At the Rail

Race Horses Before the Stands

The field wheeling before the off — Degas at the rail, painting nerves instead of speed.

Jockeys and Race Horses

Degas keeps his jockeys off the running, turning them at the rail in the loose light before the off.

'Mameluke', a bay racehorse, with Will Wheatley up

Ben Marshall sets Mameluke and Will Wheatley against Newmarket Heath, a groom at the head and the whole turf behind.

'Jack Spigot', a dark bay racehorse with jockey up

Jack Spigot mounted and waiting, the St Leger winner drawn taut under a Doncaster sky.

Memnon, with William Scott Up

Memnon collected under jockey William Scott, Herring pairing horse and horseman as one considered line.

The Cambridgeshire Stakes, Newmarket, 1849

The Cambridgeshire field pours down the Newmarket straight, Alken counting silks in the autumn light of 1849.

'Elis', Beating Colonel Peel's 'Slane', 300 Guineas, Newmarket

Alken has Elis take the measure of Colonel Peel's Slane over the Newmarket turf, 300 guineas riding on a length.

'Hambletonian' Beating 'Diamond' (after George Stubbs)

Ward's account of Hambletonian's famous match over Diamond at Newmarket, the winner drawn straining under the whip.

The Dead Heat for the Doncaster St Leger, with 'Voltigeur' and 'Russborough'

Voltigeur and Russborough lock together at the Doncaster post, Alken painting the dead heat before the run-off settled it.

Le Champ de courses, jockeys amateurs près d'une voiture

Amateur jockeys drift past a carriage on the course, Degas building the picture from the idle minutes of a race day.

At the Races

Degas paints the racecourse as social weather, horses fidgeting at the rail while the crowd looks anywhere but the running.

Lord Rous's Racehorse Shrapnell, with his trainer and jockey

Lord Rous's Shrapnell attended by trainer and jockey, Marshall grouping the whole racing establishment around one horse.