This section is dedicated to Roy and Caroline Hirons, for the Eclipse Stakes remains Roy's favourite race. His first memory of the race was in 1955 when his father allowed him to tag along to Sandown Park, Roy's first visit to a racetrack, and one which started a lifelong passion for the sport. He vividly remembers Darius (11/10 fav) passing the post first with Lester Piggott on board, but is not certain whether he, or his dad, backed him. The horse was owned by Sir Percy Loraine and trained by Harry Wragg. Since that first visit Roy has attended almost every Eclipse Stakes day, and has endeavoured to collect Eclipse day racecards, both before 1955 and on the occasions he has personally attended since, many of which are displayed on the pages on this site dedicated to each year of the race. Roy is devoted to ensuring the memory of his former local racecourse at Pershore remains in people's memories. Despite the racecourse no longer existing, Roy has helped organise an annual raceday at Worcester racecourse when the former race names of Pershore are remembered, particularly the Land O' Plums Chase.
The Eclipse race itself, for 3-year-olds and above over 1 mile 1 furlong and 209 yards, celebrates Eclipse, one of the most famous racehorses of all time, and was first staged in 1886 with a prize of £10,000 donated by the philanthropist Leopold de Rothschild, equivalent to just over £1 million in today's terms, making it the richest race in Britain at that time. That inaugural running was won by Bendigo, owned by H T Barclay, trained at Seven Barrows Stables in Lambourn by Charles Jousiffe, and ridden by Tom Cannon senior. Since then it has been run annually in July at Sandown apart from a break between 1915-1918 due to the First World War, from 1940-1945 due to the Second World War, 1946 at Ascot, and in 1973 when the race was held at neighbouring Kempton Park, and often tests the ability of the Derby winner against the older generation.
