Philip's first winner: Bainesse, Market Rasen, April 4, 1895.
1871 - 1919
Born in 1871, amateur rider Philip Smelter Cadman Cadman (‘Cadman’ was his third Christian name and also his surname) rode 74 winners over jumps between 1895 and 1913.
He made his debut under National Hunt rules with two rides at Malton on February 2, 1894. He finished fourth on the first of them, Fenian, in the Malton Half-Bred Steeplechase, but his other mount, Physic, ran out in the Yorkshire Maiden Steeplechase.
Malton’s left-handed National Hunt course was located adjacent to Highfield Stables, having been laid out by trainer William I’Anson Jnr on land owned by his late father. It had opened its doors on March 17, 1882. The National Hunt Chase, which had a nomadic existence until settling at Cheltenham, was staged there in 1886.
Philip rode his first winner on Bainesse in the Hurdle Race Plate at Market Rasen on April 4, 1895, scoring by a length. He enjoyed his most successful year in 1900 with 19 wins, placing him fifth in the amateur riders’ table. His wins that year included a double at Wetherby’s Easter meeting on April 17 aboard Stella in the Park Hill Selling Chase and Marsden Rock in the Springs Selling Hurdle. He also won four races within the space of two months on selling hurdler Peripatetic, scoring at Grindon and Chepstow in March, Hooton Park in April and Keele Park in May. He followed that career-best score by riding 11 winners in 1901 and again in 1902.
Meanwhile, Malton’s race fixtures had proved popular with Yorkshire’s sporting folk, but in 1903 I’Anson extended his training gallops at Highfield, taking in part of the racecourse, and his main owner, Charles Perkins, objected to racing taking place over the ground. That year’s race meeting went ahead but from thereon its fate was sealed. The last meeting took place on Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th February 1904.
Philip’s career outlasted Malton’s racecourse by ten years. He rode his last winner on Borough Marsh in the Wharfedale Selling Hurdle at Wetherby on Easter Monday, March 24, 1913. He had his final ride on the same horse in the same race at the corresponding Wetherby meeting 12 months later, April 13, 1914, this time finishing second.
Philip Cadman died on March 31, 1919.
