The Carlisle Bell is a historic British flat horse race, first contested in 1599 and still run today. The race's name relates to the bells which were awarded to the winners of the race in the reign of Elizabeth I. These bells are reputed to be the oldest horse racing prizes in Britain and are now held at the Carlisle Guildhall Museum.

It is run at Carlisle Racecourse over a distance of 7 furlongs and 173 yards (1,566 metres) and it is scheduled to take place each year in June alongside another historic race the Cumberland Plate.

The bells

There are two bells. The larger one, 2 1/2 inches in diameter, was donated by Lady Dacre in 1559 and bears the inscription:

The second, smaller bell is inscribed 1599 H.B.M.C which is believed to stand for "Henry Baines, Mayor of Carlisle".

Civic records from the 17th century list the bells among four racing prizes competed for at Carlisle.

The bells were thought to have been lost for many years, but were rediscovered in a box in the town clerk's office in the late 19th century.

Winners since 1922 Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Time 1922 Bold Knight 3 7-03 J T Brown Bazley 1923 Emulsion 3 7-12 Peter Jones Tom Waugh 1924 Dropitin 3 6-10 Harding Hewitt Henry Golightly 1925 In Earnest 3 8-08 George Hulme Robert Colling 1926(dh) EaglesholtRiver Watcher 33 8-087-12 Joseph TaylorD Morris William RidleyRobert Colling 1927 Deltos 3 8-13 L Brown Ossie Bell 1928 Physic Ball 3 9-00 George Baines Major Vanda Beatty 1929 Knight's Service 3 8-06 Cecil Ray Sam Armstrong 1930 Pomarrel 3 8-01 Billy Nevett Matthew Peacock 1931 Silver Glade 3 7-10 Billy Nevett Matthew Peacock 1932 Silver Glade 4 8-04 Billy Nevett Matthew Peacock 1933 Debonair 5 8-11 Rufus Beasley Sam Armstrong 1934 Tamarix 4 7-12 Willie Christie Gerald Armstrong 1935 Miss Richardson 3 7-02 Johnny Dines Matthew Peacock 1936 Wardley 5 7-01 Willie Christie John Harper 1937 Dunrel 8 7-07 Percy Evans Harry Peacock 1:41.20 1938 Master Bimbo 3 7-07 Willie Christie Noel Murless 1:42.20 1939 Arch Glance 4 7-09 Georgie Wells Gerald Armstrong 1:43.20 1940-45No Race 1946 Clever Lad 5 7-02 Willie Christie Robson 1:41.60 1947 Brink 4 7-10 Peter Maher W Carr 1:46.60 1948 Clever Lad 7 8-04 Joe Sime A Cooper 1:42.40 1949 Laird Of Moray 4 7-04 Joe Sime George Boyd 1:40.80 1950 Pharos Light 4 8-02 Billy Nevett Matthew Peacock 1:41.60 1951 Companion-Way 5 7-04 Herbert Jones J Pearce 1:40.60 1952 Claverhouse 7 8-03 Herbert Jones J Pearce 1:43.80 1953 Likabula 4 7-04 Cliff Parkes Tommy Dent 1:41.00 1954 Orgoglio 5 9-07 Edgar Britt Charles Elsey 1:44.40 1955 Sari 4 7-02 Roy Arnold Richard Perryman 1:44.00 1956 Gay Tor 4 8-06 Tony Rawlinson Richard Perryman 1:40.80 1957 Norcrest 6 7-11 Eddie Larkin A Cooper 1:40.20 1958 Heckley 7 8-01 Brendan Mooney Jack Ormston 1:44.80 1959 Monawin 4 7-11 Edgar Britt Jack Ormston 1:44.40 1960 Princess Antiope 4 8-04 Geoff Littlewood Harry Peacock 1:40.00 1961 Royal Jester 5 8-03 Norman Stirk George Boyd 1:39.60 1962 Alba Rock 4 8-13 Johnny Greenaway Jack Calvert 1:41.80 1963 Mighty Gurkha 4 9-07 Joe Sime Ted Lambton 1:44.00 1964 Karelia 3 8-05 Donald Morris Bill Elsey 1:40.60 1965 Aberdeen 4 9-08 Peter Robinson Humphrey Cottrill 1:39.00 1966 Aberdeen 5 9-04 Bruce Raymond Humphrey Cottrill 1:41.60 1967 Replacement 4 7-05 Walter Bentley Harry Peacock 1:39.60 1968 Red Swan 5 8-10 Kipper Lynch Tommy Robson 1:42.00 1969 Fragrant Rose 4 7-11 Ernie Johnson Sam Hall 1:41.00 1970 Ardent Plea 6 7-00 Norman McIntosh W Carr 1:43.60 1971 El Credo 5 7-10 Tony Ives Denys Smith 1:40.60 1972 Golden Passenger 4 8-07 John Gorton Richmond Sturdy 1:49.00 1973 Fair Camilla 5 8-03 Robert Edmondson Paul Cole 1:40.90 1974 Fiery Coin 4 8-00 Eddie Hide D Williams 1:39.30 1975 Confluence 4 8-05 Ernie Johnson Bill Haigh 1:40.50 1976 Prince Of Light 4 9-07 Sandy Barclay Denys Smith 1:39.40 1977 Prince Of Light 5 8-00 Paul Tulk Denys Smith 1:39.70 1978 Pam's Gleam 5 7-04 Kevin Darley Reg Hollinshead 1:40.60 1979 Fairy Fisherman 5 9-05 Jimmy Bleasdale J D Bingham 1:39.20 1980 Kithairon 9 8-03 Alan Mercer Bill Watts 1:42.70 1981 Reside 5 9-06 Chris Dwyer E Carter 1:39.60 1982 Silleys Knight 6 9-04 Ernie Johnson Jack Hanson 1:39.00 1983 Vain Deb 4 7-07 Dennis McKay Patrick Haslam 1:45.60 1984 Scoutsmistake 5 8-10 Ray Cochrane Bryan McMahon 1:40.10 1985 The Howard 3 8-06 Nigel Day Mrs C J Reavey 1:39.70 1986 Samhaan 4 7-09 A Geran Ben Hanbury 1:57.00 1987 Handlebar 5 9-13 Nick Connorton Bill Watts 1:43.00 1988 Affaire De Coeur 4 7-03 Steve Wood Patrick Haslam 1:40.40 1989 Overpower 5 8-08 Alan Mercer Bill Watts 1:38.40 1990 Causley 5 9-05 Bruce Raymond Bryan McMahon 1:40.10 1991 Miss Sarajane 7 8-02 Gary Hind Reg Hollinshead 1:40.70 1992 Spanish Verdict 5 9-08 Darryll Holland Denys Smith 1:38.20 1993 Queen Warrior 4 7-11 D Wright Peter Walwyn 1:39.50 1994 Master Of the House 8 7-13 J Marshall Mickey Hammond 1:39.80 1995 Master Of the House 9 8-06 J Marshall Mickey Hammond 1:38.20 1996 Habeta 10 8-02 George Duffield Bill Watts 1:37.40 1997 Rainbow Rain 3 9-01 Michael Roberts Mark Johnston 1:39.00 1998 Lucky Archer 5 8-12 Kevin Darley Milton Bradley 1:43.30 1999 Pas de Memoires 4 9-12 Dean McKeown Karl Burke 1:39.10 2000 Kirovski 3 8-08 John Egan Peter Harris 1:38.80 2001 Kestral 5 8-12 Carl Lowther Tim Etherington 1:38.30 2002 Travelling Band 4 9-09 Liam Keniry Ian Balding 1:39.80 2003 Top Dirham 5 9-07 Dale Gibson Mick Easterby 1:38.63 2004 Goodbye Mr Bond 4 9-01 Franny Norton Eric Alston 1:40.53 2005 Hartshead 6 9-09 Fergal Lynch Alan Swinbank 1:37.69 2006 Regent's Secret 6 9-03 Fergal Lynch Jim Goldie 1:39.06 2007 Bold Marc 5 9-07 Andrew Elliott Karl Burke 1:39.19 2008 Osteopathic Remedy 4 9-04 Tom Eaves Michael Dods 1:43.48 2009 Stevie Gee 5 9-08 Joe Fanning Alan Swinbank 1:39.77 2010 Camerooney 7 9-02 Dale Swift Brian Ellison 1:39.58 2011 Miami Gator 4 9-00 Andrew Elliott Karl Burke 1:41.00 2012 Levitate 4 9-10 William Twiston-Davies Alan McCabe 1:44.77 2013 Silvery Moon 6 9-07 Robert Winston Tim Easterby 1:38.48 2014 Johnno 5 9-03 Adrian Nicholls David Nicholls 1:38.69 2015 Ifwecan 4 9-06 Joe Fanning Mark Johnston 1:39.11 2016 Edgar Balthazar 4 9-05 Philip Makin Keith Dalgleish 1:37.02 2017 Carnageo 4 9-02 Paul Hanagan Richard Fahey 1:43.09 2018 Waarif 5 8-12 Conor McGovern David O'Meara 1:35.84 2019 Rousayan 8 9-07 David Egan Roger Fell 1:38.17 no race 2020 2021 Chichester 4 9-09 Joe Fanning Keith Dalgleish 1:37.25 2022 Invincibly 4 9-07 Clifford Lee Karl Burke 1:38.04 2023 Mostawaa 7 9-08 Hollie Doyle Heather Main 1:41.79 2024 Orbaan 9 9-12 Daniel Tudhope David O'Meara 1:36.70 2025 On The River 6 9-04 Joe Fanning Harriet Bethell 1:42.19 2026 Priapos 4 9-12 Sam James Phillip Makin 1:37:14

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British flat horse races

References

Racing Post , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,, , , , , ,

Bibliography