Brian’s blast from the past
IN my book Racing Rogues: The Scams, Scandals and Gambles of Horse Racing in Wales (published by St David’s Press at £12.99), I told the story of how a horse bred at Ely Farm, Cardiff, won the greatest flat race in the world – the 1874 Epsom Derby.
George Frederick was owned and bred by William Sheward Cartwright, Lord of the Manor at Llandaff, Cardiff.
George Frederick was trained by Tom Leader at Wroughton, near Swindon, and it is interesting to note that there is a Wroughton Place and a Cartwright Lane in the Ely/Fairwater district of Cardiff.
When news of George Frederick’s win reached Newport, where Mr Cartwright had business associations, his racing colours were hoisted from the town hall and throughout Wales there were great rejoicings where church bells were rung and bunting strung up in the streets.
Mr Cartwright, who also had racehorses called Penarth, Fairwater and The Beautiful Ely, was said to have won a fortune on
George Frederick.
He was so confident of winning the Blue Riband of the Turf that on the morning of the race he sent out 30 telegrams to friends informing them that it had won!
In a field of 20, George Frederick won in a canter at odds of 9-1.
Local legend has it that George Frederick was buried under an oak tree outside a public house in Fairwater and some years ago a skeleton of a horse was found by building workers in the area.
However, my research revealed that Wales’ only Epsom Derby winner was shipped to America where he went blind and later to Canada where he died at the age of 25.
As for Mr Cartwright, he died at the age of 69 on May 2, 1890.
Please send your stories and pictures to Brian Lee, Cardiff Remembered, South Wales Echo, Six Park Street, Cardiff CF10 1XR or email brianlee4@virginmedia. com – please include your phone number as I cannot reply by letter.