Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total direct and indirect expenditure in the British economy, of which £1.05 billion is from core racing industry expenditure, and the major horse racing events such as Royal Ascot and Cheltenham Festival are important dates in the British and international sporting and society calendar.
Basil Dearden was an English film director.
Francis Buckle (1766–1832), known to the British horse racing public as "The Governor", was an English jockey, who has been described as "the jockey non-pareil" of the opening quarter of the 19th century, and the man who "brought respectability to race-riding". He won at least 27 British Classic Races during his career, a record which would not be beaten for over 150 years.
Hyperion was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse, a dual classic winner, an outstanding sire, and considered to be one of the most important Thoroughbreds of the 20th century.
Elnathan "Nat" Flatman, born Holton St. Mary, Suffolk, was the first Champion flat racing jockey of Great Britain. He began his thirty-four-year racing career as an apprentice jockey at age fifteen and by 1840 he was the dominant rider in British racing, winning the Champion Jockey title thirteen years in a row. During his career, Flatman won the patronage of many significant owners, including Lord George Bentinck, the Earl of Chesterfield, Admiral Rous, Lord Stradbroke and Lord Derby. For these owners, and others like them he won most of the important Thoroughbred horse races in England, including ten Classics, and some significant races in France. He continued to ride until the paddock accident that incapacitated him and ultimately led to his death at the age of 50.
Never Say Die (1951–1975) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning only once from his first nine races, he demonstrated much improved form in the summer of 1954 to win the Derby, becoming the first American-bred colt to win the race in 73 years. Later that year he added a second British Classic, when winning the St. Leger Stakes by a record margin of twelve lengths. He was later retired to a successful stud career.
James Joseph Fortune is a retired Irish thoroughbred jockey who in a 30-year career won over 1,800 races, including 16 Group 1s, and 1 British Classic, the 2007 St Leger.
Millenary is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire. He won the St. Leger Stakes in 2000, and, unusually for a Classic winner, stayed in training until the age of eight, winning many important races over middle and long distances.
Mid-day Sun (1934–1954) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After showing little promise as a two-year-old in 1936, Mid-day Sun improved into top class performer at three. In 1937 he won five races including The Derby and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was retired to stud in 1938 but had little success as a stallion. He was the first winner of the Derby at Epsom to be owned by a woman.
Charles James William Smirke (1906–1993), was a British flat-race jockey. In a career that lasted from 1920 until 1959, he rode the winners of eleven British Classic Races. As a rider, he was known for his skill, strength and tactical intelligence, together with his self-confident and outspoken personality. Although he never won the Championship, he was regarded as one of the best jockeys of his era. The Racing Post ranked him as the fifth greatest jockey of the 20th Century and the greatest never to have been champion.
Priam (1827–1847) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from April 1830 to July 1832 he ran nineteen times and won seventeen races, including four walkovers. Unraced as a two-year-old he won seven of his eight starts in 1830 most notably The Derby. He continued to win major races, including successive runnings of the Goodwood Cup for the next two seasons before being retired to stud. He proved to be a successful sire of winners in both Britain and the United States. Priam was regarded by experts as one of the best horses to have raced in England up to that time.
Sir Tatton Sykes (1843–1860), who also raced under the name Tibthorpe, was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from spring 1846 to summer 1848 he ran eleven times and won four races. As a three-year-old in 1846 he won two of the three races which became known as the Triple Crown, taking the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the St Leger at Doncaster. He was considered by some to have been unlucky when he was narrowly defeated in The Derby. The rest of his career was a disappointment as he won only one race in the next two seasons. After being retired to stud he had some success as a sire of winners.
Petrarch was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won two British Classic Races in 1876. In a career that lasted from October 1875 to October 1878 he ran sixteen times and won eight races. In 1875, Petrarch won the Middle Park Stakes on his only appearance of the season. As a three-year-old in 1876 he won two of the three races which comprise the Triple Crown, taking the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the St Leger at Doncaster. He finished unplaced when favourite for The Derby. As a four-year-old he won three races including the two and a half mile Ascot Gold Cup which at that time was regarded as the most important weight-for-age race in the world. Petrarch was regarded by contemporary experts as a brilliant, but inconsistent performer. After winning once as a five-year-old in 1878 he was retired to stud where he became a successful sire of winners.
Sancho was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1804. In a racing career which lasted from May 1804 until October 1806 he won eight of his twelve competitive races. Originally trained in Yorkshire, he was undefeated in four races as a three-year-old in 1805, culminating with his victory in the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse. In the following season he was transferred to race in the south of England where he won a series of lucrative match races against some of the leading horses of the day. His five-year-old season proved disappointing and expensive for his owner as he was injured and beaten in both of his races. Sancho was retired from racing and showed considerable promise as a sire of winners in a brief stud career.
Mango was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1837. He won nine of his thirteen races in a racing career which lasted from October 1836 until October 1838. Mango was well-beaten in his only race as a two-year-old and finished unplaced in The Derby but won three races at Royal Ascot in June. In September he won an exceptionally rough race for the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse and then won the Newmarket equivalent a month later. Mango won twice in the following year, but became increasingly temperamental and difficult to manage. He was retired to stud at the end of 1838 but proved a failure as a sire.
Scottish Union (1935–1954) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1938. He was one of the highest-rated British two-year-olds in 1937, when his wins included the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. In the following year he ran prominently in all three legs of the Triple Crown, finishing second in the 2000 Guineas and The Derby before his win in the Leger. As a four-year-old he won the Coronation Cup but appeared beaten for stamina in the Ascot Gold Cup before being retired to stud where his record was moderate. He died at the age of nineteen in 1954.
Frank Butler was an English jockey who became one of the country's top riders. In a period of about 11 years he won The Derby twice, The Oaks on six occasions, the Two Thousand Guineas twice, the One Thousand Guineas twice, the St Leger, the Goodwood Cup on three occasions and the Triple Crown on West Australian. In his final years of racing he won 143 races from 384 starts. Illness forced him to stop riding in 1854 and he died two years later at the age of 39.
Arctic Owl was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. A specialist stayer who was gelded before the start of his racing career, he won ten of twenty-five races between his June 1997 debut and September 2002 retirement. As a four-year-old in 1998, he emerged as a top class performer when he won four of his five races including the Prix Kergorlay and the Jockey Club Cup. He won the Henry II Stakes in 1999 and recorded his biggest victory in 2000 when he won the Irish St Leger. He remained in training until the age of eight when his career was ended by injury.
Firdaussi was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed very good form as a two-year-old in 1931 when he won three of his five races including the Dewhurst Stakes. In the following year his progress was interrupted by illness in spring but he won his last four races, taking the Gordon Stakes before recording his biggest win in the St Leger and then defeating top-class older horses in the Jockey Club Stakes. He ran consistently as a four-year-old in 1933 but won only one minor race. Apart from his victories, Firdaussi was placed in the Eclipse Stakes (twice), Greenham Stakes, Lingfield Derby Trial and Great Jubilee Handicap. After his retirement from racing Firdaussi stood as a breeding stallion in Britain, France and Ireland, but had limited success as a sire of winners.
Fella Edmonds also known as Eddie Edmonds is a British child actor of film and television.
