Robert Scott

Robert Scott

Article by Alan Trout

Robert Scott rode 16 winners over jumps during a brief career between 1899 and 1902. All but one were gained on northern courses and all but two were owned by Mr R. W. Brown.

His first victory was in a match for the Hallstones Open Handicap Hurdle at the annual Burgh-By-Sands fixture, near Carlisle, on Easter Monday, April 3, 1899, when his mount Island Beau beat the 7/4 on favourite Morpeth by 20 lengths. Burgh-by-Sands (pronounced Bruff) staged its last meeting the following year. Carlisle inherited its traditional Easter Monday date and continued to race on that day until 2003.

That was Robert’s only win of the year but he made a good start to the new century, winning at Hamilton Park on January 2, although he may have been fortunate that seven of the ten runners in the Arran Selling Handicap Hurdle took part in a false start and completed the course. When it was ordered that the race be re-run, the first two in the original race did not compete again, thus easing the task for Robert on Castasegna, winning by two lengths.  

The six-year-old Castasegna was also the first half of a double that Robert achieved back at Hamilton Park in November. He ended the year with seven wins.

His sole win away from the north was at Sandown Park on March 2, 1901, when Domineer made virtually all the running to win the Clandon Chase by eight lengths. Robert won seven races on Domineer altogether, the last two coming on the same afternoon at Dunbar on May 13, 1903. The second of these, a victory by seven lengths in the Tyningham Chase, was also Robart’s last win, although his final ride was not until April 6, 1906, when Kelston was unplaced in the Alleston Hurdle at the Pembroke Hunt meeting.