Harding (Cockie) Cox

Harding Cox, who later became Major Harding Edward de Fonblanque, rode as an amateur under Jockey Club and National Hunt rules in the latter years of the 19th century. His unusual racing colours were: Eau de nil (a pale yellowish-green) with Mousse green (a dark green) braid, Mousse green (velvet) cap. 

Nicknamed ‘Cockie’ by his friends and associates, he was born at Moat Mount, Highwood Hill, Essex in 1854, the youngest son of Serjeant Cox, a well-known judge, journalist and scientist, who earned fame as the founder of The Field, The Queen and The Law Times magazines. He died aged 70, leaving his son a substantial sum of money.

Harding was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself at cricket, sprinting, rifle shooting and as cox of the First Trinity boat. Soon after leaving university he became involved in hunting and served five yeas as Master of the Missenden and Hambledon Vale Harriers. He served in the Duke of Cambridgeshire’s Hussars and rose to the rank of Major.

At pigeon shooting he won the Grand International Cup at the Gun Club in 1883, beating 75 of the best British and Continental shots. He also won the Grand Aristocratic Cup two years in succession, the Gold Medal at Ostend, and a Prix de Cloture at Monte Carlo. 

‘Cockie’ was also one of the chief organisers of the National Pony and Galloway Club. He kept a stud of racing ponies, which he rode himself in races. He won 13 in a row on a pony named Catona. One year his record read: 15 mounts, 9 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, 2 unplaced. 

He had his first ride under Jockey Club rules on Lady Frederick at Sandown in 1887 but lost all chance when being badly left at the start. His first winner was Latimer in the mile-and-a-half Boden Eccentric Amateur Flat Race at Derby in 1889. 

His most successful horse was Weasel, whom he rode eleven times, winning eight races outright, one dead-heat for first place, one second and just one unplaced effort. They were mostly in Hunters’ Flat Races, the first of them at Lewes in 1889, then following up at Kempton. He rode Weasel to win four races within 19 days in March 1890, all in Selling Hunters’ Flat Races. The wins were as follows: March 1, Sandown (dead-heat); March 11, Croydon; March 14, Plumpton; March 19, Hurst Park. Sadly, he lost Weasel in the auction following the last of those wins, the horse being sold for 430 guineas. 

Another good horse he owned and rode was Trelaske, whom he bought for 220 guineas after seeing him win at Kempton in August 1891. ‘Cockie’ rode him to victory in the High Peak Welter Handicap at Derby on April 23, 1892. He following month, May 27, he won a Match race on him, beating the leading amateur rider George Thursby on Foghorn. 

However, the best horse he owned was the mare Dornroschen, on whom he won the Portsmouth Stakes at Stockbridge on July 4, 1893 by three lengths, beating Arthur Coventry on the hot favourite Blanc. Dornroschen, whom Major Cox had bought for 150 guineas at Doncaster Sales, went on to give him his biggest success as an owner when winning the valuable Nottingham Handicap, ridden by Mornington Cannon, on October 2, 1893.

‘Cockie’ was also a great authority on dogs. He had exhibited his first dog at Hanley Show as far back as 1873. At one time his breed of Wire-haired Fox-terriers carried everything before them, and in later years his wins in Retriever and Spaniel classes outnumbered those of any other exhibitor at the ratio of two to one. He officiated as Judge at all the leading shows, including Crufts, and was a long-standing member of the Kennel Club, serving on the Committee for in various capacities.

He catalogued his sporting reminiscences in his book ‘Chasing and Racing’, published in 1922. It was quickly followed by a second volume, ‘A Sportsman at Large’, published in 1923. 

Harding Cox spent his retirement years at Newick in Sussex where he died in 1944 in his ninetieth year.