19th century aquatint of Rockingham, winner of the St Leger Stake at Doncaster

A 19th century aquatint of the racehorse Rockingham with its jockey Sam Darling after the original painting by John Frederick Herring Sr. It remains in its original dated  19th century frame in delightfully time worn and textured paint.

Rockingham (1830 – c. 1843) was a British thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the  in classic St Leger Stakes 1833. After finishing fourth on his only appearance as a two-year-old, the colt was undefeated in three starts in 1833, winning the St Leger in the harlequin colours of Richard Watt and taking the Doncaster Cup against older horses in the same week. Rockingham remained in training for three further seasons, winning the 1835 Gold wood Cup, four King's Plates, and three consecutive renewals of the Brighton Gold Cup. He was retired from racing for a brief stud career, but had little success as a sire of winners.

In Doncaster, England, Herring was employed as a painter of inn signs and coach insignia on the sides of coaches, and his later contact with a firm owned by a Mr. Wood led to Herring's subsequent employment as a night coach driver. Herring spent his spare time painting horses for inn parlors, and he became known as the "artist coachman" (at the time). Herring's talent was recognized by wealthy customers, and he began painting hunters and racehorses for the gentry

Measuring: Frame 50 cm x 40 cm

English, c 1840