Finish for the Cambridgeshire, 1904

Hacklers Pride belonged to what was known as the Druid's Lodge Confederacy. This involved five well-connected gamblers who had huge success before the First World War with assorted coups organised for their Druid's Lodge yard on Salisbury Plain. Not only did Hackler's Pride win the Cambridgeshire in 1903 and 1904 but the achievement was repeated in 1909 and 1910 with Christmas Daisy. Hackler's Pride was beaten three times in Ireland at two and then, bought by Colonel Forester (one of the Confederacy), landed an important Nursery at Derby when heavily backed. At three she ran moderately four times, thereby getting into the Cambridgeshire with 6 st. 10 lbs, and promptly landed a major gamble by three lengths, ridden by the future trainer of Derby winner Sir Jack Jarvis when a boy. In 1904, two poor runs were followed by the landing of another huge gamble when Hackler's Pride was made 7/2 favorite for her second Cambridgeshire. Ridden by Bernard Dillon she won by a neck under 8 st. 10 lbs beating Lord Carnavon's Veil (6 st. 8lbs in Red: White cap) and Sir Ernest Cassel's Nabot (8 st. 6 lbs, the grey horse in the present picture).

The present work is an excellent view of the old stands on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket, which were built in 1876 and survived until 1926. Hackler's Pride was allowed to win six races in 1905, including the Rom Memorial at Ascot and was sold to Sir Tatton Sykes as a broodmare. The money placed on her in the two Cambridgeshire races would probably be in excess of $15 million in today's money.