Lot Essay
The present picture records the match between Sir Francis Holyoake's bay steeplechaser 'Clinker', 'The Largest Thoroughbred Ever Known', ridden by Captain Horatio Ross, M.P. and Lord Kennedy's bay 'Radical', ridden by Captain Douglas. Lord Kennedy had purchased 'Radical' from Thomas Assheton Smith especially for the race.
The Match is best described by the 'Squire', Osbaldeston who wrote:
'They started in a field close to Barkby Holt; it was a stubble, the rest being nearly all grass. At the end of this field was a gate, and close beside it a gap made by the captain during his drilling. When they reached the gate they both made for the gap, but having no hands, their horses got so jammed together that neither could pass through, and Radical stopping, Douglas tumbled over his head over the gate. Ross's bridle was so entangled in Radical's that the horses could not get away for a second or two. Douglas, not hurt, got over the gate and remounted, but by the time he had done so Clinker was two fields ahead. Each was allowed a pilot; and a farmer horsedealer by the name of Tomlin was Douglas's. Seeing that the rider of Radical was a very poor performer, Tomlin advised him not to ride at the gaps but to take the fences nearly in the same line. But his advice was perfectly useless; Douglas gained on Clinker for about half a mile, but when he had ridden half the course he tumbled into a deep ditch, and there remained until the captain had reached the winning post. The cheering and exultation of Clinker's partisans was tremendous; and the captain, from his manner and expression, considered that he had achieved a great victory and was a first-rate steeplechaserider. I remarked at the time that he would some day pay for his vanity, and so it turned out. Two greater tailors never exhibited in a Steeplechase.
'By my troth they both rode like hackney coachmen' as a huntsman observed'.
The version painted for Captain Ross was sold in these Rooms, 22 June 1951, lot 67 (#441 to Frost and Reed). 'Clinker' held Capt. Ross in a Landscape, signed and dated 1830, was sold in these Rooms, 18 April 1986, lot 16 (#70,000). The Finish of Match between 'Clinker' and 'Radical' was sold in these Rooms, 22 June 1951, lot 68 (#682 to Frost and Reed).
The Match is best described by the 'Squire', Osbaldeston who wrote:
'They started in a field close to Barkby Holt; it was a stubble, the rest being nearly all grass. At the end of this field was a gate, and close beside it a gap made by the captain during his drilling. When they reached the gate they both made for the gap, but having no hands, their horses got so jammed together that neither could pass through, and Radical stopping, Douglas tumbled over his head over the gate. Ross's bridle was so entangled in Radical's that the horses could not get away for a second or two. Douglas, not hurt, got over the gate and remounted, but by the time he had done so Clinker was two fields ahead. Each was allowed a pilot; and a farmer horsedealer by the name of Tomlin was Douglas's. Seeing that the rider of Radical was a very poor performer, Tomlin advised him not to ride at the gaps but to take the fences nearly in the same line. But his advice was perfectly useless; Douglas gained on Clinker for about half a mile, but when he had ridden half the course he tumbled into a deep ditch, and there remained until the captain had reached the winning post. The cheering and exultation of Clinker's partisans was tremendous; and the captain, from his manner and expression, considered that he had achieved a great victory and was a first-rate steeplechaserider. I remarked at the time that he would some day pay for his vanity, and so it turned out. Two greater tailors never exhibited in a Steeplechase.
'By my troth they both rode like hackney coachmen' as a huntsman observed'.
The version painted for Captain Ross was sold in these Rooms, 22 June 1951, lot 67 (#441 to Frost and Reed). 'Clinker' held Capt. Ross in a Landscape, signed and dated 1830, was sold in these Rooms, 18 April 1986, lot 16 (#70,000). The Finish of Match between 'Clinker' and 'Radical' was sold in these Rooms, 22 June 1951, lot 68 (#682 to Frost and Reed).