Hambletonian, was one of the best

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorses of the late 18th century, having won all of his race starts, except one, and was later a good sire. His victories included two

Doncaster Cup The Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 2 miles 1 furlong and 197 yards (3,600 metr ...

s in the late 1790s and the

St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

in 1795.

Background

Hambletonian was a bay colt that was bred by John Hutchinson and foaled in 1792. Hambletonian was by the useful sire, King Fergus and was a grandson of the two undefeated horses, Eclipse and

Highflyer Highflyer, highflier or high flyer may refer to: * Highflyer (horse), a British Thoroughbred racehorse * High flyer (fishing), a vertical floating pole used to locate fishing lines * HMS ''Highflyer'', various Royal Navy ships * Yamhill High Fly ...

, who was the sire of his dam Grey Highflyer.

Racing record

Hambletonian was named after the historic racing area of

Hambleton Hills The Hambleton Hills are a range of hills in North Yorkshire, England. They form the western edge of the North York Moors but are separated from the moors by the valley of the River Rye. They are the eastern boundary of the low-lying Vale of ...

, which is on the edge of the North York Moors, at the top of

Sutton Bank Sutton Bank is a hill in the Hambleton District of the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire in England. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills with extensive views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray. At the foot of Su ...

. On 14 May 1794 Hambletonian won his first race there, "A sweepstake of 15 guineas each for three-year-old colts, 8 stone (51 kg), fillies 7 st. 11 lb. (49.5 kg) run over two miles" In August 1795, Sir Charles Turner at the York races, purchased Hambletonian, Beninghbrough (also by King Fergus) and Oberon from Hutchinson for 3,000 guineas. At the same meeting Hambletonian won two sweepstakes and on 22 September at the Doncaster meeting he won the St. Leger Stakes. The next day Hambletonian won his first

and Beningbrough was victorious in the Doncaster Stakes.Thoroughbred Heritage: Hambletonian
Retrieved 2010-10-25 In 1796 at York Hambletonian lost his only race to The Derby winner, Spread Eagle, after running off the course. At the same meeting he won back £50 from Spread Eagle and two others. Later that year Hambletonian was sold to Sir Henry Vane-Tempest of nearby

Wynyard Park, County Durham Wynyard Park, sometimes known as Wynyard Hall, is a large English country house near Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham. The house was the English family seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry, an Anglo-Irish aristocra ...

, for whom he raced until 1800.Thoroughbred Bloodlines: Hambletonian
Retrieved 2010-10-25 At the York August meeting he won both the five-year-old and the six-year-old and over Subscription Purses. Hambletonian did not start during 1798. In a famous match with Mr. Cookson's Diamond over the four-mile Beacon Course at Newmarket on 25 March 1799, Hambletonian, ridden by

Francis Buckle 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 respectabili ...

, won by a neck in a time of 7 minutes 15 seconds. He is said to have covered 21 feet in a single stride at the finish. Sir Henry had wagered 3,000 guineas on the outcome. The horse was afterwards the subject of the painting, ''Hambletonian Rubbing Down'' by the great equine artist,

George Stubbs George Stubbs (25 August 1724 – 10 July 1806) was an English painter, best known for his paintings of horses. Self-trained, Stubbs learnt his skills independently from other great artists of the 18th century such as Joshua Reynolds, Reynold ...

, who was then 75 years old. In 1800 Hambletonian won his only start in the

Great Subscription Purse The Great Subscription Purses were a series of flat horse races in Great Britain run at York Racecourse, usually over a distance of 4 miles, that took place each year in August from 1751 to 1833. During the second half of the 18th century they we ...

for six-year-olds and over at

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

Stud record

Hambletonian retired to stud in 1801 standing at Seacroft-Hall, near

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...

, then from 1802 to 1808 he stood at Hornsey's stables in Middlethorpe, York for a fee of 10 guineas per mare. In the 1809 season he was at Wynyard, near Stockton-on-Tees, in 1810 and 1811 he returned to Middlethorpe, with his fee rising to 20 and 25 guineas, 1812 and 1813 at Wynyard and finally at Catterick, near

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, in 1814, the last year he was advertised, his fee had declined to 15 guineas. His most notable progeny included: * Anticipation, won sixteen races, including the Ascot Gold Cup, twice; got excellent hunters * Camerton, won Goodwood Cup, exported to France in 1818 * Camillus, won Doncaster Cup, successful sireAustralian Stud Book: Hambletonian
Retrieved 2010-10-25 * Fair Helen (gr f 1808), second dam of the stallion and St Leger winner Margrave * Goosander, dam of the Epsom Derby winner Sailor and the Oaks Stakes winner Shoveler and taproot mare of Family 6-c * Lisette, dam of

2,000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year a ...

winner Clearwell and a foundation mare of Family 19-b. * Whitelock, continued the sire line through Blacklock and on to the undefeated St. Simon.Barrie, Douglas M., ''The Australian Bloodhorse'', Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956 Hambletonian died 28 March 1818 and is buried in the grounds of Sir Henry's former home, Wynyard Park, County Durham.

References

{{St Leger Winners 1792 racehorse births 1818 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in the Kingdom of Great Britain Racehorses trained in the Kingdom of Great Britain Thoroughbred family 1 St Leger winners

Background

Racing record

Stud record

See also

References