1967 - Red Rum's first ever race, at Aintree of all places in the Thursby 2yo Selling Plate just getting up in the last stride to Dead Heat with Curlicue...
A rare Picture of Red Rum left and Paul Cook just getting up to dead heat
1968 - Red Rum wins again first time out in his second season on the flat
Geoff Lewis going to post on Red Rum before winning the Waterdale Selling Handicap for 3 yr olds
Red Rum's record on the flat
My Great Grandfather and his wife grew up in Thursby territory.(Thursby Plate) in Lancashire. (she and her father had worked for the Towneleys)
ReplyDeleteFascinating story: Sir John Thurbsy of Burnley owned John O'Gaunt by Isinglass bought for 3,000 guineas and trained by the American William B Duke (in France I think) , which was 2nd in the 1904 Derby (after a similar place in the Guineas) piloted by the owner's amateur half-brother George Thursby.
(Sir John Thursby was born at Daventry - like Colin Moss..)
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Four seconds in the Derby and 2,000 Guineas is some feat for an amateur rider.
Not far away in Burnley also lived the racing Towneley family, including Colonel Towneley, whose Kettledrum famously won the 1861 Derby and appears unusually as a subject in a painting in the Church at Dunsop Bridge - a rare religious depiction - which was built out of the winnings,hence the work hanging in the apse.
Hi Felix,
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze with your knowledge, particularly tracing someone's past, your obviously well versed and skilled in genealogy department. I found a signed image of the jockey George Thursby here which you might like to see...
http://www.prints-4-all.com/cgi-bin/item/F11719021081A/search/12-1903-Antique-Portrait-Mr-George-J.-Thursby-Sportsman#
Thank You -
Burnsy