"A very fine heat" Bath 1772

The second race on the second day of the 1772 meeting on Claverton Down was a 50 guinea sweepstakes for three-year-olds over a four-mile course. Competed for by:

Mr Parker’s grey filly by Shakespeare

Mr Parker is almost certainly John Parker of Saltram House in Devon, who would go on to win the 1783 Derby. He was a close friend of the Prince of Wales and represented Devonshire in Parliament.

The grey filly was probably a horse called Charlotte out of a Regulus mare. Shakespeare, bred by Sir John Moore, was a not-very-successful racehorse that had a solid reputation for breeding good mares.

Saltram House

Mr Wildman’s grey colt by Antinous (named by Mr J Coxe)

Wildman was a wealthy wholesale butcher and stock dealer who had bought the horse Eclipse from the sale of the Duke of Cumberland’s stud on his death. Eclipse is arguably the most important thoroughbred of all time. It is not clear who the J Coxe that entered Wildman’s colt was, but he was almost certainly a connection of the Coxe family who owned Ston Easton Park just outside Bath.

The grey colt was probably a horse called Lamplighter. Antinous was bred by the 3rd Duke of Grafton at Euston and ran for six years, from age 4, beating the top horses of his day in big purse matches.

Wildman and Sons with Eclipse by Stubbs

Mr O’Kelly’s chestnut colt Young Colin

Dennis O’Kelly was a gambler, horse breeder and “husband” of the leading brothel keeper of the eighteen century. He had acquired Eclipse from Wildman in slightly mysterious circumstances, which certainly involved at least one betting coup. O’Kelly earned a large income from Eclipse's stud fees and progeny.

Dennis O'Kelly

Lord Corke and Mr Coxe paid forfeits of 25 guineas each. Betting before the start was Mr Parker’s filly evens, 6 to 4 against the grey colt and 2 to one against Young Colin. In running, bets were offered that Colin would not come last. A very fine heat won with difficulty by the filly carrying 8st 5lb against the colts' 8st 7lb.

Edmund Boyle, 7th Earl of Cork and 7th Earl of Orrery (21 November 1742 – 30 May 1798) was an Irish peer. A younger son of the 5th Earl of Cork, he had succeeded to his half-brother's titles in 1764. He died, aged 56, in Marston House and was buried in St John's Church in Frome in Somerset.

Marston House

The winner took the prize of 200 guineas or about £24,000 in modern terms.