Born Joseph Wright (born 1855) in Waverton, Cheshire, the eldest son of Joseph & Anne Wright of Avenue Farm, previous of The White Lion Inn. [1]
Initially employed as a farm servant on his father's farm he moved to Ditton, Cheshire and worked with his brother Jack Wright to establish his kennels for training greyhounds for coursing. When his brother moved to Scotland, he carried on as a dog trainer at Ditton, Cheshire for Mr. Leonard Pilkington (founder of the Pilkington glass firm [2] ).
Moving to Formby in the late 19th century to Park Farm, in addition to farming he was a courser and trainer, in which activities he achieved great success and was known from one end of the coursing country to the other as "Joe". Joseph Wright was an outstanding personality and a great man in his profession. He trained Burnaby and Thoughtless Beauty (winners of the Waterloo Cup in 1888 and 1895) and Paracelus and Prince Plausible, the runners up in 1903 and 1905. He won and divided the Netherby Cup with Pins and Needles, Pennegant, Pelerine, Pursebearer, Paracelus and Prince Rupert, Penelope II, Peregrine Pickle, Persine Beauty and Pentonville. [3]
His sons Harold, Bob, Tom, Joe and George all followed their father's footsteps as trainers. His brothers Jack Wright and Tom Wright, were well known in sporting circles, and on many occasions trained competitors of the Waterloo Cup.
He died in 1923 at Park Farm, Raven Meols Lane, Formby after a long illness at the age of 69 years. During the burial service, at St Peters, Formby a sincere tribute was paid by the Canon in a short address, in which he referred to Joe Wright as a good Christian and a good sportsman. He was a good loser and a good winner, chivalrous in defeat and victory alike. [3]
The Waterloo Cup was a coursing event organised by the National Coursing Club. The three-day event was run annually at Great Altcar in Lancashire, England from 1836 to 2005 and it used to attract tens of thousands of spectators to watch and gamble on the coursing matches. It was founded by The 2nd Earl of Sefton and, originally, was supported by his patronage.
Waverton is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Chester in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies about 3 miles (4.8 km) south-east of Chester High Cross, 19 miles (31 km) south of Liverpool and 33 miles (53 km) south west of Manchester. It is almost continuous with the village of Rowton to the north west and that in turn is almost continuous with Christleton. According to the 2011 Census, the population of the parish was 1,587.
Alec Taylor Jr. (1862–1943), known as the Wizard of Manton, was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who followed in the footsteps of his highly successful father, Alec Taylor Sr.
Elmendorf Farm is a Kentucky Thoroughbred horse farm in Fayette County, Kentucky, involved with horse racing since the 19th century. Once the North Elkhorn Farm, many owners and tenants have occupied the area, even during the American Civil War. Most of the land acquired during Haggin's era has since been sold off to neighboring stud farms, but the original 765 acres including the columns and many of the historic barns and houses still exist at Elmendorf.
Thomas Edward Wright (1861–1956) is an English greyhound trainer. His family was known for its success during the late 19th century. He is the youngest son of Joseph & Anne Wright of Avenue Farm in Waverton, Cheshire. One of seven children, he followed his brothers Jack Wright and Joe Wright into greyhound training.
Jack Wright in Waverton, Cheshire, the eldest son of Joseph and Anne Wright of Avenue Farm, previous of The White Horse Inn, Waverton.
Hardy Wright (1893–1974) was a Scottish greyhound trainer. He was born in Kirkbean, Kirkcudbrightshire, the youngest child of Jack Wright and Mary Harriet Palin of Mersehead Farm, Kirkbean. Hardy Wright served with the Royal Navy during World War I, meeting his future wife in Portsmouth during this time.
Robert Kelsell Wright (1858–1908) was the third eldest son of Joseph & Ann Wright of Avenue Farm, Waverton, Cheshire, United Kingdoma. Robert obtained his middle name from his paternal grandmother Elizabeth Kelsell and did not follow his brothers, Jack Wright, Joseph Wright & Tom Wright into greyhound training. Robert started slipping at coursing events from 1881 at meetings around the country he successfully slipped the Waterloo Cup finals as an approved greyhound slipper in 1890, when he slipped the legendary Fullerton and again in 1895 when his brothers had trained the finalists. Coursing correspondents described the slipping as being performed with great success.
Sir Mark Prescott, 3rd Baronet, is an English race horse trainer with over 2000 winners to his name, including Alpinista, winner of the 2022 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He is based at Heath House Stables, a historic 50-box yard at the bottom of Warren Hill in Newmarket.
Sir John Layton Jarvis was a British trainer of racehorses. Born into a racing family, Jarvis had a brief but successful career as a jockey before taking up training. He was one of the most prominent British trainers of the mid 20th century, winning nine British Classic Races and being the British flat racing Champion Trainer on three occasions. In 1967 he became the first trainer to be knighted for services to horse racing.
Harold Wright (1884–1974) was a notable greyhound trainer, famed for training nine winners of the Waterloo Cup. Born in Ditton, Lancashire he was the eldest son of Joe Wright, who achieved training success with two Waterloo Cup winners in the late 19th century. He established his kennels initially at Preston Brook, Cheshire and then later at Formby, Lancashire. Among the noted owners that he trained for were; Lord Tweedmouth, the Duke of Leeds, Major Hugh Peel, of Bryn-Y-Pys, Overton-on-Dee and Colonel J.E. Dennis.
John Wright (1899–1980) was born in Little Saughall, Cheshire, the son of Tom Wright and Lizzie Davies. Following on from his fathers success as a trainer of greyhounds, John Wright initially trained for the racehorse breeder Mrs Clarissa Sofer Whitburn at Amport House, Andover, Hampshire. He acknowledged that his favourite dog that he had trained, of all time, was his first winner Mrs Sofer Whitburn's White Collar. In his capacity as a public trainer Wright moved his kennels to his father's house, The Caeau, Hope, Flintshire, before finally establishing his last kennels at Springfield, Holt, Flintshire. Of all the members of the Wright Family of greyhound trainers, John Wright can be considered one of the most successful with a training career of Waterloo Cup winners spanning 32 years.
Robert Wright (1886–1943) was an English greyhound trainer, and the second eldest son of Joe Wright, who had achieved training success with two Waterloo Cup winners in the late 19th century. A member of a famous family of greyhound trainers for the Waterloo Cup and a well-known figure on the track, Bob, as he was known, trained for many years at La Mancha Kennels, Halsall, near Ormskirk, Lancashire. There he trained for Major Cuthbert Blundell and Mr H Pilkington.
Thomas William Dreaper (1898-1975) was an Irish steeplechase racehorse trainer, best known for having been the trainer of Arkle and Flyingbolt.
Born Joseph Wright in Waverton, Cheshire, the second eldest son of Joseph & Ann Wright.
Joseph Childs (1884–1958) was a French-born, British-based flat racing jockey. He won fifteen British Classics in a 35-year career, the last ten years of which were spent as jockey to King George V. He was known for riding a slow, waiting race, and also for having a short temper which regularly saw him at odds with his trainers and owners.
Edward William George Hide was a British multiple classic winning jockey. He was, at his peak, the sixth most successful jockey in British racing history and remained the ninth most successful jockey over 30 years after his retirement.
Hugh Munro was a racehorse trainer in Victoria, closely associated with the St Albans Stud of Geelong. He was the father of noted Sydney jockeys Jimmie Munro and Darby Munro.
The 1927 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the second year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Pat Beasley was an Irish-born, English-based Classic-winning jockey and racehorse trainer.