Sir Harry

Sir Harry
Sir Harry. Contemporary painting.
Sire	Sir Peter Teazle
Grandsire	Highflyer
Dam	Matron
Damsire	Alfred
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1795
Country	Kingdom of Great Britain
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Joseph Cookson
Owner	Joseph Cookson Mr Turnor Mr Bullock Mr Concannon
Trainer	Frank Neale
Record	19:9-7-1
Major wins
Epsom Derby (1798) Claret Stakes (1799) Match against Symmetry (1800) King's Plate at Lewes (1801)

Sir Harry (1795 – after 1816) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from May 1798 to August 1801 he ran nineteen times and won nine races. Lightly campaigned in his first two seasons he won Epsom Derby on his racecourse debut and the Claret Stakes at Newmarket in 1799. Sir Harry was much more active in his two remaining years, running fifteen times and winning seven more races including several match races and King's Plates. After his retirement from racing he was exported to the United States where he had a successful record at stud.

Sir Harry was a brown horse bred by his owner Joseph Cookson. He was the fifth Derby winner to be trained at Newmarket, Suffolk by Frank Neale. Sir Harry's sire, Sir Peter Teazle (or simply "Sir Peter") won the Epsom Derby in 1787 and became the most successful stallion of the time, winning the title of Champion sire on ten occasions between 1799 and 1809. Sir Harry made Sir Peter Teazle the first Derby winner to sire another winner of the race.

Sir Harry was the last of three foals produced by Matron, also known as Betsey. After having her first foal in 1789, Matron was trained for racing for two years and then used as a hunter for two further years until being returned to stud in 1794.

Sir Harry made his first racecourse appearance in the Derby at Epsom on 24 May 1798. The race attracted thirty-seven entries, each paying fifty guineas, of which ten appeared to run in the race. Despite his lack of previous experience Sir Harry was made favourite at odds of 7/4. Ridden by Sam Arnull, he won from the 33/1 outsider Telegraph, with Young Spear third.

Sir Harry had only one other race in 1798, when he ran at Newmarket in October. He started second favourite for a Sweepstakes over ten furlongs ("Across the Flat")) and finished second of the four runners behind the favourite Admiral Nelson.