The rider of the bay mare Rhoda, who won the 1,000 Guineas in 1816 and became the most successful racehorse in Britain (numerically) winning 21 of her 45 races. Her actual number of competitive races was even higher as many of her later races were run in multiple heats, with the prize money going to the first horse to win twice. This sometimes involved running four races in a day.
Barnard also won the 1811 Two Thousand Guineas easily on the black colt Trophonius (named after a Greek hero). His constant expression when he had a difficult horse to handle was ‘I never could carry him, no how.’
Sam rode just 76 winners: he suffered a career-ending fall when his horse fell with him at Ascot. As a result of this fall, he was totally blinded.
He died in Newmarket on June 29, 1846, age 69.
Sam Barnard’s classic wins:
Two Thousand Guineas: Trophonius (1811)
The Oaks: Medora (1814)
One Thousand Guineas: Rhoda (1816)
