Andrew Ward - Horse Racings Strangest Tales

Other titles in the STRANGEST series

Crickets Strangest Matches

Fishings Strangest Tales

Footballs Strangest Matches

Golfs Strangest Rounds

Kents Strangest Tales

Laws Strangest Cases

Londons Strangest Tales

Medicines Strangest Cases

Motor Racings Strangest Races

Rugbys Strangest Matches

Runnings Strangest Tales

Sailings Strangest Tales

Shakespeares Strangest Tales

Teachers Strangest Tales

Tenniss Strangest Matches

Titles coming soon

Cyclings Strangest Tales

Londons Truly Strangest Tales

Horse racing is delightful bait for strange events. In 1935, for instance, a murder trial in the Bahamas was abandoned for the day at lunchtime so that court officials, jury and lawyers could attend a Montagu Park race meeting. Jury members were given a police guard. If anyone enquired, they were presumably told that the jury was out.

These strange tales are mostly set on conventional racecourses but, as horses have fared well against a variety of non-equine competition men, dogs, motor vehicles, Olympic swimmers and Olympic athletes the book includes some offbeat examples. Ive concentrated mainly on British horse racing, with a few stories from elsewhere in the world.

The starting-point for the book the early 19th century is arbitrary and to the detriment of some earlier strange races. In 1377, Richard II, then Prince of Wales, lost a match to the Earl of Arundel. If Richard III would have given his kingdom for a horse, no doubt Richard II would have traded his for a better one. Going back to the 18th century would have meant including races against time, such as Miss Ponds 1,000 miles (1,610km) in 1,000 successive hours at Newmarket in 1758, but not Lord Marchs amazing racecourse bet that he could have a letter carried 100 miles (161km) in an hour. This wouldnt qualify because Lord March didnt use horses, relying instead on 20 cricketers with safe hands to throw a ball (containing the letter) in a big circle for an hour. He won his bet.

Strange races have themes weather, stray dogs, great victories, depressing defeats, odd locations, tragic circumstances, etc. but the strangest are those unimaginable ones that sneak up on horse racing fans. They include the riderless horse that won a race, a 3,200-mile (5,150km) horse race won by a man on a mule, and a victorious deceased jockey. In 1923 Frank Hayes posthumously rode Sweet Kiss to victory at Belmont Park, Long Island, after suffering a fatal heart attack on the run-in. His body stayed in the seat until the winning-post and then fell to the floor.

In the modern era strange races continue to emerge. Horses have competed against dogs, humans, stock cars and bicycles, while pantomime horses now have their own race. In the 1990s there were two peculiar Grand Nationals, and a 2010 race saw My Wife Knows Everything and The Wife Doesnt Know finish first and second.

At the age of 22, she rode side-saddle against the best male jockey of her generation. She was dressed for the race, wearing a purple cap and waistcoat, nankeen-coloured skirts, purple satin shoes and embroidered stockings. Fit and healthy, she was a fine jockey, a spirited woman, and the race was a thriller.

The 2-mile match between Alicia Meynell, riding Colonel Thorntons Louisa, and Frank Buckle on Mr Bromfords Allegro was watched by a huge crowd on Yorks Knavesmire racecourse. The previous year Alicia Meynell (also known as Mrs Thornton though there is some debate as to whether she was really married) had ridden a horse called something like Vingarillo there are various spellings on record in a 4-mile match against Captain Flints Thornville but had been forced to ease up her lame horse after leading for the first 3 miles. Captain Flint spent the next year claiming he was still owed 1,000 guineas of the 1,500 guineas prize. Colonel Thornton, in response, argued that the extra 1,000 guineas was nominal to attract people to the racecourse.

Alicia Meynell, daughter of a Norwich watchmaker, had moved to the Thornton estate near Knaresborough, where she was under the protection of Colonel Thornton. Both she and her man had an eye for a fair racing match, and the contest between Louisa and Allegro caught the publics attention. The spectators on the Knavesmire that afternoon would speak of the race for years to come.

The match took place at 3.30 in the afternoon, and Alicia Thornton took Louisa to the front. The ace jockey Frank Buckle his career record of 27 wins in English classics was unsurpassed until Lester Piggott rode a waiting race, as was his usual style. Having bided his time, Buckle brought Allegro to the fore, ready for the run-in. But the side-saddled Louisa fought back, and the two horses raced neck and neck for the winning-post. The race was won by Louisa by a short neck. A victory for the woman.

Wrote The Times: The manner of Mrs Thorntons riding is certainly of the first description; indeed her close seat and perfect management of her horse; her bold and steady jockeyship, amazed one of the most crowded courses we have for a long time witnessed.

It seems a shame to spoil such a heroic victory by the realities of the race, but I must mention the weights. Mrs Thornton carried 9st 6lb (59.9kg), Buckle 13st 6lb (85.3kg). The difference of 4st (25.4kg) might have affected the outcome of a race won by a short neck.

The other harsh reality of the afternoon was the appearance of Captain Flint at the racetrack. Still believing he was owed money from the previous years match, Captain Flint brought out a new horse-whip and began flailing it at the shoulders of Colonel Thornton. In the presence of ladies, it was not the done thing. The crowd hissed and hooted at Flint, and the Lord Mayor ordered his arrest, leaving Alicia and Thomas Thornton to count their winnings in peace.

What? Ride a cripple like that! John Jackson is supposed to have exclaimed when he was told he was riding Theodore in the St Leger. When he learned that a bet of 100 guineas to a walking-stick had been laid on the horse winning the classic, Jackson was not uplifted.

The jockey was distraught and tearful when told that the horses owner was exercising his right to call on him to ride Theodore. It was a ride Jackson would rather have missed. The horse might have been passable as a two-year-old, but as a three-year-old was showing pathetic form and was rumoured to be lame.

The general odds on the horse were around 100 guineas to one (some were offering 2001) and the walking-stick bet, an outlay of something worth about a shilling, showed up the horses chances. According to some expert opinion, the horse might need the walking-stick to get round the course.

We are positive that the annals of sporting history never produced an occurrence on which such anxious doubt existed as on this race, wrote The Times.

The 31 favourite Swap was nowhere, while Mr Petres Theodore took it into his head to run quite contrary to the opinions of owner, trainer, jockey, and everybody else who entertained an opinion on the matter. Jackson got the horse off well at the start, and kept him going. The spectators were excited but amazed when they saw three complete outsiders pass the winning-post first.