a random backward look.

​Chester is, as we all know, the oldest racecourse in Britain and should be granted privileges for being so. You would not put your revered granny out in the garden to make room for ingrates in the living room and Chester should not be shunted to the outfields of evening racing as happens so often since the imposition of ‘Premier Racing’. At one of its earliest meetings, Shrove Tuesday 1540, a race was run for a silver bell worth 111-Guineas to the winner, over £50,000 in today’s money. Chester forever, I say.

In the 1700’s most races were known as Plates, the conditions of which were much different to the races of today. The horses entered for these races carried weights subject to their age and height. For aged horses and mares (over 6-years of age, I believe) of 13-hands, 7-stone was the allotted weight, and every additional one-eighth-of-an inch 14-ounces were added. If a horse stood 14-hands it carried 9-stone and 15-hands 11-stone. 6-year-olds carried 4Ib less and 5-year-olds 12Ib less.

Match races were the vogue in the 18th century (we should study such races as if the Labour Government implement the ‘racing tax’ match races will be the only fare on offer to us). These races were arranged in the Jockey Club Rooms at Newmarket. After supper, and after the snuff-box went around the table, members would write the name of their horse they wished to ‘match’ on a slip of paper and hand their ‘entries’ to Admiral Rous. He would examine the names, consult with the members and then refer to his famed handicap book. He would then ask the gentleman present to put their hands in their pockets. ‘You shall run the last five-furlongs of the Abington Mile for 100-sovereigns, 50 forfeit. The Blank colt shall carry 8-stone 10Ibs and the other 8-stone 2Ibs.’ The owners were then invited to withdraw their hands from their pockets and if both held money the match was made.

Before 1946, unnamed horses were allowed to run. But that was nothing compared to the confusion caused by replicated names. In 1895, Racing Illustrated brought to light to their readers the confusion caused to bettors by this replication, and these were just a few of the replicated names to be found on race-cards in those days. 4-horses with the name Starlight, Spider, and Barmaid. Several Charlies, a profusion of Counts and Countesses, an unnamed number of Gamecocks (a horse of this name won the 1887 Grand National), 5 Nuns, 3 Shamrocks, 3 Stellas, 3 Squires, 3 Ballyhoolys, 3 Bankers, 3 Battleaxes, 3 Castaways, 3 Bobs, 3 Bills.
And I get mad when a famous name of the past is recycled nowadays!

A year later Racing Illustrated turned to Starting Machines for a moan. Races back then were started by a man with a white flag. We are not talking here about ‘starting gates’ but the barrier system, as invented and first used in Australia. The barrier or ‘starting machine’ was first seen in this country at Sandown, though in the paddock and not as a means for starting a race. To the modern man of 1896 starting machines were an unholy sight and they were pleased that the rules of racing were such as at the time they could not be used, even for a trial, on a British racecourse. In Australia, it was said, there were long delays at the start as it was difficult to get horses to line-up against the barrier. Yet, some who had seen the months of work to get a young horse educated and fit destroyed by the dithering of the starter with his white flag, thought the barrier start would prove a fairer method. 
When starting stalls were first spoken about in the 1960’s in this country, many thought the barrier start to be sacred to the sport, yet now if it were to be suggested, as I have done with my proposal for a 40-runner Lincoln started from a barrier (to give the flat an equivalent to the jeopardy of the Aintree National) every jockey would be averse to the suggestion, with many, I suggest, instructing their agents to have them busy at another meeting so as to avoid the ‘madness’.

It is good to look to the past both for inspiration and gratitude for how things are today. But it is only in looking back and using a money calculator to be reminded that a £200 first prize in the 1920’s for example was actually a good slab of money compared to £3,500 on offer in many races today. In some ways the sport has leapt forward, in others, as with prize-money, it becomes a clear example of the reduced circumstances in which the sport now finds itself.

My copy of Lord Oaksey and Bob Rodney’s ‘Racing Companion’ was of great use in compiling the above.