Carlisle Bell
Handicap race
LocationCarlisle Racecourse
Carlisle, England
Inaugurated1599
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
WebsiteCarlisle
Race information
Distance7f 173y (1,566 metres)
SurfaceTurf
QualificationThree-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
Purse£31,000 (2022)
1st: £16,416
Carlisle Bell
2018
Light blue, orange epaulets White, maroon epaulets, hooped sleeves, quartered cap White, dark green braces, dark green cap
Waarif Raselasad Presidential
Previous years
2017
Red, white hollow box, striped sleeves, check cap White, emerald green cross of lorraine, emerald green and white chevrons on sleeves, pink cap Red, black seams, white sleeves, black armlets, black cap
Carnageo King's Pavilion Georgian Bay
2016
LIGHT BLUE, ORANGE epaulets, WHITE cap Yellow, royal blue and yellow chevrons on sleeves, quartered cap Black, red hoops, black sleeves, red cap
Edgar Balthazar Alejandro Alexandrakollontai
2015
Royal blue and white (quartered), white sleeves, red armlets, royal blue cap, white diamonds White, maroon chevron Light blue, orange epaulets
Ifwecan Provident Spirit Our Boy Jack
2014
Brown, pink disc Royal blue, yellow seams, halved sleeves, royal blue and yellow quartered cap White, dark green braces, dark green cap
Johnno Sound Advice Balducci
2013
Dark blue, yellow stars, diabolo on sleeves and star on cap Purple, white halved sleeves, white cap, purple spots Orange, dark blue disc, dark blue cap
Silvery Moon Chookie Royale Pacific Heights
2012
Royal blue, yellow stripe, diamonds on sleeves, yellow cap Emerald green, white hoops, white sleeves, emerald green diamonds, white cap, emerald green diamond Dark green, orange seams, orange cap
Levitate Toto Skyllachy Silvery Moon
2011
Maroon, beige chevron, maroon sleeves, beige stars Royal blue, royal blue and light blue check sleeves Black and white diabolo, black sleeves, white stars and stars on cap
Miami Gator Vito Volterra Take It To The Max
2010
Emerald green and yellow check, diamonds on sleeves, check cap Dark blue, grey stars, dark blue cap, grey star Yellow, orange star
Camerooney Major Phil Smarty Socks
2009
Orange, white diamond, hooped sleeves, striped cap Black, red epaulets, grey sleeves, red cap Grey, white hoop, light blue sleeves, orange cap
Stevie Gee Motafarred Bold Marc
2008
Dark Blue and Yellow (quartered), Yellow sleeves, Dark Blue stars and stars on cap Grey, White hoop, Light Blue sleeves, Orange cap Black and White (quartered), Emerald Green collar and sleeves, White cap
Osteopathic Remedy Bold Marc Rainbow Mirage
2007
Grey, white hoop, light blue sleeves, orange cap Beige and emerald green check, beige sleeves Purple, white epaulets and sleeves, quartered cap
Bold Marc Prince Evelith Daaweitza
2006
Pink, Royal Blue chevrons and armlets Red, White stars, striped sleeves, White cap Mauve, Yellow epaulets, Yellow cap
Regent's Secret Riley Boys Hula Ballew
2005
Dark Blue and Light Blue diabolo, Light Blue sleeves, quartered cap Light Blue, Royal Blue sleeves and cap White, royal blue star on body and cap, check sleeves
Hartshead Goodbye Mr Bond African Sahara
2004
Light Blue, Royal Blue sleeves and cap Red, White striped sleeves and hoop on Yellow cap Pink, Maroon chevrons, Pink sleeves, Pink cap, Maroon star
Goodbye Mr Bond Countykat Tedstale
2003
Purple, grey star Red, black sash, red and yellow hooped sleeves, yellow cap Royal blue, white spots, white sleeves, royal blue armlets and spots on white cap
Top Dirham Definite Guest Investment Affair
 

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[1] and are now held at the Carlisle Guildhall Museum.[2]

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[3] and bears the inscription:

The sweftes horse thes bel to tak for mi lade Daker sake
(The swiftest horse this bell to take for my lady Dacre's sake)

The second, smaller bell is inscribed 1599 H.B.M.C which is believed to stand for "Henry Baines, Mayor of Carlisle".[4]

Civic records from the 17th century list the bells among four racing prizes competed for at Carlisle.[5]

"We request that Mr Mayor and his bretheren shall call for the silver broad arrows and the stock and the horse and nage bells with all expedition to be employed for maintaining of a horse race for the city's use (upon the king's moor) at such time yearly as they shall think convenient and to article"

— Carlisle civic records, 1619

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 1988

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer Time
1988 Affaire De Coeur 4 7-03 S Wood Patrick Haslam 1:40.40
1989 Overpower 5 8-08 A 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[a] Kestral 5 8-12 C Lowther T 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 [b]
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
  1. ^ The 2001 Carlisle Bell was run at Thirsk
  2. ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "History of Horseracing". Carlisle Racecourse. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Museums and galleries". Carlisle City Council. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  3. ^ Mortimer, Onslow & Willett 1978, p. 107.
  4. ^ Strutt 1801, p. 34.
  5. ^ "Carlisle Racing Bells and Cumberland Plate". BBC Cumbria. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
  6. ^ Carr, David (10 June 2020). "Historic Carlisle Bell falls foul of pandemic as Jockey Club counts the cost". Racing Post. Retrieved 11 June 2020.

Bibliography

Categories