead 4y 10-9 Mr Gunter 10/1
Dist 4 lengths, 8 lengths Trained by F Hartigan
The use of 'maiden' in the title of this race seems to indicate much the same as the term novice one hundred years later, as most of the runners had already won over hurdles. Kenia had scored as far back as February 6th in a minor hurdle at Leicester for a different trainer, so the maiden at closing condition mentioned earlier in this thread seems unlikely to apply. Shelswell had earned his position as favourite by winning a 2 ml hurdle at Sandown by five lengths having made all the running. Kenia did nothing much afterwards, being beaten in minor races at Hereford and Ludlow, but Shelswell did go on to win at Wolverhampton the following week over hurdles, then later scoring in the most valuable race of the season at Bath. That was the Somersetshire Handicap Stakes over 1 ml 4 fur on May 28th - only four ran for a prize fund of £337 and Shelswell carried top weight of 7 stone 1 lb!
The Gloucestershire Hurdle continued a part of the NH meeting until into the 1970's and was run in two divisions after WW2 up to 1971. It was replaced by the current 2m novice hurdle in 1974, a race initially known as the Lloyds Bank Champion Novice Hudle. As the Gloucestershire Hurdle, it featured some great names in races I'm old enough to remember - Flyingbolt in 1964, L'Escargot in 1968 and Bula in 1970.
Looking at the 1913 meeting as a whole, this race seems to be the only one specifically restricted to novices, although clearly the runners in the Juvenile Chase were likely to also fit that definition. That's a sharp contrast with the modern meeting and it's the growth in races for novices that has enabled the expansion to four days.
1. Kenia 4y 11-0 F Morgan 100/8
2. Shelswell 4y 11-0 C Kelly Evens fav
3. Plumstead 4y 10-9 Mr Gunter 10/1
Dist 4 lengths, 8 lengths Trained by F Hartigan
The use of 'maiden' in the title of this race seems to indicate much the same as the term novice one hundred years later, as most of the runners had already won over hurdles. Kenia had scored as far back as February 6th in a minor hurdle at Leicester for a different trainer, so the maiden at closing condition mentioned earlier in this thread seems unlikely to apply. Shelswell had earned his position as favourite by winning a 2 ml hurdle at Sandown by five lengths having made all the running. Kenia did nothing much afterwards, being beaten in minor races at Hereford and Ludlow, but Shelswell did go on to win at Wolverhampton the following week over hurdles, then later scoring in the most valuable race of the season at Bath. That was the Somersetshire Handicap Stakes over 1 ml 4 fur on May 28th - only four ran for a prize fund of £337 and Shelswell carried top weight of 7 stone 1 lb!
The Gloucestershire Hurdle continued a part of the NH meeting until into the 1970's and was run in two divisions after WW2 up to 1971. It was replaced by the current 2m novice hurdle in 1974, a race initially known as the Lloyds Bank Champion Novice Hudle. As the Gloucestershire Hurdle, it featured some great names in races I'm old enough to remember - Flyingbolt in 1964, L'Escargot in 1968 and Bula in 1970.
Looking at the 1913 meeting as a whole, this race seems to be the only one specifically restricted to novices, although clearly the runners in the Juvenile Chase were likely to also fit that definition. That's a sharp contrast with the modern meeting and it's the growth in races for novices that has enabled the expansion to four days.
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