Hardinge Browne

1841 - 1875

Scaling, as he did, under 8 st 10 lbs., including a saddle and full hunting dress, Captain Hardinge William Browne - the eldest son of the venerable R. W. Browne, Archdeacon of Bath - was probably the lightest gentleman rider of his day. He was also one of the strongest.

He twice won the Royal Artillery Gold Cup on Conjuror, which was initially an incorrigible puller unable to jump a twig until coming under the tuition of Captain Browne.

The Artillery Gold Cup was, indeed, a lucky race for the Captain: having won it twice on Conjuror, he also scored twice on Colonel Byrne's great hunter, Jerome, and once on the French-bred Charleville, owned by the same officer.

Charleville, ridden by the Captain, also won the 1871 Croydon Grand Military, Rugby's 1872 Grand Military Gold Cup (carrying 13 st.) before finishing second in that year's Birmingham Grand Annual, beaten just a neck.

In April 1872, when running in the United Service Plate at Bromley's Royal Artillery Meeting, Charleville fell heavily, breaking its neck. Happily, the Captain escaped injury.

He had just the one attempt at the Grand National fences: riding Hall Court in the 1872 running won Casse Tete, he later recorded in the career scrapbook he avidly kept 'My first ride at Liverpool. I got round - eleven horses fell.'

On St George's Day, 1875, Captain Browne rode at Sandown Park. The racing over, he returned to Esher Station to catch the return London train.

Stepping out from the rear of a stationary train in order to cross platforms, he was struck full on by the Exeter express which the slightly deaf Captain had not heard approaching.

Thrown violently against the wall of the platform, Captain Browne was lifted into the waiting room where he died moments later.

Coming, as it did, just a day after the death of apprentice John Wass in a fall at Epsom, it was a second crippling blow to the racing community.