Anthony Deacon was born in London in 1845. He enjoyed his greatest moment as a jockey when winning the 1862 Royal Hunt Cup on John Day’s horse Canary.
Torrential rain swept over the 37 starters at the start of that year’s Royal Hunt Cup. Back at the stands countless thousands of umbrellas were brought into requisition as the bookmakers, caught out not just by the weather but also by the weight of money for the maiden Canary – who that morning had been on offer at 14-1 – hastily slashed its price to 11-2.
Trained by John Day at Danebury, Canary – a four-year-old by Orlando out of Palma carrying six stone – was a powerful, lurching horse which took a lot of driving, and many expressed their surprise at Day’s choice of jockey, the 16-year-old novice, Anthony Deacon.
Initially a shoe-shine boy at the South Eastern Railway Station in London, Anthony had once shone the boots of the Danebury trainer. John Day, noticing the boy’s sharpness and smartness of mind, offered him employment at his yard. Arthur had jumped at the chance.
Despite the number of runners – the biggest field of the season – there were just three in it at the two-furlong pole: Canary, tanking along in the lead and looking as though it would walk it, the 100-1 outsider King of Diamonds and the Irish horse, Reindeer.
Suddenly, just opposite the stands with a furlong left to race, Canary – deciding to throw the towel in – tried to pull himself up. Young Anthony was having none of it and administered three sharp blows across the horse’s ribs. Canary immediately ran on, winning cleverly by half-a-length.
A delighted Duke of Beaufort, who had bet heavily on Canary, presented Anthony to his wife. The Duchess warmly congratulated the youngster on his victory.
That rainy afternoon of June 17 was, in fact, Anthony’s day in the sun.
He never again rode a winner of note and gradually faded from the racing scene.
He died in Camberwell, London in May 1880, aged 35, “in a state of great poverty”.