Legendary jockey items and Royal Worcester up for auction

Australian jockey the late Arthur Edward “Scobie” Breasley (1914-2006) was a household name from the 1940s to the 1960s with five Caulfield Cup and two Victoria Derby wins to his credit  before going on to win the prestigious 1958 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and two Epsom Derbies in 1964 and 1966.

Nicknamed Scobie after famous Australian trainer and jockey James Scobie, four of his Caulfield Cup wins were in consecutive years from 1942-1945 and he carried his Australian success both as a jockey and trainer to England where he won the notable British flat racing Champion Jockey award four times (1957, 1961, 1962 and 1963).

During his career, Breasley rode 3251 winners, of which 2161 were in Britain and more than 1000 in Australia.

Triumph as a trainer came with wins in the 1972 Irish Derby Stakes, 1975 Flying Childers Stakes and Middle Park Stakes and 1976 King’s Stand Stakes.

He also won the Barbados Gold Cup four times in 1989 and from 1991-1993. Breasley was admitted in 2000 to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and given “legend” status nine years later.

A medal in his honour also has been struck by Racing Victoria, awarded each year since 1996 to the best jockey in the State.

Now items from his estate are being auctioned from 12pm Sunday November 29 as part of a special one day E.J. Ainger sale at 433 Bridge Road, Richmond.

While viewing of the items is live from 10am to 4pm Friday November 27 and 10am to 5pm Saturday November 28, the auction itself will be conducted online.

Items from the Breasley estate include a Victorian silver basket made in 1893 by London silversmiths William Comyns & Sons and presented to Breasley and his wife May in 1950-51 from the Simmons family (lot 731).

Another is a sterling silver box and cover signed by all his jockey colleagues and made in 1948 by London’s Robert James Chaplin & Sons (lot 742), along with a crystal water jug, ewer and three matching crystal bowls and large serving dish (lot 750).

The auction starts at lot 500 (until lot 566) with the Royal Worcester collection of dedicated collector the late Barrie Smith who over 40 years frequently visited the Worcester factory on his many trips to England as well as picking up some fine pieces at auction. Lot 517, a John Stinton vase, is typical of the quality of his collection.

Stand alone, though not part of his collection, is a George Owen reticulated Royal Worcester vase (lot 572), while a private collector of Dr Wall Worcester can be seen in lots circa 1770 custard cup (lot 569), a circa 1760 butter cup and stand (lot 570) and a circa 1770 Queen Charlotte pattern teapot and cover (lot 568).

Additional auction items of note are part of a Torresdale Road, Toorak estate with a circa 1980 Swiss Imhof Monastery clock (lot 632) of interest and Will Ashton’s Port scene, France painting (lot 661) another attraction.

Waterford crystal is another feature of this estate including lot 694, seven ‘Alana’ claret wine glasses.