Clinker with Captain Horatio Ross up, Radical with Captain Douglas up and other horses beyond

While records of early steeplechasing are generally fairly sparse, Clinker's claim to fame is relatively well established. He was one of the most celebrated 'chasers' of the 1820s, and was referred to as 'a terror of all the Meltonians and the whole country'. His two best-known races were against Radical on 31 March 1826 and against Clasher in 1829. The earlier race, shown here, took place in Leicestershire from Barkby Holt to Billesdon Coplow for 500 guineas, with each rider carrying 13 stone in weight. Radical, owned by Lord Kennedy and ridden by Captain Douglas, had been bought from Assheton Smith especially for the race, but, after an eventful run which may have included the horses becoming jammed in a gateway and Douglas falling, Clinker was victorious. An account of the race appears in Paget: 'The cheering and exultation of Clinker's partisans was tremendous; and the captain, from his manner and expression considered that he had achieved a great victory and was a first-rate steeplechase rider' (op. cit, pp. 72-3). This was the first result to be published in the Steeplechase Calendar when issued by Henry Wright in 1845. Clinker won several other races, but was beaten in his match for 1,500 guineas against Clasher in 1829.