Ard Patrick lowers Sceptre's colours in a race for the ages

The year 1903 – Maurice Garin lands the inaugural Tour de France, Boston Red Sox won the first modern World Series, and Bing Crosby was born.

The horses Three of the five runners in this remarkable race – voted no.23 in the Racing Post book 100 Greatest Races – won eight Classics between them, a ratio that will surely never be matched. The phenomenal filly Sceptre, who might have won even more top races had she been trained more conventionally, won four Classics in 1902 and was fourth in the Derby – behind the imposing Ard Patrick. Despite these laurels, the 5-4 favourite for the race was the year-younger Rock Sand, winner of the 2,000 Guineas and Derby and future St Leger (and thus Triple Crown) winner.

The people Alec Taylor, trainer of Sceptre, was known as the Wizard of Manton and was champion trainer 12 times, winning 21 Classics. He had only taken charge of Sceptre three months earlier. Beckhampton trainer Sam Darling (Ard Patrick) was father of the more famous Fred, while the colt's German-born jockey Otto Madden was a four-time champion. George Blackwell (Rock Sand) was one of the few trainers to win a Derby and Grand National, while Rock Sand's American jockey Skeets Martin had also won the Derby on Ard Patrick.