Waterloo Cup

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Sir Mark Prescott and the cups, February 2005 SirMichaelStoute2005.jpg
Sir Mark Prescott and the cups, February 2005

The Waterloo Cup was a hare coursing event organised by the National Coursing Club. The three-day event was run annually at Great Altcar in Lancashire, England, from 1836 to 2005 and it used to attract tens of thousands of spectators to watch and gamble on the coursing matches. It was founded by a Liverpool hotelier on land owned by William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton, who was patron of the event until his death in 1838.

Contents

Fleck of hare fur from the last Waterloo Cup meet, February, 2005. Fleck of hare fur from the last Waterloo Cup meet, February, 2005.jpg
Fleck of hare fur from the last Waterloo Cup meet, February, 2005.

The Waterloo Cup meet was the biggest annual coursing event in the United Kingdom and was often referred to by its supporters as the blue riband event of the coursing year. A hare coursing event of identical name was held in Australia from 1868 to 1985, at which point it became a lure coursing event. [1]

Run as a knock-out tournament between sixty-four coursing greyhounds from Great Britain and Ireland, supporters described the meet as the ultimate test of a greyhound, but opponents of hare coursing, such as the League Against Cruel Sports, saw it as a celebration of cruelty. The Hunting Act 2004, which came into force just after the 2005 cup, made hare coursing events unlawful in England and Wales, and the Waterloo Cup has not taken place since.

History

The Waterloo Cup was the premier event in the coursing calendar and was known as the 'blue ribbon of the leash'. It was inaugurated in 1836 by Mr William Lynn, proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel in Liverpool's Ranelagh Street. Encouraged by the extra trade generated by the Waterloo Cup, the Liverpool entrepreneur turned his attention to the Turf the following year and organised the first running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, known as the Grand National since 1839.

The first winner of the Waterloo Cup was a bitch named Milanie, owned by Lord Molyneux, the eldest son of the Earl of Sefton, on whose land the contest was run on the plains of Altcar. In addition to stakes of £16, Lord Molyneux won a trophy in the form of a silver snuff box.

The first supreme champion in the sport of coursing was Lord Lurgan's greyhound Master McGrath, who won the Waterloo Cup three times, in 1868, 1869, and 1871. The dog became a household name in Britain, and such was his fame that Queen Victoria commanded his appearance at Windsor Castle. Master McGrath set the standard by which all later greyhounds would be judged. The great dog's record was finally eclipsed by Colonel North's greyhound "Fullerton" who recorded four consecutive victories in the Waterloo Cup between 1889 and 1892.

In later years the event has been championed by Newmarket trainer Sir Mark Prescott.

The 2005 event, held on 1416 February, was eventually won by a dog called Shashi, bred by Ernest Smith, and owned by him with Albert Shackcloth and Michael Darnell. Trained at Malton, North Yorkshire, by Jonathan Teal, the winner beat Hardy Admiral, owned by Diana Williams, in the final. The event was memorably filmed by Paul Yule for the documentary The Last Waterloo Cup, [2] subsequently shown on the BBC.

Past winners

[3] [4]

YearWinnerOwner
1836MilanieMr William Lynn
1837FlyMr Jebb
1838BugleMr Ball
1839EmpressMr Robinson
1840EarwigMr Easterby
1841BloomsburyMr King
1842PriamMr Deakin
1843MajorMr G Pollok
1844SpeculationMr N Slater
1845TitaniaMr Jebb
1846HarlequinMr Barge
1847Senate Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton
1848Shade Sir St George Gore, 8th Baronet
1849Magician Sir St George Gore, 8th Baronet
1850CeritoMr G F Cooke
1851Hughie GrahamMr W Sharpe
1852CeritoMr G F Cooke
1853CeritoMr G F Cooke
1854Sackcloth Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton
1855JudgeMt T Brocklebank
1856ProtestMr J Bakens
1857King LearMr W Wilson
1858NevilleMr S Cass
1859*CliveMr J Jardine
1859*SelbyMr Mr J Gordon
1860Maid of the MillMr J Blackstock
1861CanaradzoMr J Hyslop
1862Roaring MegMr J Challander
1863ChloeMr T T C Lister
1864King DeathMr T Williams
1865MegColonel Goodlake
1866BrigadierMr Gorton
1867LobeliaMr E W Stocker
1868 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan
1869 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan
1870Sea Cove (late Covet)Mr J Spink
1871 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan
1872Bed of StoneMr J Briggs
1873MurielMr R Jardine
1874MagnanoMr C Morgan
1875HoneymoonMr W F Hutchinson
1876DonaldMr R M Douglas
1877CoomassieMr R F Wilkins
1878CoomassieM H F Stocken
1879MistertonMr H G Miller
1880HoneywoodMr R B Carruthers
1881Princess DagmarMr H G Miller
1882SnowflightMr Ellis
1883Wild MintMr G J Alexander
1884Mineral WaterMr C E Marfleet
1885*Bit of FashionMr E Dent
1885*Miss GlendyneMr J Hinks
1886Miss GlendyneMr R B Carruthers
1887*Greater ScotMr R F Gladstone
1887*HerschelMr T D Hornby
1888BurnabyMr L Pilkington
1889*FullertonColonel J T North
1889*TroughendMr J Badger
1890FullertonColonel J T North
1891FullertonColonel J T North
1892FullertonColonel J T North
1893CharacterMr R L Cotterell
1894Texture Count Stroganoff
1895Thoughtless BeautyMr R B Carruthers
1896Fabulous FortuneMessrs Fawcett's
1897GallantMr T P Hale
1898Wild NightMr J Trevor
1899Black FuryMr J B Thompson
1900Fearless FootstepsMr J H Bibby
1901Fearless FootstepsMr J H Bibby
1902Farndon FerryMr G F Fawcett
1903Father FlintMr J H Bibby
1904HornfrayMr G Darlinson
1905Pistol IIMr W H Pawson
1906HoprendMr H Hardy
1907Long Span Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet
1908Hallow Eve (late Forest Kitten)Mr E Hulton
1909DendraspisMessrs. J E & S M Dennis
1910Heavy WeaponMr S Hill-Wood
1911Jabberwock Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet
1912Tide TimeMr J W Fullerton
1913Hung WellMr S Hill-Wood
1914DilwynMr A P Pope
1915Winning NumberSir T Dewar
1916HarmoniconMr E Hulton
1917No competition
1918No competition
1919+Jakin Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet
1920Fighting ForceMr N Dunn
1921ShortcomingThe Countess of Sefton
1922Guard's Brigade Dudley Marjoribanks, 3rd Baron Tweedmouth
1923Latto Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale
1924Cushey JobMr A Gordon Smith
1925PentonvilleMr H C Pilkington
1926Jovial JudgeMr J l Jarvis
1927Golden SealMr A Gordon Smith
1928White CollarMrs Sofer Whitburn
1929Golden SurpriseMr A Gordon Smith
1930Church StreetMr Geo Smith
1931ConversionMr T Cook
1932Ben TintoMr W Ellis
1933Genial NoblemanMr J L Jarvis
1934Bryn TruthfulMajor H Peel
1935Dee RockMr J E Dennis
1936Hand GrenadeMr J Campbell
1937Rotten RowMr R Rank
1938PerambulateMr H C Pilkington
1939Delightful DevonMr H Dyke
1940Dee FlintMr J E Dennis
1941Swinging LightMr R C Brownlee
1942Swinging LightMr R C Brownlee
1943CountrymanMr T Cronoplos
1944Dutton SwordfishMrs J A Dewar
1945Bryn TritomaMiss G A Allen
1946Maesydd MichaelMrs S Whitburn
1947ConstableMr E Baxter
1948Noted SunlightMr N Shaw
1949Life LineMr T Holmes
1950Roving MinstrelMrs A Rhodes-Moorhouse
1951Peter's PoetSir Richard G W Burbidge
1952Dew WhalerMr J A Dewar
1953Holystone LifelongMajor G A Renwick
1954Cotton KingMr T Noble
1955Full PeteMajor J J Fullerton
1956Magical LoveMr T E Murgatroyd
1957Old Kentucky MinstrelMr J Clarke
1958Holystone ElfMr W Proctor-Smith
1959Mutual FriendMr M Forsyth-Forrest
1960JonquilMrs B Kerr
1961DubedoonMr A J Morris
1962Best ChampagneMr G B Cary
1963Himalayan ClimberMr P McAlinden
1964Latin LoverMr L Lucas
1965Nicelya HeadMr A H Birtwhistle
1966Just BetterMr G R Graham
1967Haich BeeMr P J Duggan
1968Not Run
1969Not Run
1970Rooney MagnetMr S F Land
1971So Clever Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton
1972Linden ElandMr A S Cathcart
1973Modest NewdownMr W Lee
1974Not Run
1975Hardly EverMrs D Ellis
1976Minnesota MillerMr M Sullivan
1977Minnesota MillerMr M Sullivan
1978Not Run
1979Not Run
1980Not Run
1981Timworth EdwardLady Turnbull
1982Play SoloMr J N Donaldson
1983Luda HussarMr W Burton
1984Tobertelly QueenMr W Gaskin
1985Hear and ThereMr W Gaskin
1986Not Run
1987MousetailMrs J M Collins
1988React FragglMr W Gaskin & Miss E Ryan
1989React FaganMr R Hopper
1990Sam The Man [5] Mr D Truelove
1991Evening MailMrs D Ellis
1992Johns MascotJ. Gaskin
1993Crafty TessieS. Guerin
1994Not Run
1995React RobertT. Ryan
1996Dashing OakP. J. Daly
1997Teds MoveC.J. Shaw & D. Morgan
1998Drill the LadsD.M. Gunter
1999Judicial InquiryD. Flanagan
2000Suncrest TinaF. Allen
2001Not Run (foot and mouth)
2002Petite GloryH. G. Fetherstonhaugh
2003HenriettaM. Barry & L. Burke
2004Why You MontyA. Condon
2005ShashiE. Smith, A Shackcloth & M. Darnell
* Cup divided + Substituted event called the Victory Cup

See also

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References

  1. Donovan Associates - Donovan News No.39 Spring 2007
  2. "The Last Waterloo Cup".
  3. Genders, Roy (2009). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers. ISBN   978-0-85020-0478.
  4. "WATERLOO CUP RESULTS 1922 - 1963". Greyhound Derby.com.
  5. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When) February edition". Greyhound Star. 2011.