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Kempton Cannon, trainer Hayhoe and Mr Leopold De Rothschild discuss the day’s racing prospects in December 1904.
Always known as ‘Kemmy’ to his friends, Kempton Cannon’s passions away from the racecourse included yatching, cricket, hunting, ski-ing and nights at the theatre.
He rode three Classic Winners:
1901 St Leger: Doric
1904 Two Thousand Guineas: St Amant
1904 The Derby: St Aman
Trainer Lowe & Kempton Cannon in the Epsom paddock, April 1904, awaiting the arrival of their runner, Over Norton
In 1897, Walter Kempton Cannon rode 431 mounts but won on just 32, finishing 15th in the jockeys' table.
This was headed (inevitably, at the time) by his brilliant brother, Mornington, who had ridden 145 winners.
Mornington won the jockeys' championship six times in his career.
The highlight for Kempton that year was his success in the Cambridgeshire, in which he had given Comfrey a brilliant ride. Sadly, this was the only big race he won that season.
Kempton regained some status when, riding Addendum at Sandown's First Summer Meeting (June 24) the following season, he beat his brother (riding Nun Nicer) by three parts of a length in the valuable Sandringham Foal Stakes.
Newmarket: Wednesday, 14 October 1896. A steady, three-hour morning downpour, following a stormy night, had turned the course dead. Of the fifteen runners contesting that day's Cesarewitch, none was better suited to the conditions than Kempton's mount, the three-year-old St Bris who won, pulling away, by four lengths.
Kempton was to win the race a second time, in 1902, aboard 8/1 shot Back Sand (2/1 in the place market).
Black Sand had been second in the race the previous year, but this year - drawn 6 - Kempton sent the five-year-old on at the Bushes for an easy win.
The Cambridgeshire was also to prove a lucky race for Kempton: he won it again in 1899. Riding the 20-1 shot Irish Ivy, Kempton came up the centre of the course to pull away to win by an easy three lengths.
Walter Kempton Cannon
1879 - 1951
Kempton won his first classic (of three) when the good-looking Doricles won the 1901 St Leger: the first time in the history of the race in which the starter gate was used.
Doricles, a brown colt by Florizel ll, was a full brother to Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, who had both won the race, so - although Doricles started at 40-1 - the signposts were there.
Run in bright sunshine on Wednesday, September 11, it was nevertheless an ill-tempered affair with much bad-feeling among the leading jockeys.
The odds-on favourite, Derby winner Volodyovski was expected to have an easy race: in the event its jockey, American Lester Reiff, found himself sandwiched between Revenue and Doricles. Volodyovski certainly lost ground but came again to grab a small lead. Kempton, however, was not to be denied and strongly retaliated, forcing his mount over the line a neck clear. Reiff immediately objected but the Stewards, after deliberations, decided not to disturb the judge's verdict.
Kempton won the 1903 Produce Stakes at York (August 26) when getting up on Catgut in the final strides to beat 4-6 favourite Melodious by a head.
It was their second meeting of the year: earlier, the filly Melodious had come out the better, but this time, getting 4 lb from her, Catgut sought and found revenge.
Kempton enjoyed a major success when taking the 1904 2,000 Guineas on St Amant. Though the light was not particularly good, it was clear from the stands that Kempton's mount had the race well in hand. He was not pressed to beat John o'Gaunt who, in turn, was two lengths clear of the third, Henry the First.
However, Kempton's greatest day in the saddle came that season on the first day of June when he won the Derby on St Amant.
Kempton's mount had originally been drawn 3, but the jockey asked for, and was granted, permission to race on the wide outside instead. Kempton chose this course of action because of the earlier deluge of rain which had greatly altered the going.
Luckily for Kempton, St Amant - a thoroughly bad-tempered horse - once again consented to do his best, as had been the case in the Guineas. Making every yard of the running, St Amant came home virtually as he pleased with the French colt (and favourite) Gouvernant toiling in its wake.
The race had been run in a downpour: consequently, every rider was 2 lb or more overweight when they returned to the scale, but the Stewards permitted them to pass (in accordance with the Rule of Racing 152).
Walter Kempton Cannon was one of the first leading English jockeys to adopt the 'monkey-crouch' seat, brought from America by Tod Sloan.
Kempton was associated with many of the successes of Mr L. de Rothschild, (owner of St Amant).
Kempton retired from racing shortly before the 1914 - 18 war in which he served with the Royal Flying Corps. Afterwards he opened a garage in Newmarket before finally retiring to live in Hove in 1926.
Born in Stockbridge, Hants. on 21 November 1879, Kempton died at Hove, aged 72, on 2 December 1951.
He left £14,131
His wife, Letitia Annie Watts, was the widow of jockey John Watts, who was once apprenticed to Kempton's father, Tom.
Kempton's first ride was Poor Box at Kempton, May 25, 1894
His first winner was Bunting at Stockbridge, July 12, 1894
Kempton Cannon on Oppressor leading the parade for the 1899 Manchester November Handicap won by Proclamation. Oppressor finished third.
Doricles & Kempton returning to scale after finishing second to William the Third in the 1901 Newmarket Stakes
Classic winners:
1901: St Leger - Doricles
1904: Two Thousand Guineas - St Amant
1904: The Derby - St Amant
Big wins include:
1896: Cesarewitch - St Bris
1896: Manchester November Handicap - Telescope
1897: Cambridgeshire - Comfrey
1897: Goodwood Stakes - Gluten
1899: Cambridgeshire - Irish Ivy
1900: Gimcrack Stakes - Garb Or
1902: Cesarewitch - Black Sand
1903: Coventry Stakes - St Amant
1905: Jockey Club Stakes - St Aman
Kempton Cannon finished third in the 1900 Stewards' Cup
Kempton & Innocence finished 10th in the 1901 Jubilee Handicap.
Bath 1901: The finish of the Badminton Plate. Mornington Cannon on Throwaway beats his brother, Kempton, riding Bryn Bras
Kempton Cannon landing a double at Brighton in August 1901, Fast Castle and Doricles
Doncaster 1901: The stage is all set for st Leger
Newmarket. May 1902. Kempton Cannon finishes third on Ard Patrick to the brilliant filly Sceptre in the Two Thousand Guineas
Brothers Kempton & Mornington Cannon make their way to the start of the 1902 Two thousand Guineas
On October 15 1902, Kempton won the Cesarewitch on Black Sand
Newmarket. Kempton finishes third on Rabelais in the 1903 Two Thousand Guineas, the same position he claimed the previous year
Kempton & Rabelais again, this coming fourth in the 1903 Epsom Derby behind Rock Sand
Kempton and St Amant make no mistake in the 1903 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot
1904 Two Thousand Guineas
St Amant in the Epsom paddock after winning the 1904 Derby
1904 Derby winners St Amant & Kempton Cannon
Like many jockeys, Kempton had a passion for cricket. The photo above was taken at Kennington Oval in 1904 when the jockeys took on the Amateur Athletes in a charity match. The jockeys lost by 62 runs.
On the way to the start of the 1904 Gatwick Stakes won by Henry the First
Kempton at the crease 1905
Winners of the 1905 Jockey Club Stakes - St Amant & Kempton Cannon
Kempton out hunting in 1905
1908
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