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Lot Essay
Bred and owned by the Hon. Edward Petre, Matilda was by Comus out of Juliana. At two in 1826, she won two out of three starts at York and Doncaster. At three, she won a Sweep at York and then beat the favorite Mameluke in the 1827 St. Leger at Doncaster. According to the Sporting Magazine, October 1827, after numerous false starts, and "when at last they did start, Translation and Matilda got away at least 60 yards in advance of everything, Mameluke being one of the very last, so that two fillies were on top of the hill before Mameluke was half-way. At the top of the hill Matilda had the lead, and kept it to the Red House, where Mameluke, who had been making tremendous exertions, got up and looked so well and full of running that Mr. Gully (who had recently purchased Mameluke from the Earl of Jersey for 4,000) offerd to lay an even thousand on his horse. From the Red House to the distance post, and even beyond it, the race was very fine and close, Mameluke at one time getting his head in front, a position he was unable to maintain, and Matilda won by half a length." Major Yarburgh's Laurel was third and there were 22 other runners.
Matilda's victory was commemorated by her owner, who also won the St. Leger with Theodore (see lot 25), Rowton, and The Colonel (see lot 26), with the construction of a chiming clock tower at Stapleton Park, Yorkshire, known as the 'Matilda.'
Herring painted several portraits of Matilda, including a larger work (28 x 36 in.) in the collection of the Jockey Club, Newmarket, and a smaller one (8 x 11in.) in the collection of Paul Mellon (J. Egerton, British Sporting and Animal Paintings: The Paul Mellon Collection, London, 1978, p. 297, no. 319). His pictures provide accurate documentation of the history of the turf as can be seen in this painting in which Robinson is depicted without spurs. A flattering review appeared in The Annals of Sport in 1822. "We were struck by the exquisite accuracy of the likenesses, and charmed by the colouring, the shades and the character thrown into each animal and its rider... and we may safely predict from these specimens that he will at no distant period rank with the most celebrated animal painters the country has ever patronized. (O. Beckett, J, F. Herring & Sons, London , 1981, p. 36)
Matilda's victory was commemorated by her owner, who also won the St. Leger with Theodore (see lot 25), Rowton, and The Colonel (see lot 26), with the construction of a chiming clock tower at Stapleton Park, Yorkshire, known as the 'Matilda.'
Herring painted several portraits of Matilda, including a larger work (28 x 36 in.) in the collection of the Jockey Club, Newmarket, and a smaller one (8 x 11in.) in the collection of Paul Mellon (J. Egerton, British Sporting and Animal Paintings: The Paul Mellon Collection, London, 1978, p. 297, no. 319). His pictures provide accurate documentation of the history of the turf as can be seen in this painting in which Robinson is depicted without spurs. A flattering review appeared in The Annals of Sport in 1822. "We were struck by the exquisite accuracy of the likenesses, and charmed by the colouring, the shades and the character thrown into each animal and its rider... and we may safely predict from these specimens that he will at no distant period rank with the most celebrated animal painters the country has ever patronized. (O. Beckett, J, F. Herring & Sons, London , 1981, p. 36)