Last month we looked at the great Yattendon. Now we turn our attention to arguably his greatest son in Chester. He was bred by Edward King Cox out of his impressively bred imported English mare Lady Chester by Stockwell which resided at his famed Fernhill Stud. King put the yearling through the sales of George Kiss and Thomas Clibborn on 18 April 1876. He was an outstanding type and took the eye of many onlookers including one scribe from the Evening News who described the colt in glowing terms. ““No grander yearling was ever seen at Randwick whilst his condition, and likewise all that offered from the same stud, showed that neither expense nor trouble had been grudged in bringing them to market under the most favourable auspices.” Another who liked the colt was the Hon. James White who signed for the yearling on a bid of 490 guineas.
No one ever disclosed what transpired, but when the colt went to the track it was not in the name of White, but rather that of his breeder, EK Cox. It was speculated that the colt had failed a veterinary examination but, in a time when horses changed hands regularly, we will never know the reason. Nonetheless, Chester entered the stables of Sam Harding who had trained the 1874 Melbourne Cup winner, Haricot for the Chirnside brothers, Andrew and Thomas. The AJC did not allow for racing of 2yo’s before January, and Chester faced the starter for the first time on New Year’s Day 1874 over five furlongs at Randwick. The impressive looking colt had attracted plenty of interest in trackwork and was sent out as the 5/2 favourite. Chester led into the straight but the Victorian colt, Viscount, who had run fourth in the Maribyrnong Plate and was owned by Sir Hercules Robinson, issued a strong challenge, eventually winning by a head. By now, Chester was an impressive 16 hands and most racing men of the time concluded that given time, he would furnish into the best horse in the land. This opinion
