Harry Beasley Sr

1850 - 1930

Harry Beasley Senior was both the jockey and trainer of the 1891 Grand National winner Come Away.

Roddy Owen, the rider of the runner-up, Cloister, afterwards threatened to set about Harry for not allowing him up on the rails during the race.

Richard Marsh, Cloister's trainer, restrained Owen saying, 'I wouldn't do that, Roddy. You may come second again.'

He rode his first winner on Straffan in a hunter chase at Baldoyle in 1876.

Harry was an incredible 73 years old when he rode in his last steeplechase at Punchestown and a record-setting 83 years old when he rode his own filly Mollie in Baldoyle's Corinthian Plate.

Harry Senior also rode in the 1886 Grand National, coming second on  Too Good - a horse named by the Empress of Austria.

Christened Henry Herbert Beasley but always known as Harry, he was the second of five sons of Joseph Beasley of Athy, Co. Kildare. He died on October 19. 1939, aged 89. He left £588.

Harry's big wins include:

1880: Irish Grand National - Controller

1880: Grand Sefton Chase - Jupiter Tonans

1881: Grand Sefton Chase - Lord Chancellor

1882: Champion Chase - Zitella

1883: Champion Chase - Too Good

1883: Grand Sefton Chase - Zitella

1883: Great Metropolitan Chase - Sugar Plum

1883: Grand Steeplechase de Paris - Too Good

1885: Grand Sefton Chase - St George

1889: Irish Grand National - The Citadel

1890: Grand Steeplechase de Paris - Royal Meath

1891: Grand National - Come Away

His Grand National mounts were as follows:

1879: Turco - Pulled up

1880:  Woodbrook - Fifth

1881:  Fairwind - Refused

1882:  Unitarian - Pulled up

1883:  Unitarian - Third

1884:  Frigate - Second

1885:  Frigate - Second

1886:  Too Good - Second

1887:  Too Good - Broke down

1888:  Usher - Fell

1889:  Battle Royal - Pulled up

1891:  Come Away - Won

1892:  Billee Taylor - Bolted