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 and a father of many other racehorses. He raced from May 1798 to August 1801. During his career, he ran 19 times and won 9 races.

Sir Harry started his racing career by winning the important Epsom Derby race. He also won the Claret Stakes in 1799. In his later years, he raced more often, winning seven more races. These included special "match races" against other horses and "King's Plates." After he stopped racing, Sir Harry moved to the United States. There, he became a very successful father to many racehorses.

Sir Harry's Early Life and Family

Sir Harry was a brown horse born in 1795. His owner and breeder was Joseph Cookson. Sir Harry was trained by Frank Neale in Newmarket, Suffolk. 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 won the Epsom Derby in 1787. He became one of the best fathers of racehorses of his time. He was named "Champion Sire" ten times between 1799 and 1809. Sir Harry was special because he was the first Derby winner to also have a son who won the Derby.

Sir Harry's mother was a horse named Matron, also known as Betsey. She had three foals, and Sir Harry was her last one. Matron raced for two years and then was used for fox hunting. After that, she became a mother to racehorses.

Sir Harry's Racing Career

1798: A Great Start

Sir Harry's very first race was the Derby at Epsom on May 24, 1798. Ten horses competed in this big race. Even though it was his first time racing, Sir Harry was the favorite to win. He was ridden by Sam Arnull and won the race!

Sir Harry only raced one more time in 1798. This was in October at Newmarket. He finished second in a race called a "Sweepstakes."

1799: Winning More Big Races

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

In August, Sir Harry traveled a long way to York for a special "match race." He raced against Symmetry, a horse that had won the St Leger Stakes. The weather was very bad, with heavy rain and mud. Symmetry handled the muddy conditions better and won the race. A rematch was quickly planned for the next spring.

1800: Busy Racing Season

Sir Harry raced four times in just five weeks during the spring of 1800 at Newmarket.

• On April 14, he lost a match race against Schedoni.
• Two weeks later, the rematch with Symmetry happened. This time, Sir Harry won the race.
• Three days later, Sir Harry won another Sweepstakes race.
• He also had a match race against Telegraph, where they finished in a tie. The prize money was split between them.

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

1801: Final Races and Retirement

Sir Harry started his last racing season with a new owner, Mr Turnor.

• In April, he won a race at Newmarket, even though he carried more weight than other horses.
• Three days later, he raced for Mr Bullock and finished second.
• He finished second again in another race on April 22.
• On May 5, Sir Harry won a short match race against his old rival, Telegraph.

On June 9, Sir Harry won a race at Ascot. The rule was that the winner had to be offered for sale for 300 guineas. Sir Harry won and was bought by Mr Concannon. This was a bit unlucky for Mr Bullock, who had reportedly been offered 500 guineas for the horse the day before!

Two weeks later, Sir Harry raced for his new owner in a King's Plate race at Lewes. In these races, horses carried heavy weights and raced in several four-mile heats. Sir Harry won the second heat and then won the deciding heat, claiming the prize after galloping twelve miles!

Sir Harry had one more match race in August, where he was narrowly beaten. A week later, he ran his last race in another King's Plate at Lewes. After this, he stopped racing and became a father to other horses.

Sir Harry's Life as a Sire

Sir Harry began his new career as a father to racehorses at Dennis O'Kelly's farm in England. He was a successful sire, meaning he produced good offspring. One of his most notable daughters was an unnamed mare 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 until 1816, then moved to Maryland. He was very successful as a sire in America. He fathered many good winners, including horses named Sir Alfred and Sir Hal. He also produced several important mares who became mothers to other successful racehorses.

Sire Line Tree