Saddling

Racing was an enduring subject throughout Munnings’s life, from St Buryan races (1915, Royal Academy) to late in his career when The Start became a central theme, and he was given free access to paint at Newmarket. Munnings regularly attended race meetings and was inspired as much by the calm but business-like atmosphere in the paddocks as the explosive energy of the start. He often focused on preparations before a race, as in our picture, Saddling, where he captures the moment of concentration as the jockey and trainer make last minute adjustments to the girth, with the horses waiting patiently, and other trainers, grooms and race-goers standing nonchalantly in the paddock.

Cheltenham Saddling Paddock; March meeting, painted in 1947, is arguably the artist’s most celebrated depiction of the build-up to a race and is a subject that he produced many small oil sketches for. The present picture most probably dates from earlier in his career: the silks correspond with those seen on the lead jockey in Going out at Epsom (1931, Royal Academy). During this period he produced many racing pictures for his own pleasure and used his own horses, in particular Chips, and his groom, Slocombe, as a jockey.

The painting will be included the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the work of Sir Alfred Munnings being prepared by Lorian Peralta-Ramos.