Courtesy of Country Life
Sire Line
Holderness Turk
Bred by Mr Thompson, of Neasham, in Cumberland, she was later owned by John Brewster Darley of Aldby Park, Yorkshire, who also owned the Darley Arabian. Her pedigree as given in the General Stud Book indicates her dam is a "Commoner Mare, dam by a son of Place's White Turk," however, this should read "Commoner Mare, by Commoner, son of Place's White Turk". Mother Neasham was a half sister to Jackson's Favourite (gr f 1725 Alcock's Arabian) otherwise known as the Gardiner's (or Gardener's) Mare, and half to Firetail (b c 1729 Childers).
In the portrait (left) Mother Neasham is held by her jockey Stephen Jefferson and one of her many prizes sits atop the pillar to the right.
Mother Neasham was said to be a mare of great endurance, and was the favourite of leading jockey, Stephen Jefferson, who had the mount on a great many horses, including Old Sophonisba (ro f 1711 Spanker). Jefferson was said to prefer Mother Neasham even to Aleppo (b c 1711 Darley Arabian). After her first race in 1726, Jefferson was impressed enough with her performance that he urged Mr Darley to purchase her.
A perennial winner of the Cup at Kipling Coates, she apparently had no trouble retaining her excellent form despite her condition, for in the spring of 1731 she had been covered by Mr Darley's Skipjack (ch c 1710 Darley Arabian), and the following spring she duly produced a daughter, Miss Patty, her only known offspring.
| Mother Neasham | Hartley's Blind Horse | Holderness Turk | . |
| . | |||
| Milbanke's Makeless Mare | Makeless | ||
| Kitt Darcy's Royal Mare | |||
| Firetail's Dam | Croft's Commoner | Darcy's White Turk | |
| . | |||
| Makeless Mare | Makeless | ||
| Wormwood Mare |
In 1727 now called Miss Neasham and racing for Mr Brewster she won a £30 Plate at York, beating 2 others. Won a £30 Plate at Liverpool (1 1), beating 3 others. Won a £50 Plate at Lancaster (3 1 1), beating 2 others.
In 1728 won the first of five Plates she would win at Kipling Coates, defeating 6 others in 1 heat. At Preston she won £40 (0 1 1), carrying 10 stone, beating Lord Molyneux's Paria, Sir Richard Grosvenor's Whitefoot, Lord Tankerville's Swallow, and Lord Derby's Belinda. At Leicester she won 40 guineas (5 1 1), beating 4 others. At Litchfield she won 40 guineas (3 1 1), beating Mr Fleetwood's Fair Play (ch g), and Lord Halifax's Sampson (gr c 1721 Greyhound). Following a dispute between the jockeys of Miss Neasham and Fair Play the purse was divided between them.
In 1729 she won the annual plate at Kipling Coates, beating Mr Wharton's Smiling Tom, Mr Bacchus's England and 2 others. Running for Mr Cole she finished 2nd (3 2 2) in a £40 Plate at Banbury, Oxfordshire, won by the Hon Mr Berties' Ladythigh. At Leicester she won 40 guineas (1 1), carrying 12 stone, beating Lord Essex's Smiling Ball (ch c 1722c Merlin Colt).
In 1730 she won for the third time the annual plate at Kipling Coates, beating Mr Wharton's Smiling Tom. Won a £30 Plate at Nottingham (1 1), beating Mr Musters's Pretty Betty. Won 40gs, carrying 12 stone, at Leicester (1 1), beating the Hon Mr Bertie's Ladythigh. Won £20 at Bakewell, Derbyshire, beating (1 1) 2 others.
In 1731 won the annual plate at Kipling Coates, beating Mr Taylor's Polly Peachum (b f 1724 Gallant's Smiling Tom). Went unplaced at Stamford, Lincolnshire, in an 80gs purse, won by the Duke of Ancaster's Gentleman (gr c 1723 Alcock's Arabian). 7 others started. At York she won £30, (the first year the races were run over the Knavesmire course), beating (1 1) Mr Bathurst's Merry Quaker, and Sir Marmaduke Wyvill's Scarborough Colt (bl c 1724 Tifter). At Barnard Castle she won a 50gs Gold Cup, beating (1 1 3) Mr Bright's Emma (br f 1724 Greyhound), Mr Barten's Favourite, Mr Hodgson's Fairplay, Mr Smith's Snake and 2 others.
In 1732 she did not run.
In 1733 she was called Mother Neasham, and finished 2nd in a £30 Plate at Leeds (2 1 2), won by Mr Jennison's Faustina (b f 1725 Hartley's Blind Horse). At York she won the £30 plate, carrying 11 stone, easily beating (1 1) Mr Denton's Modest Molly.
In 1734 she won, for the fifth and final time, the annual plate at Kipling Coates, beating Captain Appleyard's Quiet Cuddy (ch c 1727 Fox), and three others. At York, carrying 11 stone, she won the £30 plate, beating at three heats, Lord Weymouth's Whittington, and distanced two others. Mother Neasham then retired to the brood mare band in Mr Darley's stud.
Bred at Aldby, Miss Patty, a good racemare herself, later became the second dam of Captain Hebden's celebrated Macheath (b c 1774 Warren's Camillus), whose performances in the summer of 1778 were said to be unequalled in the annals of the turf. That year he won all six of the plates offered for four year olds in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, travelling and racing more than 500 miles in the space of seven weeks.
Miss Patty's Race Record
In 1736 in May Miss Patty won 50gs at York, beating Mr Read’s Smiling Tom filly, both carrying 9st over 4 miles. In July at Black Hambleton, finished 2nd of 12 for a 20gs purse for 4yos, 9st, one 3 mile heat, won by Mr Read’s Smiling Tom filly.
In 1737 in August at Black Hambleton finished 3rd of 15 in the Royal 100gs for 5yo mares, 10st, 1 heat, won by Mr Hutton’s Young Childers filly. In September at Lincoln won £30, for 5yos, 9st, one heat, 8 horses ran.
In 1738 in April at Newmarket, Lincolnshire, finished 2nd of 10 in Royal 100gs for 5yo mares, 10st, one heat, won by Mr Hutton’s Aquilina. In July at Durham won a prize of 50gs, 10st (ran 1 4 1) but the rider of Miss Patty was charged with foul play and the prize was withheld - 4 horses ran. In September at Pontefract, Yorkshire, finished 2nd (2 1 2) in a £30 purse for 6yos, 10st, won by Mr Read's Lucy - 5 horses ran.
In 1739 in March at Kipling-Coates, Yorkshire, finished 2nd of 3 in a 16gs purse, 10st, one heat, won by Mr Routh’s Whitefoot. In June at Grantham, Lincolnshire, ran 2 2 in a £20 Plate for galloways, 9st give and take, won by Mr Wood’s Ladies Delight - 4 horses ran. In August at York ran 2 3 1 in a £20 Plate for galloways, 9st give and take, won by Mr Taylor’s Now-I-must-run-my-best - 3 horses ran.