Mathew Dawson

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For other people with the same name, see Matthew Dawson (disambiguation).

Mathew Dawson
St. Leger Stakes (7)
Significant horses
St. Simon, Melton, Ladas, Sir Visto, Minting, Atlantic.

Mathew Dawson (1820–1898) was a British racehorse trainer. In a career which lasted from 1840 until his death in 1898 he trained the winners of twenty-eight British Classic Races, a figure surpassed by only two other men.[1] He was significant as one of the first trainers to run a public stable, rather than being the employee of a wealthy patron. He was based for most of his career at Newmarket, Suffolk. His first name is sometimes recorded as "Matthew", but "Mathew" is more usual.

Background

Dawson was born at his family's home, Stamford Hall,

Haddingtonshire in 1820. His father George Dawson, his elder brother Thomas and his younger brother John were all racehorse trainers. He was apprenticed to his father and worked in 1838 for his brother Thomas at his stables at Middleham, North Yorkshire.[2]

Training career

Dawson began training racehorses in Scotland in 1840, where his main patrons were Lord Kelburn and William Hope Johnstone. His most important winner in this period was The Era, who won the Northumberland Plate in 1845. He also sent a horse called Pathfinder to run in The Derby, but the horse finished last, almost a furlong behind the other runners.[3]

In 1846, Dawson moved to England to become the stud manager and private trainer for

Russley Park, near Lambourn. For Merry, Dawson trained Sunbeam to win the St Leger in 1858 and Thormanby to win the 1860 Derby
.

In 1866, Dawson moved to Newmarket, basing himself first at St Mary's Square and then Heath House, where he had his greatest successes. His first important owners were the Dukes of

Duke of Portland, for whom he trained St. Simon, who was ineligible for the Classics but was regarded by Dawson as the best horse he ever trained.[4]
Dawson trained a fourth Derby winner when Lord Hastings' colt Melton won in 1885.

In 1885, Dawson retired from large-scale training and moved to Exning Manor, which he renamed Melton House. Although he was now in charge of a much smaller number of horses, he continued to have considerable success, winning Classics with the fillies Mimi and Minthe and sending out Minting to win the Grand Prix de Paris. By 1891 Dawson intended to retire completely, but was persuaded to handle a few horses for Lord Rosebery.[2] Now in his seventies, and often unable to walk because of chronic gout, Dawson won a further four Classics for Rosebery, including successive Derby winners in 1894 (Sir Visto) and 1895 (Ladas).

Mathew Dawson died at Newmarket on 20 August 1898. It was said of him that in an era in which the sport was often tainted by corruption and dishonesty, he left behind "a reputation which an archbishop might envy."[5]

Family

Dawson married Mary Rose (d. 1895) in 1844. The couple had no children.[2] Dawson's nephew, George Dawson, took over Heath House after his uncle's semi-retirement and trained the winners of ten Classics including Ayrshire and Donovan.

References

  1. ISBN 0-85112-902-1
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 0-354-08536-0
    .
  3. ^ a b "Dawson, Mathew (1820 - 1898)". The National Horseracing Museum. 2003. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ "THE DERBY". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  5. ^ "Papers Past — Otago Witness — 15 September 1898 — IN A NUTSHELL". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 27 November 2011.

Sources

Seccombe, Thomas (1901). "Dawson, Matthew" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography (1st supplement). London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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