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Lot Essay
Although coursing with greyhounds as a sport, had been practiced in Britain since the sixteenth century it grew rapidly in popularity amongst the aristocracy and the gentry during the nineteenth century. A number of private coursing clubs were established at this time. These included the Swaffham Club founded by the Earl of Orford and the Altcar Coursing Club, founded in 1825 by the Earl of Sefton and his son, Viscount Molyneux.
At first the Altcar Club consisted of only twenty members who on the first day of the first meeting, dined at the Waterloo Hotel in Liverpool. Eleven years later, the proprietor of the same hotel, Mr. William Lynn inauguarated an eight-dog stake of two sovereigns each to be run at the Altcar Club meeting on Lord Sefton's estate, which was named the Waterloo Cup after the hotel - the prize money being the cup of sovereigns. It rapidly became the most important event of the coursing calendar and became known as 'the Derby of coursing'.
As one of the highlights of the sporting season, it attracted considerable sums of money in betting. The nature of the sport meant that many dogs had long odds, making it possible for punters to win large sums by backing a relatively unknown and inexperienced dog. Among the most famous of early Waterloo Cup winners was Master M'Grath, who after a hat-trick of victories in 1868-69-70, was commanded to appear before Queen Victoria at Windsor. Victoria and Albert owned greyhounds themsleves, including Prince Albert's favourite Eos, who was painted by Landseer.
Coomassie was another legendary dog and probably the greatest bitch in the early history of the Waterloo Cup with double victories in 1877 and 1878, endearing herself to the public with her courage and gameness. In 1877, when owned by Mr. R. Gittus, she beat Mr. J. Brigg's Brass Law, by Blackburne out of Happy Lass. The following
year, having been acquired by the London book-maker, Tommy Lay, she
defeated Lord Fermoy's Zazel, by Master Frederick out of
Genevra. Coomassie was considered one of the top ten greyhounds of the nineteenth century and may even equalled Master M'Grath's record but for breaking her leg. She was trained by Mr. Shaw of Northallerton who also trained Wild Mint to win the Cup in 1883.
The most remarkable fact about these victories were that the diminutive fawn and white bitch, Coomassie weighed only 44 lbs. and remains the lightest greyhound ever to win the Waterloo Cup (Master M'Grath's racing weight was 55 lbs.). Bred at Runham, Norfolk by Mr. Caffley, during her early life she was thought useless for coursing because of her slight build. It is said that when in the care of a local butcher, she could have been bought for only a few shillings but there were no takers.
Part of the legend surrounding Coomassie was her uncertain pedigree. When entered in her first Waterloo Cup in 1877, she is recorded as having been bred by Mr. Caffley and sired by the dog Celebrated out of his bitch Queen. However, having seen her perform in the Cup, a Mr. Binney of Carlisle recognised her as a puppy from a litter that he raised from his stud dog Master Birnie, which had been sold by him at Aldridge's Salesrooms in London. If Mr. Binney was correct then Coomassie would have been descended from King Cob. The uncertainty in Coomassie's pedigree was one of the main reasons why the Greyhound Stud Book was established in 1882.
This superb portrait by Harry Hall, one of the leading sporting artists of the late nineteenth century, is recorded as having been painted for His Grace the Duke of Hamilton. William, 12th Duke of Hamilton (1845-95) was a young buck of the Turf, whose profligacy and love of gambling ruined him in the space of a few years. Hamilton wagered vast sums of money on the Derby of 1867 and other Classic races at around this time. It can be assumed that he was one of the lucky punters who backed the unfancied, outsider Coomassie to her victory in the 1877 Waterloo Cup and that he commissioned this work as a result.
At first the Altcar Club consisted of only twenty members who on the first day of the first meeting, dined at the Waterloo Hotel in Liverpool. Eleven years later, the proprietor of the same hotel, Mr. William Lynn inauguarated an eight-dog stake of two sovereigns each to be run at the Altcar Club meeting on Lord Sefton's estate, which was named the Waterloo Cup after the hotel - the prize money being the cup of sovereigns. It rapidly became the most important event of the coursing calendar and became known as 'the Derby of coursing'.
As one of the highlights of the sporting season, it attracted considerable sums of money in betting. The nature of the sport meant that many dogs had long odds, making it possible for punters to win large sums by backing a relatively unknown and inexperienced dog. Among the most famous of early Waterloo Cup winners was Master M'Grath, who after a hat-trick of victories in 1868-69-70, was commanded to appear before Queen Victoria at Windsor. Victoria and Albert owned greyhounds themsleves, including Prince Albert's favourite Eos, who was painted by Landseer.
Coomassie was another legendary dog and probably the greatest bitch in the early history of the Waterloo Cup with double victories in 1877 and 1878, endearing herself to the public with her courage and gameness. In 1877, when owned by Mr. R. Gittus, she beat Mr. J. Brigg's Brass Law, by Blackburne out of Happy Lass. The following
year, having been acquired by the London book-maker, Tommy Lay, she
defeated Lord Fermoy's Zazel, by Master Frederick out of
Genevra. Coomassie was considered one of the top ten greyhounds of the nineteenth century and may even equalled Master M'Grath's record but for breaking her leg. She was trained by Mr. Shaw of Northallerton who also trained Wild Mint to win the Cup in 1883.
The most remarkable fact about these victories were that the diminutive fawn and white bitch, Coomassie weighed only 44 lbs. and remains the lightest greyhound ever to win the Waterloo Cup (Master M'Grath's racing weight was 55 lbs.). Bred at Runham, Norfolk by Mr. Caffley, during her early life she was thought useless for coursing because of her slight build. It is said that when in the care of a local butcher, she could have been bought for only a few shillings but there were no takers.
Part of the legend surrounding Coomassie was her uncertain pedigree. When entered in her first Waterloo Cup in 1877, she is recorded as having been bred by Mr. Caffley and sired by the dog Celebrated out of his bitch Queen. However, having seen her perform in the Cup, a Mr. Binney of Carlisle recognised her as a puppy from a litter that he raised from his stud dog Master Birnie, which had been sold by him at Aldridge's Salesrooms in London. If Mr. Binney was correct then Coomassie would have been descended from King Cob. The uncertainty in Coomassie's pedigree was one of the main reasons why the Greyhound Stud Book was established in 1882.
This superb portrait by Harry Hall, one of the leading sporting artists of the late nineteenth century, is recorded as having been painted for His Grace the Duke of Hamilton. William, 12th Duke of Hamilton (1845-95) was a young buck of the Turf, whose profligacy and love of gambling ruined him in the space of a few years. Hamilton wagered vast sums of money on the Derby of 1867 and other Classic races at around this time. It can be assumed that he was one of the lucky punters who backed the unfancied, outsider Coomassie to her victory in the 1877 Waterloo Cup and that he commissioned this work as a result.