Robert Ridsdale

Robert Ridsdale (1783–1857) was a wealthy English race horse breeder and gambler, whose horse St. Giles, owned in partnership with prize-fighter, John Gully, won The Derby in 1832. According to the Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Flat Racing “His methods were based on the corruption of trainers, jockey and stable employee and for some years he was a powerful influence for evil in the sport”. His partnership with Gully ended on acrimonious and violent terms. Early life Ridsdale came from humble beginnings, but stories about his early life vary; some say he was working in a Doncaster hotel as a boot-black and others that he was a groom in York. They all agree that he was offered a job in service by John George Lambton, who later became the 1st Earl of Durham. Ridsdale worked as a groom and became involved with Lambton's horse racing and gambling, getting to know jockeys, trainers and the betting market. His time with Lambton enabled him to develop the social skills of a gentlemen. Partnership with Gully Ridsdale left the employment of Lambton, and operated on the fringes of the betting ring with some success. He became trusted as a betting man who would pay his debts promptly, and in full. He also began acting as an agent to gentlemen gamblers such as Robert Edward Petre, youngest son of Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre. Others that worked in this way included the former prize-fighter John Gully. He, like Ridsdale, owned race-horses and in 1827, he purchased The Derby winner Mameluke and entered the horse into the St Leger Stakes. The race was chaotic with several false starts and the eventual winner, Matilda, owned by Robert Edward Petre, beat Gully's horse by a length. Many believed the race had been fixed by Ridsdale and others. A similar race fixing scandal had surrounded the running of the 1824 St. Leger, when before the race Ridsdale was seen having a clandestine meeting with the jockey of the favourite horse, Jerry. This coincided with an inexplicable change in the betting market and the trainer, fearing the worst, switched jockeys at the last moment. The betting market immediately responded with money going back on Jerry, which seemed to confirm that a “fix” had been planned. The horse went on to win the race.