Frank Hartigan Trainer 1947 Watercolour
$750
Art Sz: 7 1/2"H x 5 1/2"W
Frame Sz: 9 7/8"H x 8"W
Frank Hartigan trained at nearby Weyhill from 1905 to 1952. By 1935, when he had his 1000th winner on the flat, he said he had won almost as many races under National Hunt rules, but he was not sure how many. There are no records of the final totals, but he had fewer runners in later years so maybe 2,500 in all were trained by him from Weyhill. It is said that the jumpers were trained on the Weyhill gallops, and Kimpton Down was used as a trial ground for the flat horses.
Their first major winner was Llangwm in 1908. He won the Victoria Cup off 7st 2lb and then ran 3rd in the Derby. That was followed by 2 wins at Royal Ascot. In all he won 7 races running after the Derby defeat, including the Champion Stakes and the important Prince Edward Handicap at Manchester. An odd season for a classic 3 year old, but the major handicaps then held more significance for the breed than they do nowadays. As the next really good one, Lord Rosebery’s Wrack, proved; he raced for 5 seasons between 1911 to 1915. In the end he won 10 flat races, 6 over hurdles and was also 2nd a total of 11 times. One of the best flat handicappers, he won 2 Newbury Spring Cups plus the Gloucester Hurdle. Indeed, he was only beaten once over hurdles and was the best hurdler of the day. Sold to the Hancocks at Claiborne in Kentucky, he became an important stallion getting several horses actually better than himself.
In 1915 Vaucluse won the 1000 Guineas, but was unplaced when hot favourite for the Oaks. In 1919 Roseway also won the 1000 Guineas, and like Vaucluse failed to add the Oaks at odds on, but was 2nd. Silvern was 2nd in the 1920 St Leger having won the Greenham and been 2nd in the Eclipse, at 4 he won the Coronation Cup. Two years later Craigangower was 3rd in the 1922 Derby.
The yard then tended more towards National Hunt. In 1930 Shaun Goilin won the Grand National and was 3rd two years later. However in 1935, Mesa, having been trained in France to win the 1000 Guineas, was sent to Weyhill to be trained for the Oaks. She should have won, but her jockey got her boxed in and she was only 3rd to Quashed at Epsom.
It was said of Hartigan that “His runners, when trained to the minute, still looked bright and bonny in a well-covered way.” Not a bad epitaph for a trainer.
BUCHANAN Peter Ronald C. 1870-1950
Known as The Tout he worked as a sports cartoonist and caricaturist for the News of the World and Tatler in the 1930’s and exhibited 128 drawings at Walker's Gallery, London, in 1931.