Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

Racehorse Legends - stamp issue 6 April 2017

The sport of Horseracing is thought to have been brought to Britain in the first century AD during the Roman occupation when soldiers used to organise races on horseback as a means of entertainment. Kings and queens were amongst those who enthused about horse racing including Charles I who introduced the first-ever Cup Race, known as the Gold
Cup, and also Queen Anne whose passion for the sport led to the founding of Ascot Racecourse. Traditionally, horses were ridden over a specific distance on flat ground only but during the 18th century the racing of horses involving the jumping of fences and hurdles was introduced, an activity that was to become known in the UK as National Hunt.

The eight stamps that comprise the set feature horses which have all in their own unique way created a piece of history in British horse racing. These include the legendary Red Rum who won the Grand National on three occasions and the indomitable Frankel who remained unbeaten in his 14-race career. Whilst not all of the horses featured were born and reared in Britain, such is the global nature of the modern ‘Sport of Kings’, they have all achieved greatness by winning one or more of the UK’s most prestigious races.
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Set of 8 stamps showing racehorses. 
 
Stamp Set - in horizontal se-tenant pairs

1st class - Frankel, Red Rum.  £1.17 – Shergar, Kauto Star.

£1.40 - Desert Orchid, Brigadier Gerard.   £1.57 - Arkle, Estimate.

Stamps in detail

1st Class Frankel: Unbeaten in his 14-race career, Frankel is the top-rated horse in the world since the World Best Racehorse Rankings were initiated in 1977.
 Greatest race: The 2000 Guineas in 2011.   Frankel is named after the American Hall of Fame trainer, Robert Frankel and was trained by Sir Henry Cecil. He was ridden throughout his racing days by Tom Queally.

1st Class Red Rum: Voted no. 3 favourite horse by Racing Post readers.
Greatest race: 1977 Grand National (ridden by Tommy Stack). The only three time winner of the Grand National.

£1.17 Shergar: European Horse of the Year 1978.
Guardian Classic Trial, Chester Vase, Derby, Irish Derby, King George VI and QEII Stakes (1981) Greatest race: Epsom Derby 1981 – longest winning margin in that race’s history.

£1.17 Kauto Star: Greatest race: 2009 King George VI Chase (ridden by Ruby Walsh). His huge 36-
length victory enabled him to replace Desert Orchid as top-rated steeplechaser

£1.40 Desert Orchid: Voted no. 2 favourite horse by Racing Post readers
Greatest race: 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup (ridden by Simon Sherwood). Added drama of a narrow win in this famous victory

£1.40 Brigadier Gerard: Won 17 of his 18 races and named British Horse of the Year 1972
Voted no. 5 favourite horse by Racing Post readers Greatest race: 1971 2000 Guineas (ridden by Joe Mercer). His defining moment, beating Mill Reef his great contemporary.

£1.57 Arkle: Won 27 of his 35 starts. Voted no. 1 favourite horse by readers of Racing Post.
Greatest race: 1964 Cheltenham Gold Cup (ridden by Pat Taaffe). His first Cheltenham Gold Cup was a dramatic win as he dethroned Mill House and showed his greatness for the first time. Described by John Randall and Tony Morris in their book A Century of Champions as “…a freak, an unrepeatably lucky shake of the genetic cocktail, the nearest thing the sport has ever seen to the perfect machine”.

£1.57 Estimate: Won the 2013 Gold Cup at Ascot, the first horse owned by a reigning monarch to do so. It is very rare that a horse becomes a legend from just one race but this is one of those exceptions

Technical details:

The se-tenant stamps are designed by Together Design using illustrations by Michale Heslop.  The stamps are printed by International Security Printers in lithography, size 41 x 30 mm, and printed in 4 sheets, 50 per sheet. 

Acknowledgements: The illustrations reference the following photographic sources: Frankel © 2017 Racing Chronicle, featured with the kind permission of Juddmonte Farms Inc.; Red Rum © S&G/S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport/PA Images, featured with the kind permission of Donald McCain Racing Limited; Shergar © Racing Post, featured with the kind permission of H.H. the Aga Khan’s Studs; Kauto Star © David Jones/PA Archive/PA. Images, featured with the kind permission of Clive D. Smith; Desert Orchid © Colorsport/Rex Shutterstock, featured with the kind permission of Richard Burridge; Brigadier Gerard © S&G/S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport/PA Images, featured with the kind permission of Ian Hislop; Arkle © EMPICS/Topham Picturepoint/PA Images, featured with the kind permission of Anne Duchess of Westminster’s Charity; Estimate © Hugh Routledge/Rex Shutterstock, featured with the kind permission of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2017, taken with the kind permission of English Heritage

Product range - we will not be stocking these products

Set of 8 stamps         Presentation Pack     First Day Cover    Set of 8 Stamp Cards  - Souvenir Products: Medal Cover, Framed set of 6 stamps.


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This page created 9 March 2017

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