John Wootton

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 11 April 1980, lot 59, to Ackermanns for £18,000;
Acquired from Ackermanns by the present owner.

Ackermanns, Annual Exhibition of Sporting Paintings, 1980, no. 40

The canvas has a firm relining. The paint surface is stable and has a slightly discoloured varnish. There are some scattered restorations of small old damages, and a degree of retouchings and strengthenings throughout, particularly in the horses in the foreground and the middle band of cloud in the centre of the painting. There is an old canvas extension line running vertically 27inches in from the left margin. Otherwise in fair and stable condition and would beneft from a light professional clean.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This spectacular panorama depicts the celebrated Round Course at Newmarket with the various gaps in the Ditch, the stables and a distant view of the town itself. Newmarket was establised by James I in 1606 as the earliest centre for racing in England, the first race taking place in 1622 between horses owned by the Marquess of Buckingham and Lord Salisbury. Charles I officially opened Newmarket Racecourse in 1636.

The figures in the foreground include the Duke of Wharton and Tregonwell Frampton, who was Keeper of the King's running horses at Newmarket under three sovereigns, William III, Queen Anne and George I. It is said that he received £1,000 per annum 'for the maintenance of ten boys, their lodgings etc..., and for provision of hay, bread and all other necessaries for ten racing horses.'

The race commemorated in this painting is likely to be The Nobleman's Contribution Stakes of 1718. The series of races entitled The Nobleman's and Gentleman's Stakes was invented by the 1st Duke of Wharton for their meeting at Quainton in Berkshire, but it later moved to Newmarket where it was held each October and became the most important event of the season in the 1720s and1730s. The 1718 race, which was known only as the Nobleman's Contribution Stakes, was held on 10 October and had eight runners. It was won by the Duke of Wharton's Bethel, whose jockey is depicted in the ducal silks of rose powdered with a silver brocade. Bethel beat the Duke of Somerset's Postboy, shown in this painting running in sixth place. The horse shown running second is ridden by a jockey wearing the Duke of Rutland's silks. It eventually trailed in last. Wharton had earlier won a prize of 500 ginneas when on 7 October his great mare Brocklesly Betty beat Ashridge Ball in a match, an event also painted by Wootton.   

The race itself would have started to the right of the stables (the prominent building to the right in the middle distance), passed round the post to the right of the massed crowd of spectators, reaching the turning post in the foreground. The mounted spectators are now shown hurrying to watch the later stages of the race. The field would gallop a mile to the north then turn east and finally south towards the finish which is shown by the flag in the distance. In 1753 the Earl of Bath descibed the scene in such a race: 'When the horses are in sight... immediately the company all disperse, as if the devil rose out of his ditch and drove them, to get to the turning of the lands, or some other station, for seeing the push made...'.

According to the Ackermanns catalogue the picture had belonged to Sir John Cotterell Bt. (1866-1937) of Garnons, Herefordshire and his son Sir Richard Cotterell (1907-1978). 

We are grateful to David Oldrey for his assistance in cataloging this lot.