A few months ago, racing post ran a story about an eccentric lady that even punted during the night (after the results) as she slept during the day. She also contacted her trainers only at night. Does anyone have that story or her name?
She was leading National Hunt owner in 1933-34, 1940-41 and 1951-52. She owned seven Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Golden Miller five times, 1932-1936 inclusive, Roman Hackle in 1940 and Mont Tremblant in 1952. Her four Champion Hurdle winners were Insurance in 1932 and 1933, Solford in 1940 and Distel in 1946. Google
She was leading National Hunt owner in 1933-34, 1940-41 and 1951-52. She owned seven Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Golden Miller five times, 1932-1936 inclusive, Roman Hackle in 1940 and Mont Tremblant in 1952. Her four Champion Hurdle winners were In
Thank you all very much. I called my trainer on wednesday @ 20h00 and he asked if he was at my beck and call all day long. I am going to email him this story.
Thank you all very much. I called my trainer on wednesday @ 20h00 and he asked if he was at my beck and call all day long. I am going to email him this story.
Dorothy Paget's mother was a member of the New York Whitney family who are one of the most prominent Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding families in American racing history. Paget too owned a stable of Thoroughbreds as well as the Ballymacoll Stud breeding farm in County Meath, Ireland. Her horses won a total of 1,532 races in both flat and hurdling. She was the British flat racing Champion Owner in 1943, the year one of her horses won the Epsom Derby. She was leading National Hunt owner in 1933-34, 1940-41 and 1951-52. She owned seven Cheltenham Gold Cup winners, Golden Miller five times, 1932-1936 inclusive, Roman Hackle in 1940 and Mont Tremblant in 1952. Her four Champion Hurdle winners were Insurance in 1932 and 1933, Solford in 1940 and Distel in 1946.
Although Dorothy Paget spent today's equivalent of many millions of pounds on bloodstock, Golden Miller and Insurance were by far the best known of her horses. They were purchased from Mr. Phillip Carr (the father of A. W. Carr, the Nottinghamshire and England cricket captain) for 12,000 guineas (£441,000 in today's currency) for both of them. Her Derby winner, Straight Deal, was home bred and sire of the Champion Hurdle winner of 1957, Merry Deal, and it was at her Ballymacoll Stud that the great Arkle was foaled. On her death in 1960, Ballymacoll Stud was acquired by the English industrialist, Sir Michael Sobell.
Her many trainers, seventeen or eighteen in all, included Basil Briscoe, Owen Anthony, Frenchie Nicholson, Fulke Walwyn, Walter Nightingall (under both codes), Henri Jelliss, Sir Gordon Richards and, for a brief period, Fred Darling.
In her early years Dorothy Paget hunted enthusiastically and in the late 1920s financed the team of supercharged Bentleys created by Sir Henry (Tim) Birkin, a member of the Nottingham lace family. She lived for the most part in Pollards Wood, Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England.
At the outbreak of war in 1939 and for some five years previously the two biggest racecourse gamblers, as opposed to professional backers, were both women. The other was Mrs. J.V. Rank who, like Dorothy Paget, had a number of horses in training but nothing like so many. Neither would hesitate to have £10,000 (£320,000 in today's money) or more on their horses whenever they ran.
Dorothy Paget was only aged fifty-four when she died of heart failure on 9 February, 1960.
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Dorothy Paget's mother was a member of the New York Whitney family who are one of the most prominent Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding families in American racing history. Paget too owned a stable of Thoroughbreds as well as the Ballymacoll Stud