page_title: Persimmon (horse)
section_title: 1896: three-year-old season
hierarchical_section_title: Persimmon (horse) / Racing career / 1896: three-year-old season
context_page_description: Persimmon was a British Thoroughbred race horse and sire. In a racing career that lasted from June 1895 to July 1897 he ran nine times and won seven races. His victories included the 1896 Epsom Derby, one of the first horse races ever filmed, by Robert W. Paul. His other important victories included the St. Leger, the Ascot Gold Cup and the Eclipse Stakes. He was also notable for his rivalry with another English colt St. Frusquin, who inflicted his only two defeats.
context_section_description: Early in 1896, Persimmon and St Frusquin were 5/2 joint favourites for the 2000 Guineas, but Persimmon was slow to find his form and worked poorly in training. He was withdrawn from the race, which was won easily by his rival. His preparations for the Derby did not go smoothly: his performances in a demanding schedule of exercise gallops were inconsistent, and he was almost withdrawn after one particularly poor effort three weeks before the race. On the eve of the Derby, Persimmon caused further concern when he refused to board the train to Epsom and eventually had to be virtually carried on board by a large group of volunteers.
  For the Derby at Epsom on 3 June, Marsh decided, perhaps in view of Persimmon's known temperament problems, to saddle the colt near the start, missing the traditional parade in front of the stands. Persimmon started the 5/1 second choice in a field of eleven, with St Frusquin the 8/13 favourite. Ridden by John Watts, Persimmon was held up at the back of the field in the early stages as Bay Ronald and Gulistan made the running. Watts moved him forward steadily and he turned for home in third place behind Bay Ronald and St Frusquin, and the race soon developed into a match between the first and second favourites. St Frusquin had a slight advantage until the final furlong but Watts then made his challenge and Persimmon took the lead and ran on strongly to take the race by a neck, winning rather more easily than the margin suggested. The first royal victory for more than a century was greeted with prolonged and "deafening" cheering and "tremendous enthusiasm", with the police having difficulty clearing a way through the crowds for the Prince to lead in his winner. Persimmon's winning time of 2:42.0 broke the race record by a full second.
  At Newmarket on 2 July, Persimmon and St Frusquin met for a third time in the £10,000 Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket. On this occasion, Persimmon had to concede three pounds to his rival and twelve pounds to the Duke of Westminster's colt Regret, who started favourite. The field also included the 1895 Classic winners Kirkconnel and Sir Visto. Persimmon took the lead just after half way but after a "very exciting" race he was beaten half a length by St Frusquin, with Regret third.
  In the autumn of 1896 Persimmon returned to the racecourse for the St Leger on 9 September at Doncaster and with St Frusquin retired after sustaining a leg injury, he started 2/11 favourite against six opponents. The Duke of Westminster's colt Labrador was 6/1 second favourite, with the rest of the runners starting at least 66/1. Watts settled the colt in fourth place in the early stages, before moving him up to dispute the lead with Labrador entering the straight. He pulled ahead to win easily by one and a half lengths "amid great cheering."
  On his final start of the season Persimmon ran in the Jockey Club Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket on 1 October. Starting at odds of 8/11, he pulled his way to the front half a mile from the finish and won the £10,000 prize very easily by two lengths from Sir Visto This was a particularly impressive performance, with Persimmon showing "fire and dash" to win in the style of a top class horse.
caption: Persimmon is led in by his owner after the Derby
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