Robert Denman

Robert Denman

Robert Denman (sometimes Demmon) known to some sporting journalists as ‘Bobby’, was born in Farinsfield, Nottinghamshire, in 1819. The 1871 England Census tells us that in 1871, he worked as a trainer and jockey from stables in Hednesford, Staffordshire, some fifty miles from Farinsfield. He was married to Charlotte: she gave him three daughters. In 1861, Robert Denman also ran a Nottinghamshire public house.

He rode 110 winners during a 20-year period in the mid-19th century.

He gained his first success at Nottingham on 11 October 1837 aboard Restore in a Plate of £60 “given by the Town of Nottingham and by the Members of the Town”. There were just three runners, the race being run in heats of two-and-a-half miles. 

He took part in two Epsom Classics, on Salopian in the 1845 Derby and Miss Orbell in the 1848 Oaks, both times finishing unplaced. 

Although he did not win any major races, he did record a treble at Sutton Park on 16 June 1846, comprising an unnamed filly in the Sutton Park Stakes, Dulcet in the Stand Handicap, and Elei in the Selling Stakes, the latter two races being run in heats. That was his most successful season with at least 21 winners. 

Back at Sutton Park on 12 June 1848, he won the Stand Handicap on Ranthos, winning both heats. 

He rode his last winner on Typhon in the New Handicap at Worcester on 3 July 1857, scoring by a neck. According to the Bell’s Life report, “Bobby brought Typhon up on the inside and won the finest race of the meeting.”

Thanks to Alan Trout for providing most of the information for this article.