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Lot Essay
Ledstone was a chestnut colt foaled in 1818 by Cardinal York or Langton out of Tooee or Buzzard. Initially he raced for the Marquis of Queensberry, winning eight races from fifteen starts in 1821-22, although by 1823 he was owned by the Hon. William Maule for whom he won eleven of seventeen races. Of these his best wins were two Perth Gold Cups at £100 each and a Fife Gold Cup at Cupar in 1825. On 5 August 1824 he also won the £100 Forfarshire Gold Cup, presented by Maule himself in his capacity of M.P. for the county, and it is this race, ran at Montrose, which is most likely to be commemorated in the present picture. Ledstone was often ridden by a jockey called Wakefield.
Although this painting does not appear in Ferneley's account books it is mentioned in a letter by him to his wife written whilst staying at Keith Hall, Aberdeenshire, where he was working on a large canvas for Lord Kintore. Dated 22 October 1824, Ferneley writes:
'The picture is going to be sent to the Hon. William Maule, Bricken (sic) Castle ... he wishes me to paint a racehorse ... shall do it at the same time I put him into Lord Kintore's picture'.
A further letter from Ferneley to his wife, dated 31 October 1824, written from Brechin Castle states that:
'Mr Maule does not wish to be included in the large hunting painting, have just wrote to his lordship to inform him as Lord Kintore sent the picture hear on purpose to have Mr Maule in it. The gentleman did not positively say he would not be in the picture when I arrived or I would not have unpacked the picture nor would I have begun anything for him. I have begun a racehorse for him, he wishes to have a picture of himself on horseback. I suppose I shall be hear about ten days ... Lord Kintore will be hear in a few days'.
Lord Kintore obviously managed to persuade William Maule to sit for his hunting painting as the finished work includes him on a grey in the centre of the composition (as Lord Panmure). Ferneley's stay was evidently much prolonged, for a letter written by Lord Kintore on 3 December remarks 'I hope by this time you and your valuables have arrived safe at Melton'.
Although this painting does not appear in Ferneley's account books it is mentioned in a letter by him to his wife written whilst staying at Keith Hall, Aberdeenshire, where he was working on a large canvas for Lord Kintore. Dated 22 October 1824, Ferneley writes:
'The picture is going to be sent to the Hon. William Maule, Bricken (sic) Castle ... he wishes me to paint a racehorse ... shall do it at the same time I put him into Lord Kintore's picture'.
A further letter from Ferneley to his wife, dated 31 October 1824, written from Brechin Castle states that:
'Mr Maule does not wish to be included in the large hunting painting, have just wrote to his lordship to inform him as Lord Kintore sent the picture hear on purpose to have Mr Maule in it. The gentleman did not positively say he would not be in the picture when I arrived or I would not have unpacked the picture nor would I have begun anything for him. I have begun a racehorse for him, he wishes to have a picture of himself on horseback. I suppose I shall be hear about ten days ... Lord Kintore will be hear in a few days'.
Lord Kintore obviously managed to persuade William Maule to sit for his hunting painting as the finished work includes him on a grey in the centre of the composition (as Lord Panmure). Ferneley's stay was evidently much prolonged, for a letter written by Lord Kintore on 3 December remarks 'I hope by this time you and your valuables have arrived safe at Melton'.