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Lot Essay
Eclipse, a dark chestnut colt was bred by William, Duke of Cumberland in 1764 by Marske out of Spiletta in 1764, the year of the great eclipse of the sun. On the death of The Duke the following year, his bloodstock was sold by Mr Richard Tattersall. Eclipse was purchased by Mr William Wildman, a Smithfield Market grazier, for 75 guineas and ran his first race as a five-year-old in 1769 winning the Nobleman and Gentleman's Plate at Epsom. After this victory, Wildman sold a half share in the horse to Mr Dennis O'Kelly for 650 guineas. O'Kelly acquired the other share, for £1,000, the following year.
Eclipse retired to stud in October 1770 unbeaten in sixteen races, an unequalled feat in the history of the Turf. The only racehorse who came remotely close to this feat was Bucephelas. The brilliance of Eclipse as a racehorse was surpassed by his influence as a stallion, and around 90 per cent of all racehorses are descended from Eclipse through the male line.
Eclipse was a great-great-grandson of the Darley Arabian, the second of three Arabian stallions imported into England between 1689 and 1730 and from whom, all thoroughbreds, by male line, descend. The Darley Arabian arrived in England from Aleppo, Syria, in 1704, and was the property of Mr Richard Darley, a Yorkshire squire. In common with the other two Arabian stallions - The Byerley Turk and The Godolphin Arabian - Mr Darley's horse was only used for stallion duties and never raced.
James Osborne's equine commissions include a half life-size bronze of the H.M. The Queen's horse Burmese, and a two-thirds life-size cast of Eclipse which is in the courtyard of the Rowley Mile of the Newmarket Racecourse. The present cast is a maquette of this figure. The skeleton of Eclipse is retained at the National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket; Osborne studied the skeleton in order to recreate the anotomy of his model.
Eclipse retired to stud in October 1770 unbeaten in sixteen races, an unequalled feat in the history of the Turf. The only racehorse who came remotely close to this feat was Bucephelas. The brilliance of Eclipse as a racehorse was surpassed by his influence as a stallion, and around 90 per cent of all racehorses are descended from Eclipse through the male line.
Eclipse was a great-great-grandson of the Darley Arabian, the second of three Arabian stallions imported into England between 1689 and 1730 and from whom, all thoroughbreds, by male line, descend. The Darley Arabian arrived in England from Aleppo, Syria, in 1704, and was the property of Mr Richard Darley, a Yorkshire squire. In common with the other two Arabian stallions - The Byerley Turk and The Godolphin Arabian - Mr Darley's horse was only used for stallion duties and never raced.
James Osborne's equine commissions include a half life-size bronze of the H.M. The Queen's horse Burmese, and a two-thirds life-size cast of Eclipse which is in the courtyard of the Rowley Mile of the Newmarket Racecourse. The present cast is a maquette of this figure. The skeleton of Eclipse is retained at the National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket; Osborne studied the skeleton in order to recreate the anotomy of his model.