Two miniature paintings of Derby winners are to be auctioned in Ripon next month after lying unnoticed for 180 years.

The oil on metal paintings belonged to John Bowes, founder of the Bowes Museum and one of the greatest-ever racehorse owners.

They make up a set of four identically presented paintings depicting all of Mr Bowes’ Derby winners.

The other two are held by and are on view at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, and until recently art experts knew nothing about the whereabouts of the missing pair.

The two paintings show Mundig and Cotherstone, who won the Derby in 1835 and 1843 respectively.

They are being offered for sale by auction house Elstob & Elstob as part of its pictures and sculpture sale on November 30, together with a portrait of Issac Walker, who was head groomsman at the Streatlam Stud owned by Mr Bowes, who died in 1885.

Head groomsman, Issac Walker, with the two paintings.

Mr Elstob said:

“It is remarkable that these paintings have finally come to light.

“They have come forward from a client in Matlock, Derbyshire, who has had them in the family for as long as can be remembered.

“The family originated from Weardale in County Durham – close to the Bowes Museum – and the client remembers them hanging in his grandparents’ cottage in the village of Howden le Wear. His grandfather was friendly with Issac Walker’s family, which may explain how the paintings came to be in their hands.”

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Each painting measures only 12.5cm x 13cm and are presented in horse shoe frames known as racing plates and would almost certainly have come from the Derby winners themselves.

The two paintings, together with the oil on board portrait of Issac Walker, carry a price estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.

It is not known who painted them but they are attributed to the circle of Henry Thomas Alken (1785-1851).

John Bowes and the four Derby winners

The paintings are particularly significant to the equestrian world due to John Bowes’ fame as one of the most successful racehorse owners this country has ever known.

During his career he had four Derby winners, a feat matched by only five other breeders in the history of the race and only exceeded by the Aga Khan III with five

John Bowes earned a fortune from racing, which played a major part in funding the Bowes Museum; built in an elaborate French Chateaux style to house the art collection of John and Josephine Bowes and opened to the public after their deaths in 1892.

Mundig was the first of Bowes’ hugely successful horses. He was foaled in 1832, the year that John Bowes turned 21 and indeed Mundig is German for mature or ‘of age’.

He was in the first batch of horses that Bowes sent to trainer John Scott, known as ‘the wizard of the north’, who had the Whitewall training stables at Malton, near York.

When Mundig won the 1835 Derby, he became the first northern-bred horse ever to do so, despite relatively poor odds.

Cotherstone was another outstanding champion, again trained by John Scott and ridden by his brother William Scott to victory in the 1843 Derby. He won the Two Thousand Guineas and came second in the St Leger in the same year, earning Mr Bowes more than £12,000 (£1.2 million in today’s values), and securing his position as one of the most valuable horses in the country.

Issac Walker was head groomsman at the Streatlam Stud from 1833-1872.

Mr Elstob said:

“These paintings represent a snapshot of one of the most remarkable success stories in racing history and, together with the links to the renowned collection of art in the Bowes Museum, we are expecting them to attract worldwide interest from equestrian enthusiasts and art collectors alike.”

The sale will take place at Elstob & Elstob’s Ripon salerooms on November 30 at 10am, with viewing on November 29 between 10am and 7pm.

For further information, contact Rohan McCulloch on 01765 699200 or email: rohan@elstobandelstob.co.uk

Sir Robert Ogden, the self-made businessman and philanthropist who opened a cancer centre at Harrogate District Hospital, has died aged 86.

Sir Robert made his fortune in the mining, quarrying and building industries and donated to charities, in particular those connected to cancer care.

He was also a leading racehorse owner and co-owned See More Business, which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

Born in Wibsey, Bradford, in January 1936, Sir Robert was the eldest of six children. His father Albert was a master builder.

He lived in Sicklinghall, near Wetherby, where he kept his stables.

In 2001, he was awarded a knighthood for his services to charity which included the opening of the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre at Harrogate District Hospital.

The centre was opened in March 2014 and continues to offer cancer treatment and health and wellbeing services to patients today.

We're very sad to hear Sir Robert Ogden has passed away. We're eternally grateful for his generosity – it helped us to establish the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre at our hospital. Thank you Sir Robert for your support. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/NwAGA5bBnG

— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) March 9, 2022

The hospital said:

“We’re very sad to hear Sir Robert Ogden has passed away. We’re eternally grateful for his generosity — it helped us to establish the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre at our hospital.

“Thank you Sir Robert for your support. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs a similar centre in Northallerton opened by Sir Robert, also paid tribute to him.

A spokesperson said:

“Sir Robert was a huge supporter of charities and generously helped improve cancer services in the region.

“We’ll always be grateful for his support. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”

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Successful racehorse owner

As well as charities, Sir Robert was a successful racehorse owner.

His mauve and pink checked silks were carried to victory by horses including Voy Por Ustedes and Exotic Dancer.

He also owned Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Exotic Dancer and top horses over the jumps, including Ad Hoc, Marlborough, Star De Mohaison, Fadalko and Squire Silk.

Former jockey and Gold Cup winning trainer, Jonjo O’Neil, paid tribute to Sir Robert.

He said:

“Very sad to hear that Sir Robert Ogden has passed away.

“We enjoyed some incredible days with Exotic Dancer, notably winning the Lexus and a second in the Gold Cup.

“He was a wonderful gentleman who will be sadly missed. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Sir Robert died peacefully at home on March 6, 2022.

He is survived by his second wife Lady Ana Ogden and his two sons Adam and Robert from his first marriage.

In memory of Sir Robert, a donation page has been set up at the University of Leeds to help support research into brain cancer. You can donate and find more information here.

Ripon racecourse will stage its first fixture of the 2021 season next week.

As with all meetings at the Boroughbridge Road track in 2020, the first fixtures on 15 and 24 April and 7 and 16 May will be behind closed doors.

With the subsequent easing of covid lockdown measures, the first racegoers will be allowed through the gates from 27 May.

Jonathan Mullin, marketing manager for Ripon Races, told the Stray Ferret:

“A maximum of 4,000 racegoers will be allowed on these dates and people wanting to attend must book in advance.

“We still have a limited number of paddock tickets available for 27 May, the evening meetings on 2 and 16 June and the afternoon meeting on our ladies day of 17 June.”

The first fixture is next week, but will be behind closed doors

Ticket sales are currently suspended for the remaining nine fixtures between 5 July and 25 September.

With the government’s roadmap moving towards a lifting of all covid restrictions on 21 June, Mr Mullin said:

“We are waiting to see what happens before tickets go on sale for these fixtures.”

Updates will be available on the website ripon-races.co.uk and on Facebook.

In a normal year, the track, known as ‘Yorkshire’s garden racecourse’ because of its floral splendour, attracts thousands of people through its gates.

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The highlight of Ripon racing calendar is the Great St Wilfrid Stakes in August.

Covid vaccinations taking place at the course do not clash with race days.

Nine races will be held at Ripon Racecourse today as the venue opens for the first time since March.

It will be a very different atmosphere for the sport, with no crowds cheering on the horses as they cross the line.

Instead, one-way systems, social distancing markers and a new 34-berth jockey changing room in what is usually a bar will greet participants as they arrive.

Marketing manager Jonathan Mullin told The Stray Ferret there had been a significant number of changes and he was confident of a successful first day:

“We’ll see how it goes, but we think we’re pretty much ready to go. The track looks as great as ever. Things seem to have gone well elsewhere with the resumption of racing.”

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Today’s card features nine races, with more than 90 horses set to take part. There had been a lot of interest in upcoming dates at Ripon, Mr Mullin said, but as more events had opened up, demand had begun to return to normal levels.

There is a limit on the number of people who can accompany horses to the course, so owners are unable to be there, but Mr Mullin said the biggest difference will be the lack of an audience.

“That’s the snag. It’s going to be very strange racing without a crowd. When you’re preparing for your season, you’re gearing towards attracting people to come racing and trying to ensure they have a good time.

“There’s not going to be any of that – it will be a sterile atmosphere – but that’s what we’ve got to work with, so we will do our best.”

With the next day of racing not until July 8, the team at Ripon Races will be making any needed tweaks to their set-up over the next two weeks. Fixtures are already set up for July 14 and 24, as well as August 6, 16 and 31.

Racing gets under way today at 4.30pm and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing.