John Bowes’s horse ‘Daniel O’Rourke’ (‘Irish Birdcatcher’ out of ‘Forget me not’) was under 15 hands high yet John Scott and his jockey, Frank Butler thought highly of ‘the little horse’ or ‘the pony’ as they often called him. ‘Daniel O’Rourke’ started the Derby at odds of 1 to 25, well down in the betting in the field of 27 runners. Daniel O’Rourke, who came with a rush a few strides from the chair won the 1852 Derby by half a length. Hall was the predominant racehorse portraitist of his time. The artist has taken great care in the depiction of the horse portraying in great detail in the markings and likeness. Together with the detailed landscape setting this is a particularly fine equestrian painting of one of John Bowes’s most important horses.

Provenance

Sotheby's, 2004.