Trainer of Famous Rosebery Dies: Story of the First Winner of Both the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire Handicap, Daily Racing Form, 1917-12-06

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TRAINER OF FAMOUS ROSEBERY DIES Story of the First Winner of Both the Ccsarewitch and Cambridgeshire Handicaps. The death or George Clement, the Wantage trainer, took place at Eastmanton, Spnrsholt, on Wednesday, November 7, after a long illness. He had, in fact, retired from the profession for a long period, and had been in indifferent health for the last six years or more, but that Is hardly surprising when his advanced ago, 85, is taken into consideration. Although never in the first flight as a jockey, George Clement was a eanable horseman, and won many races in the 50s and COs. including the Lincolnshire Handicap on Caurire in 1853 and on Bel Esperanza in 1859. as well as the Ascot Stakes on Mortimer In 1855. He was, we believe, originally apprenticed to a butcher, and while riding on his rounds attracted the atteution of Tom Parr and Joe Saxon. In those days a clever lightweight boy was a valuable asset, and young Clement quickly proved himself useful. i TRAINING ROSEEERY. But his claim to a place in turf history rests on the fact that in 1S70 he trained that good horse Rosebery, the first winner of the Ccsarewitch and Cambridgeshire, for the founders of The Sports-mnn. At that time Clement hail a good stable of horses, including such useful winners as Prodigal Bourbaki, Akbar and others, but it was only by accident that the merits of the Ladylike colt were discovered, for as a two-year-old he was moderate. A trial in the early part of the summer revealed the fact that the colt could stay, for, put in with a light weight to make running, he was never headed and came home by himself. Later, witli a proper weight up, he did much the same again and proved to Clement that he had made tremendous improvement. The story of his being touted on behalf of certain bookmakers has been told, but will bear repetition, as showing the natural shrewdness of the trainer. AVhen he noticed the close attention paid hy the stranger to his horses he set himself to yut him off the :;cent, and ordered the boy who usually took letters to the post to use Rosebery as a hack for tiiat purpose. Being a kind, handy horse, there was no danger in doing this, but it had the effect of sending the tout back to his employers with the story that the horse was no good, ."for they used him to go to the post." THE "DOUBLE-EVENT." Rosebery underwent an excellent preparation at the hands of Clement, and won the Ccsarewitch by four lengths from a representative handicap field, which included Woodlands, the property of Fi Swindell, who was associated with so many turf coups and was confident that one would be brought off with this horse. Like Rosebery. lie was a four-year-old and carried 100 pounds to the 103 pounds of Rosebery. The best he could do was to finish second, ridden by a popular and capable jockey in Newhouse. while the winner was entrusted to the handling of the redoubtable Fred Archer.- Both first and second were well backed. Woodlands starting favorite at 9 to 2 and Rosebery at 100 to 14. The victory of the son of Speculum entailed a penalty or -fourteen pounds for the Cambridgeshire, bringing his weight up to 117 pounds, but his friends were confident he would be equal to the occasion, despite the fact that no horse had previously succeeded in bringing off the double event. In the Cambridgeshire Rosebery was the mount of Constable and after a good race, won by a neck from Hopbloom, a three-year-old carrying 100 pounds, the pair having thirty others behind them. His easy success in the Cesarewitch rallied many of the general public to Rosebcrys side and they shared in "the triumph of his immediate connections. The two big Newmarket handicaps were the only races in wheh Rosebery ran in 1870, and he was beaten into second place for the Gold Vase at Epsom and unsuccessfully contested the Cambridgeshire under 126 pounds the following year. He was afterwards sent to the stud and sired some useful winners. OTHER HORSES WITH CLEMENT. Several other good horses were trained by Clement, notably ..Goldseeker. which won a sensational City and Suburban in 1889. He was by The Miser Swallow, had shown useful form as a three-yenr-old and the following season was in the "City" with 112 pounds. He ran unbacked and. to the general surprise, was in front from start to finish, winning by a length and u half from Fullerton, which received considerable support. Goldseeker was ridden by T. "Cannon, who is now training at Compton. Carlton Grange -was also in Clements hands and he was the winner of many useful races. But a better was Tyrant, a son of Beanelerc Queen of the Meadows, which ran up a remarkable wnning series of races as a five-year-old, including the Chester Cup, Great Cheshire Handicap. Great Northern Handicap at York, Doncaster Spring Handicap, Gold Vase at Ascot and the Don-caster Cup in 1890. Other horses that ran well while under Clements care were Lisbon and Magistrate, the latter a smart horse over short courses. London Sportsman.


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800