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.
Robert Robson (c.1765–1838) was a horse trainer, known as the Emperor of Trainers who ran "the outstandingly successful stable of the first quarter of the 19th century."The leading racehorse trainer of his time, he raised their status from glorified groom to professional.
Eleanor was a British Thoroughbred racehorse bred by Charles Bunbury and was the first female horse to win The Derby. Eleanor also won the 1801 Epsom Oaks among many other races before retiring from racing at age eight to become a broodmare for Bunbury. She produced the stallion Muley, which in turn sired the mare Marpessa and the influential stallion Leviathan which was exported to the United States in the early nineteenth century. Through the produce of her daughter Active, Eleanor is present in the pedigrees of 19th-century American Standardbred racehorses.
Waxy was a British Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1793 Epsom Derby and was an influential sire in the late eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth century. Waxy was bred by Sir Ferdinando Poole and was foaled at Lewes in 1790. He was sired by Pot-8-Os, a son of the foundation stallion Eclipse, whose genetic lineage traced to the Darley Arabian. Waxy's dam, Maria, was sired by the influential stallion Herod and produced one full-brother to Waxy, who was named Worthy. Waxy derived his name from a variety of potato, a choice that was inspired by his sire's name. Trained by Robert Robson, Waxy won nine races out of 15 starts during his four-year racing career, retiring from racing at the age of seven in 1797 after sustaining an injury during his last start.
Whalebone was a British Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1810 Epsom Derby and was a successful sire of racehorses and broodmares in the 1820s. Whalebone and his full-brother Whisker were produced by the prolific and important broodmare Penelope, and they contributed to the perpetuation of the genetic line (tail-male) of their sire Waxy and grandsire Eclipse into the 20th century. Whalebone raced until he was six years old and was retired to stud at Petworth in 1815. Whalebone sired the Derby winners Lap-dog, Spaniel and may have been the sire of Moses. Other notable sons are Sir Hercules and Camel, the sire of Touchstone. Whalebone died in 1831 at the age of 24 of hemorrhage after covering a mare.
Smolensko was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1813 Epsom Derby and 2,000 Guineas Stakes. Smolensko raced for two years and was retired to stud in 1815. He stood for seven years for his breeder, Charles Bunbury, and spent the remainder of his stud career in Surrey and Suffolk. Before his death at age 19 in 1829, he sired the filly Gulnare and the colt Jerry.
Whisker was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1815 Epsom Derby and was a full-brother of the 1810 winner Whalebone. Whisker raced until he was a six-year-old, but did not race in 1817. Whisker was retired to stud in 1819, where he became a successful and influential sire. The offspring of Whisker and Whalebone continued the sire-line of Eclipse into the 20th century.
Pope, also known as Waxy Pope and The Sligo Waxy, was a Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1809 Epsom Derby and was a leading sire in Ireland. Pope was the first Epsom Derby winner produced by his sire Waxy, who would go on to sire three more Derby winners and three winners of The Oaks. Pope was a half-brother to the prolific broodmare Penelope, the dam of the influential stallions Whisker and Whalebone who were also sired by Waxy. Pope died on 29 August 1831 at Clearwell.
Music was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1813. Music's success in the Guineas was the only win in a seven race career and gave her owner George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton the first of twenty classic wins. Music was sold and exported to Ireland at the end of her three-year-old season.
Minuet (1812–1833) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1815. In a racing career which lasted from July 1814 until October 1817 she competed twenty-one times, winning nine races and being placed on a further ten occasions. On her only race in 1814, she won the July Stakes, one of the year's most important races for two-year-olds. In the following year she finished second in the 1000 Guineas on her debut and then won her next three races including the Oaks. Minuet stayed in training for two further seasons, winning five more races including a victory over a strong field in the all-aged Trial Stakes in September 1816. After her retirement from racing she had some success as a broodmare, breeding several winners.
Morel was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1808. In a racing career which lasted from April 1808 until July 1812 the mare ran twenty-seven times and won fourteen races. She was mainly campaigned at Newmarket Racecourse, running against some of the best horses of the era in match races and frequently carrying large weights in handicaps. Unlike many champions of the early 19th century, she was particularly effective at shorter distances, recording many of her successes over a mile or less. After her retirement from racing, Morel became a highly successful and influential broodmare, whose direct descendants have won numerous major races in Europe, North America, Japan and Australasia.
Maid of Orleans (1806–1825) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1809. Unraced as a two-year-old, Maid of Orleans won her first race at Newmarket in April 1809 and then won the Oaks as a 16/1 outsider, beating her more fancied stable companion. The filly won only one of her remaining seven races, and was retired from racing at the end of 1810.
Sorcery was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic Oaks Stakes at Epsom Downs Racecourse in 1811. In a racing career which lasted from April 1811 to July 1814 the filly ran twenty-six times, winning twelve races and finishing placed on eleven occasions. Sorcery won the Oaks on her third racecourse appearance and went on to win other important races including the Epsom Gold Cup, the Trial Stakes, two editions of the Oatlands Stakes, a King's Plate and several match races. After her retirement from racing she became a successful broodmare, being the dam of the 1828 Epsom Derby winner Cadland.
Pope Joan was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. She won four of her eight starts before being retired to stud, where she became a successful broodmare. She foaled 1000 Guineas winner Tontine, 2000 Guineas winner Turcoman and Epsom Oaks winner Turquoise. Pope Joan was bred by Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton and after his death was owned by his son George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton.
Sorcerer (1796–1821) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He ran mainly at Newmarket and won fifteen of his twenty-one races, including the October Oatlands Stakes in 1800. After retiring from racing he became a successful stallion and was the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland for three years. Amongst his progeny were Morel, Maid of Orleans, Wizard, Soothsayer, Sorcery, Trophonius, Comus and Smolensko. He was bred and owned by Sir Charles Bunbury and died in 1821.
Sam Arnull was a British flat racing jockey of the 18th century. He won the inaugural running of Britain's foremost flat race, The Derby, on Diomed, one of the most influential horses in Thoroughbred history, and won again on a further three occasions.
The 1780 Epsom Derby was the inaugural running of The Derby – the horse race which would become the "greatest turf event in the world" and after which more than 140 other horse races, including the famous Kentucky Derby, are named. It took place on 4 May 1780 on Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, and was won by Diomed, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury and ridden by Sam Arnull.
John Singleton, was an English horse racing jockey of the late 18th and early 19th century. He was actually the third John Singleton from the same family to achieve prominence in racing circles, following his father John and his great uncle John.
William Clift (1762–1840), born Wentworth, South Yorkshire, was a British jockey. He won the first runnings of both the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas and was the first jockey to win all five of the British Classics.
Richard Goodisson was an English classic-winning jockey and trainer, who won the first three runnings of the Oaks Stakes between 1779 and 1781.
