Antique Victorian Sporting Oil Painting Victor Wild 1897 Alfred Charles Havell

Fine Antique Victorian Sporting Oil Painting Victor Wild 1897 Alfred Charles Havell A fine original late-Victorian British racehorse portrait by Alfred Charles Havell (1855–1928), depicting Victor Wild with Mornington Cannon up, commemorating the Coronation Cup at Kempton Park on 26 June 1897. Highlights - Original signed Victorian oil on canvas, circa 1897. - By Alfred Charles Havell (1855–1928). - Victor Wild with champion jockey Mornington Cannon. - Historically documented 1897 Coronation Cup victory. - Original gilt slip inscribed with pedigree and race date. - Preserved lock of horsehair attributed to Victor Wild. - Historic Messrs Fores trade label, 41 Piccadilly, London. - Faded canvas supplier's stamp, provisionally identified as Winsor & Newton. - Historic typewritten racing record retained verso. - Original Graham Budd Auctions identification label. - Graham Budd Auctions, 13 November 2024, Lot 390. - Famous Lord Hill Museum private exhibition, November 2026. Introduction An attractive and historically significant example of Victorian British sporting art, retaining an unusually extensive record of its celebrated equestrian subject. The painting depicts Victor Wild with Mornington Cannon mounted against a softly painted green landscape beneath a clouded sky. Of particular historical interest are the preserved horsehair, the pedigree inscription, the Messrs Fores trade label and the original racing record on the reverse. Catalogue Details Artist: Alfred Charles Havell (1855–1928) Title: *Victor Wild with Mornington Cannon Up, Kempton Park, 26 June 1897* Date: Circa 1897 School: British Period: Late Victorian Medium: Oil on canvas Signature: Signed lower left Subject: Historic thoroughbred racing portrait Frame: Traditional gilt frame with inscribed inner slip and protective glazing Catalogue Note The painting commemorates Victor Wild's victory in the Coronation Cup at Kempton Park on 26 June 1897. A contemporary racing account published in *River Plate Sport and Pastime* on 31 July 1897 records Victor Wild, owned by Mr T. Worton, winning under M. Cannon at starting odds of 85/40. The race was contested over one mile on the Jubilee Course. Victor Wild carried 9 st 10 lb, defeating Chasseur, with Sandia third, by three-quarters of a length. A further contemporary report published in *The Press*, Christchurch, on 24 August 1897, records the enthusiastic reception Victor Wild received following the victory. These reports independently support the painting's historical identification. The Horse — Victor Wild Victor Wild was a chestnut British thoroughbred foaled in 1890, bred by A. W. Mostyn Owen, by Albert Victor out of Wild Huntress. Historical breeding literature describes him as approximately 16 hands 2½ inches high, with powerful shoulders, a strong neck and distinctive white markings. As a two-year-old, he won the Brockhurst Plate at Portsmouth Park and Midland Nursery at Leicester. His three-year-old successes included the Leicestershire September Handicap and Hurst Park Club Cup. In 1894, he won the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot, reportedly at odds of 50/1, and the Hurst Park Summer Handicap. He subsequently won consecutive Great Jubilee Handicaps at Kempton Park in 1895 and 1896. In 1897, he finished third in the Great Jubilee Handicap before winning the Coronation Cup. Following retirement, Victor Wild was advertised at Lordship Stud Farm near Newmarket in 1898, with a covering fee of 40 guineas. His later recognition included a locomotive named Victor Wild in 1923 and the inauguration of the Victor Wild Stakes at Kempton Park in 1934. The Owner — Thomas Worton Thomas Worton was a publican and racing owner associated with Lambourn, Berkshire. He reportedly acquired Victor Wild for 330 guineas following the horse's Brockhurst Plate victory. Worton was associated with Waltham House Stables in Upper Lambourn, subsequently known as Lethornes. His original racing colours comprised black-and-gold stripes with red collar and cuffs and a black-and-gold quartered cap. The original racing jacket, cap and leather colours bag were documented by Graham Budd Auctions in November 2012, Lot 5. The Trainer — Joe Cannon and Newmarket Historical stable research indicates that Victor Wild transferred to Joe Cannon's Newmarket training establishment in January 1897. Joe Cannon is identified as the trainer for the horse's Coronation Cup victory. The Newmarket training connection should be distinguished from Worton's Lambourn racing interests. The Champion Jockey — Herbert Mornington Cannon Herbert Mornington Cannon (1873–1962), known as Morny Cannon, was six times British Champion Jockey. The son of jockey and trainer Tom Cannon, he won the title in 1891, 1892 and consecutively from 1894 to 1897. During the 1897 season he recorded 145 victories from 624 mounts. His later achievements included partnering Flying Fox to the English Triple Crown in 1899. Cannon was portrayed by Sir Leslie Ward in *Vanity Fair* on 24 October 1891. This portrait is documented by the National Portrait Gallery, London, reference NPG D44565. A further 1894 lithograph based upon a photograph by Sherborn of Newmarket is documented by Josef Lebovic Gallery. The contemporary Coronation Cup result identifies M. Cannon as Victor Wild's winning jockey. Dating the Painting The historic gilt slip records: “KEMPTON. JUNE 26TH, 1897.” The painting is catalogued circa 1897, although the precise date of execution has not been independently established. Victorian British Sporting Art and Historical Context Victorian sporting portraits commemorated successful racehorses, their owners, jockeys and racing achievements. The present painting is distinguished by its identifiable historical subject, preserved horsehair and surviving documentary features. The Artist — Alfred Charles Havell (1855–1928) Alfred Charles Havell was a distinguished British sporting painter from the established Havell family of artists and engravers. Born in Chelsea in 1855, he was the son of Edmund Havell Junior, a portrait painter associated with Queen Victoria, and grandson of Edmund Havell Senior. His great-grandfather, Luke Havell, helped establish the family's artistic tradition in Reading. The wider family included landscape painter William Havell and Robert Havell Junior, associated with John James Audubon's *Birds of America*. Havell first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1878 and specialised in portraits of notable racehorses. He maintained a professional association with Messrs Fores of Piccadilly, London. His documented subjects included *Sheen*, *Alicante*, *Sainfoin*, *Ormonde* and *Dark Ronald*. His work is represented in the National Horseracing Museum and documented through Art UK. The Abe Bailey Trust collection includes his 1909 painting *Dark Ronald* and records his longstanding relationship with Fores. The historic Fores label retained on *Victor Wild* is therefore of particular interest. The Preserved Lock of Victor Wild's Hair The painting retains a small lock of brown horsehair beneath the protective glazing, secured by ribbon at the lower centre of the gilt slip. Graham Budd Auctions identified the hair as belonging to Victor Wild and described the ribbon as representing Tom Worton's racing colours. Such relics could serve as commemorative keepsakes, providing a tangible association with a distinguished horse. The original racing colours of Tom Worton were separately documented by Graham Budd Auctions in 2012, Lot 5. The individual hair strands have not been independently authenticated. **The Historic Winsor & Newton Canvas Stamp** The reverse bears a faded black canvas supplier's stamp, provisionally identified as Winsor & Newton. The firm supplied prepared canvases and artists' materials throughout the Victorian period. The National Portrait Gallery's research publication by Jacob Simon documents comparable nineteenth-century Winsor & Newton stamps. The mark could provide useful evidence concerning the canvas's manufacture and period, although its exact classification remains unconfirmed. The Historic Messrs Fores Trade Label The reverse retains a printed label reading: “MESSRS. FORES, Repository of Works of Art, 41, Piccadilly, (Corner of Sackville Street,) London.” Fores was a distinguished publisher, dealer and frame manufacturer associated with British sporting art. Havell maintained a documented professional relationship with the firm. His portraits of *Sheen* and *Alicante* were associated with prints published by Fores in 1891, while a separate painting of *Ormonde* was documented as having been acquired from Fores in 1918. The label provides a significant historical association but does not independently establish an original commission, publication or sale. The Verso Inscription and Documentary Evidence The gilt slip reads: “VICTOR WILD, BY ALBERT VICTOR — WILD HUNTRESS.” Albert Victor was the horse's sire (father) and Wild Huntress his dam (mother). A further inscription records Kempton Park and 26 June 1897. The reverse retains an aged typewritten racing record headed “VICTOR WILD — OWNED BY MR WORTON”. It lists the Brockhurst Plate, Midland Nursery, Leicestershire September Handicap, Hurst Park Club Cup, Royal Hunt Cup, Hurst Park Summer Handicap and Kempton Park Jubilee Handicap. Several entries are corroborated by nineteenth-century racing literature, including the *Horse-Breeder's Handbook*. The document's date and author remain unidentified. The original Graham Budd Auctions identification label also survives. Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom. Historic Messrs Fores trade label retained; the precise nature of the firm's involvement remains unestablished. Graham Budd Auctions, *Race to History: Specialist Horse Racing Memorabilia Auction*, in partnership with Weatherbys, 13 November 2024, Auction GB84, Lot 390. Acquired by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. Exhibition History The Famous Lord Hill Museum, United Kingdom; privately loaned and exhibited in early November 2026. Dimensions Canvas: Width: 31 cm Height: 25.5 cm Framed: Width: 44 cm Height: 39.5 cm Depth: 5 cm The original Graham Budd Auctions catalogue recorded canvas dimensions of 30 × 24 cm. Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, exhibition history and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record. Attribution and Research The historical observations, provenance research, attribution analysis, dating and contextual commentary presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith as informed scholarly assessments based upon the available physical evidence, historic inscriptions, comparative research, published reference material and our experience within the international fine art market. These observations should be understood as professional opinions rather than definitive statements of fact or guarantees of authorship, attribution, date, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. As with all historic works of art, future documentary discoveries, technical examination, conservation analysis or advances in academic research may refine, expand or revise current interpretations. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market. We are committed to offering collectors works of artistic and historical merit accompanied by transparent provenance research, detailed catalogue descriptions and professional, client-focused service. 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