Beningbrough (horse)

On 29 May 1794 Benningbrough, brother to Sandhopper made his first appearance in a sweepstakes over one and a half miles at York Racecourse. He started 6/4 favourite but was beaten into second place by Prior, a grey colt owned by Gilbert Crompton.[7] Beningbrough returned to York for two races in August, both of which he won. He recorded his first victory when beating two opponents in a two-mile sweepstakes and then defeated Mr Wilson's filly Eliza and four others over on and a half miles two days later.[8]

On 17 September, Beningbrough was one of eight colts and fillies to contest the nineteenth running of the St Leger Stakes over two miles at Doncaster Racecourse. Ridden by John Jackson, he was the second favourite at odds of 2/1 and won the classic from Prior and Mr Garforth's grey colt (later named Brilliant).[9] On the following afternoon, Beningbrough was matched against older horses, including the previous year's St Leger winner Ninety-three in the four-mile Gold Cup. He started the 1/2 favourite and won from Mr Webb's mare Constant.[9]

In August 1795, Beningbrough, together with his stable companion Hambletonian, was sold for 3,000 guineas to Sir Charles Turner of Kirkleatham.[2] Beningbrough did not appear as a four-year-old until 28 August when he started favourite for a division of the Great Subscription Purse, but finished last of the three runners behind Brilliant and Bennington.[10] According to an account in the Sportsman's Pilot Beningbrough and Bennington "defeated themselves" by battling for the lead throughout the race enabling the more conservatively ridden Brilliant to overtake them both in the closing stages.[11] In the following month, Beningbrough returned to the scene of his classic victory for three races at the Doncaster St Leger meeting. On 22 September he defeated Bennington in a 500 guinea match race over four miles and on the following afternoon he won the Doncaster Stakes, beating Brilliant and Eliza. A day later he contested a £100 race run in a series of two-mile heats, with the prize going to the first horse to win twice. Beningbrough settled the race in two heats, beating Brilliant into second place on each occasion.[12]

Beningbrough's five-year-old season consisted of two races at York in August. On Saturday 20 August he won a match race against Mr Wentworth's Ormond over four miles to win a prize of 500 guineas. Four days later he was made the 1/2 favourite against two opponents for a division of the Great Subscription Purse, but was beaten by the mare Eliza.[13]

In early 1797, John Hutchinson bought Beningbrough back from Sir Charles Turner. The horse's final season was again restricted to the August meeting at York. Hutchinson received a fifty guinea forfeit when Mr Tatton's horse Yorkshire Bite failed to appear for a match against Beningbrough on 19 August. Five days later, Beningbrough ended his career in a division of the Great Subscription Purse in which he finished second to Hambletonian.[14]