The Waterloo Cup was a hare coursing event organised by the National Coursing Club. The three-day event was run annually at Great Altcar in Lancashire, England, from 1836 to 2005 and it used to attract tens of thousands of spectators to watch and gamble on the coursing matches. It was founded by a Liverpool hotelier on land owned by William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton, who was patron of the event until his death in 1838.
The Waterloo Cup meet was the biggest annual coursing event in the United Kingdom and was often referred to by its supporters as the blue riband event of the coursing year. A hare coursing event of identical name was held in Australia from 1868 to 1985, at which point it became a lure coursing event.Donovan Associates - Donovan News No.39 Spring 2007
Run as a knock-out tournament between sixty-four coursing greyhounds from Great Britain and Ireland, supporters described the meet as the ultimate test of a greyhound, but opponents of hare coursing, such as the League Against Cruel Sports, saw it as a celebration of cruelty. The Hunting Act 2004, which came into force just after the 2005 cup, made hare coursing events unlawful in England and Wales, and the Waterloo Cup has not taken place since.
History
The Waterloo Cup was the premier event in the coursing calendar and was known as the 'blue ribbon of the leash'. It was inaugurated in 1836 by Mr William Lynn, proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel in Liverpool's Ranelagh Street. Encouraged by the extra trade generated by the Waterloo Cup, the Liverpool entrepreneur turned his attention to the Turf the following year and organised the first running of the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase, known as the Grand National since 1839.
The first winner of the Waterloo Cup was a bitch named Milanie, owned by Lord Molyneux, the eldest son of the Earl of Sefton, on whose land the contest was run on the plains of Altcar. In addition to stakes of £16, Lord Molyneux won a trophy in the form of a silver snuff box.
The first supreme champion in the sport of coursing was Lord Lurgan's greyhound Master McGrath, who won the Waterloo Cup three times, in 1868, 1869, and 1871. The dog became a household name in Britain, and such was his fame that Queen Victoria commanded his appearance at Windsor Castle. Master McGrath set the standard by which all later greyhounds would be judged. The great dog's record was finally eclipsed by Colonel North's greyhound Fullerton who recorded four consecutive victories in the Waterloo Cup between 1889 and 1892.
In later years the event has been championed by Newmarket trainer Sir Mark Prescott.
The 2005 event, held on 1416 February, was eventually won by a dog called Shashi, bred by Ernest Smith, and owned by him with Albert Shackcloth and Michael Darnell. Trained at Malton, North Yorkshire, by Jonathan Teal, the winner beat Hardy Admiral, owned by Diana Williams, in the final. The event was memorably filmed by Paul Yule for the documentary The Last Waterloo Cup, subsequently shown on the BBC.
Past winners
+ Year Winner Owner 1836 Milanie Mr William Lynn 1837 Fly Mr Jebb 1838 Bugle Mr Ball 1839 Empress Mr Robinson 1840 Earwig Mr Easterby 1841 Bloomsbury Mr King 1842 Priam Mr Deakin 1843 Major Mr G Pollok 1844 Speculation Mr N Slater 1845 Titania Mr Jebb 1846 Harlequin Mr Barge 1847 Senate Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton 1848 Shade Sir St George Gore, 8th Baronet 1849 Magician Sir St George Gore, 8th Baronet 1850 Cerito Mr G F Cooke 1851 Hughie Graham Mr W Sharpe 1852 Cerito Mr G F Cooke 1853 Cerito Mr G F Cooke 1854 Sackcloth Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton 1855 Judge Mt T Brocklebank 1856 Protest Mr J Bakens 1857 King Lear Mr W Wilson 1858 Neville Mr S Cass 1859* Clive Mr J Jardine 1859* Selby Mr Mr J Gordon 1860 Maid of the Mill Mr J Blackstock 1861 Canaradzo Mr J Hyslop 1862 Roaring Meg Mr J Challander 1863 Chloe Mr T T C Lister 1864 King Death Mr T Williams 1865 Meg Colonel Goodlake 1866 Brigadier Mr Gorton 1867 Lobelia Mr E W Stocker 1868 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan 1869 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan 1870 Sea Cove (late Covet) Mr J Spink 1871 Master M'Grath Charles Brownlow, 2nd Baron Lurgan 1872 Bed of Stone Mr J Briggs 1873 Muriel Mr R Jardine 1874 Magnano Mr C Morgan 1875 Honeymoon Mr W F Hutchinson 1876 Donald Mr R M Douglas 1877 Coomassie Mr R F Wilkins 1878 Coomassie M H F Stocken 1879 Misterton Mr H G Miller 1880 Honeywood Mr R B Carruthers 1881 Princess Dagmar Mr H G Miller 1882 Snowflight Mr Ellis 1883 Wild Mint Mr G J Alexander 1884 Mineral Water Mr C E Marfleet 1885* Bit of Fashion Mr E Dent 1885* Miss Glendyne Mr J Hinks 1886 Miss Glendyne Mr R B Carruthers 1887* Greater Scot Mr R F Gladstone 1887* Herschel Mr T D Hornby 1888 Burnaby Mr L Pilkington 1889* Fullerton Colonel J T North 1889* Troughend Mr J Badger 1890 Fullerton Colonel J T North 1891 Fullerton Colonel J T North 1892 Fullerton Colonel J T North 1893 Character Mr R L Cotterell 1894 Texture Count Stroganoff 1895 Thoughtless Beauty Mr R B Carruthers 1896 Fabulous Fortune Messrs Fawcett's 1897 Gallant Mr T P Hale 1898 Wild Night Mr J Trevor 1899 Black Fury Mr J B Thompson 1900 Fearless Footsteps Mr J H Bibby 1901 Fearless Footsteps Mr J H Bibby 1902 Farndon Ferry Mr G F Fawcett 1903 Father Flint Mr J H Bibby 1904 Hornfray Mr G Darlinson 1905 Pistol II Mr W H Pawson 1906 Hoprend Mr H Hardy 1907 Long Span Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet 1908 Hallow Eve (late Forest Kitten) Mr E Hulton 1909 Dendraspis Messrs. J E & S M Dennis 1910 Heavy Weapon Mr S Hill-Wood 1911 Jabberwock Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet 1912 Tide Time Mr J W Fullerton 1913 Hung Well Mr S Hill-Wood 1914 Dilwyn Mr A P Pope 1915 Winning Number Sir T Dewar 1916 Harmonicon Mr E Hulton 1917 No competition 1918 No competition 1919+ Jakin Sir Robert Jardine, 2nd Baronet 1920 Fighting Force Mr N Dunn 1921 Shortcoming The Countess of Sefton 1922 Guard's Brigade Dudley Marjoribanks, 3rd Baron Tweedmouth 1923 Latto Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale 1924 Cushey Job Mr A Gordon Smith 1925 Pentonville Mr H C Pilkington 1926 Jovial Judge Mr J l Jarvis 1927 Golden Seal Mr A Gordon Smith 1928 White Collar Mrs Sofer Whitburn 1929 Golden Surprise Mr A Gordon Smith 1930 Church Street Mr Geo Smith 1931 Conversion Mr T Cook 1932 Ben Tinto Mr W Ellis 1933 Genial Nobleman Mr J L Jarvis 1934 Bryn Truthful Major H Peel 1935 Dee Rock Mr J E Dennis 1936 Hand Grenade Mr J Campbell 1937 Rotten Row Mr R Rank 1938 Perambulate Mr H C Pilkington 1939 Delightful Devon Mr H Dyke 1940 Dee Flint Mr J E Dennis 1941 Swinging Light Mr R C Brownlee 1942 Swinging Light Mr R C Brownlee 1943 Countryman Mr T Cronoplos 1944 Dutton Swordfish Mrs J A Dewar 1945 Bryn Tritoma Miss G A Allen 1946 Maesydd Michael Mrs S Whitburn 1947 Constable Mr E Baxter 1948 Noted Sunlight Mr N Shaw 1949 Life Line Mr T Holmes 1950 Roving Minstrel Mrs A Rhodes-Moorhouse 1951 Peter's Poet Sir Richard G W Burbidge 1952 Dew Whaler Mr J A Dewar 1953 Holystone Lifelong Major G A Renwick 1954 Cotton King Mr T Noble 1955 Full Pete Major J J Fullerton 1956 Magical Love Mr T E Murgatroyd 1957 Old Kentucky Minstrel Mr J Clarke 1958 Holystone Elf Mr W Proctor-Smith 1959 Mutual Friend Mr M Forsyth-Forrest 1960 Jonquil Mrs B Kerr 1961 Dubedoon Mr A J Morris 1962 Best Champagne Mr G B Cary 1963 Himalayan Climber Mr P McAlinden 1964 Latin Lover Mr L Lucas 1965 Nicelya Head Mr A H Birtwhistle 1966 Just Better Mr G R Graham 1967 Haich Bee Mr P J Duggan 1968 Not Run 1969 Not Run 1970 Rooney Magnet Mr S F Land 1971 So Clever Hugh Molyneux, 7th Earl of Sefton 1972 Linden Eland Mr A S Cathcart 1973 Modest Newdown Mr W Lee 1974 Not Run 1975 Hardly Ever Mrs D Ellis 1976 Minnesota Miller Mr M Sullivan 1977 Minnesota Miller Mr M Sullivan 1978 Not Run 1979 Not Run 1980 Not Run 1981 Timworth Edward Lady Turnbull 1982 Play Solo Mr J N Donaldson 1983 Luda Hussar Mr W Burton 1984 Tobertelly Queen Mr W Gaskin 1985 Hear and There Mr W Gaskin 1986 Not Run 1987 Mousetail Mrs J M Collins 1988 React Fraggl Mr W Gaskin & Miss E Ryan 1989 React Fagan Mr R Hopper 1990 Sam The Man Mr D Truelove 1991 Evening Mail Mrs D Ellis 1992 Johns Mascot J. Gaskin 1993 Crafty Tessie S. Guerin 1994 Not Run 1995 React Robert T. Ryan 1996 Dashing Oak P. J. Daly 1997 Teds Move C.J. Shaw & D. Morgan 1998 Drill the Lads D.M. Gunter 1999Judicial Inquiry D. Flanagan 2000 Suncrest Tina F. Allen 2001 Not Run (foot and mouth) 2002 Petite Glory H. G. Fetherstonhaugh 2003 Henrietta M. Barry & L. Burke 2004 Why You Monty A. Condon 2005 Shashi E. Smith, A Shackcloth & M. Darnell * Cup divided + Substituted event called the Victory Cup
See also Master McGrath
References