Sir Harry (British horse) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Harry
Sir Harry. Contemporary painting.
Sire	Sir Peter Teazle
Grandsire	Highflyer
Dam	Matron
Damsire	Alfred
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1795
Country	Kingdom of Great Britain
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Joseph Cookson
Owner	Joseph Cookson Mr Turnor Mr Bullock Mr Concannon
Trainer	Frank Neale
Record	19:9-7-1
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1798) Claret Stakes (1799) Match against Symmetry (1800) King's Plate at Lewes (1801)

Sir Harry (born in 1795) was a famous British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was also a successful sire, meaning he had many foals. Sir Harry raced from May 1798 to August 1801, running 19 times and winning 9 races.

He started his racing career with a big win, taking home the Epsom Derby in his very first race. He also won the Claret Stakes in 1799. Later in his career, Sir Harry became even more active, winning many match races and important King's Plates. After he retired from racing, he moved to the United States and became a very successful breeding horse.

About Sir Harry

Sir Harry was a brown horse born in 1795. His owner, Joseph Cookson, was also his breeder. Sir Harry was trained by Frank Neale in Newmarket, Suffolk. Frank Neale trained five Derby winners, and Sir Harry was the last of them.

Sir Harry's father was a famous horse named Sir Peter Teazle. Sir Peter Teazle won the Epsom Derby in 1787. He was one of the most successful breeding horses of his time. He was named Champion sire ten times! Sir Harry was special because he was the first Derby winner whose father had also won the Derby.

Sir Harry's mother was a mare named Matron. She had three foals, and Sir Harry was her last. Matron raced for two years and was also used as a hunter before she became a breeding horse.

Sir Harry's Racing Career

1798: Three-Year-Old Season

Sir Harry's first race was the Derby at Epsom on May 24, 1798. This was a huge race with 37 horses entered, and 10 actually ran. Even though it was his first race, Sir Harry was the favorite to win.

Ridden by jockey Sam Arnull, Sir Harry won the Derby! He beat Telegraph, who finished second, and Young Spear, who came in third.

Sir Harry only raced one more time in 1798. He finished second in a race at Newmarket in October.

1799: Four-Year-Old Season

In April 1799, Sir Harry competed in the Claret Stakes at Newmarket. He raced against some of the best horses from the previous year, including Admiral Nelson and Bellissima, who had won The Oaks. Sir Harry won the two-mile race, with Bellissima finishing second.

In August, Sir Harry traveled a long way to York for a special match race against Symmetry. Symmetry had won the St Leger race in 1798. The weather was very bad, and the track was muddy. Sir Harry was the favorite, but Symmetry handled the conditions better and won the race. A rematch was planned for the next spring.

1800: Five-Year-Old Season

Sir Harry was very busy in the spring of 1800, racing four times in five weeks at Newmarket. On April 14, he lost a match race to a horse named Schedoni.

Two weeks later, Sir Harry had his rematch against Symmetry. This time, Sir Harry won! He reversed the result from their previous race in York. Three days later, Sir Harry won another race called a Sweepstakes, beating several other horses.

Sir Harry also had a match race against Telegraph, the horse he beat in the Derby. They ran a "dead heat," meaning they finished at exactly the same time. The prize money for that race was split between their owners.

Later in the summer, Sir Harry raced at York again but didn't win. He finished last in two races there. In his last race of the season, he came in second at Newmarket.

1801: Six-Year-Old Season

Sir Harry started his last racing season with a new owner, Mr. Turnor. In April, he won a race at Newmarket, even though he had to carry more weight than the other horses. Three days later, he raced for Mr. Bullock and finished second.

On April 22, Sir Harry finished second in another race. His final race at Newmarket was a short match race against his old rival, Telegraph. Sir Harry won this race, too!

In June, Sir Harry won a race at Ascot. The rule was that the winner had to be offered for sale. Sir Harry was bought by Mr. Concannon, who owned the horse that finished second.

Two weeks later, Sir Harry raced for his new owner in a King's Plate at Lewes. In King's Plate races, horses ran in a series of four-mile heats. Sir Harry won the second heat and then won the deciding heat, claiming the prize! He galloped 12 miles that afternoon!

Sir Harry's very last race was another King's Plate at Lewes a week later. He finished second in the first heat and third in the second before he was retired from racing.

Stud Career

After his racing days, Sir Harry began his career as a stud horse, meaning he was used for breeding. He first stood at a stud farm in England. One of his most famous offspring in England was a mare (female horse) who later gave birth to Medora, a winner of The Oaks race.

In 1804, Sir Harry was sold and moved to the United States. He lived in Virginia for many years and then moved to Maryland. Sir Harry was very successful as a breeding horse in America. He fathered many good winners, including Sir Alfred and Sir Hal. He also sired several important mares who became great mothers for future racehorses.

Sire line tree