ON October 16th, Graham Budd Auctions, in association with Weatherbys, will offer an exclusive collection of racing memorabilia at Newmarket’s National Horse Racing Museum.

This is the first time that such a collaboration has taken place but if proving a success, we hope to make it an annual event. Amongst the items up for auction are a number of trophies won by the late Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery during their incredible careers. The latter jockey, in particular, is close to my heart, as was one of the main reasons I became a fan of horse racing.

Growing up in suburban London, my family had no real opportunity to have a direct involvement with horses but my grandfather was always a keen racing fan. He passed that love on to my father, who in turn, introduced me to the sport. As a young child, I would have been taken racing at our local track, Kempton Park, from an early age. From the very first time that I saw it live, racing became my lifelong passion.

Although female jockeys are the norm these days, with riders such as Rachael Blackmore and Bryony Frost continuously raising standards, it was something of a rarity 50 years ago. In 1972, I was present at Kempton Park to witness Meriel Tufnell win the first ever ladies’ race run under Jockey Club rules.

Three years later, I was at Ascot to watch Grundy beat Bustino in what is commonly referred to as the “race of the century”. Only a month prior to that epic encounter, I had sprinted out of school, reaching an electrical shop on the high street just in time to watch Grundy round Tattenham Corner on his way to winning that year’s Derby. So, having such vivid childhood memories of both Eddery and that great horse, I’m proud to include related memorabilia in our upcoming auction.

Cricket was my game during summer, while I competed in cross-country running in winter. I was a relatively decent athlete who managed to reach a high standard at both those sports at schools level. Sadly, as a city boy, I never had access to horse racing but continued to look on as a spectator throughout the years. It was always an ambition of mine to one day own a racehorse; a dream that only became a reality in recent times.

Mail room

In 1979, I left school at the age of 16, joining the mail room at Sotheby’s Auction House. While you couldn’t do that today, back then you could go in to most big companies at the bottom level and work your way up.

There had been auctions of golfing memorabilia taking place since the late 1980s, with antique clubs proving popular amongst collectors. With American buyers being to the forefront of that particular market, auctions were usually timed around the British Open Championship. Cricket related memorabilia was also popular, with earlier volumes of the annual Wisden almanack selling for tens of thousands of pounds. On a global scale, sporting memorabilia was becoming big business with Maradona’s “Hand Of God” shirt selling for over $2m and a pair of Michael Jordan’s shoes making similar. Once the big auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s and their US counterparts threw their weight behind it, what was once a hobby became mainstream.

In 1996, Sotheby’s held their first auction of racing related memorabilia. Working in the Collectors Department at that time, I was heavily involved in that initial auction. Soon after, I was promoted to head up the Sports Department. Two years after, the company held its first ever offering of football memorabilia; another resounding success.

Amongst the more high profile auctions that I curated at Sotheby’s included an earlier collection of Lester Piggott memorabilia and a sale of items belonging to the legendary footballer, Sir Stanley Matthews. That latter collection featured the player’s 1953 FA Cup winners medal which sold for £220k.

As part of a long association with Weatherbys, Sotheby’s also sold the plain racing block colours, including John Magnier’s all navy and Mrs Magnier’s pink colours. In 2004, I left Sotheby’s Auction House, branching out on my own, establishing Graham Budd Auctions. Although I later sold the company, I remain very much involved in a non-director’s role.

High profile

Our most high profile auction to date was the sale of a very rare Olympic torch from the 1952 games in Helsinki. With only a small number of torches made of those particular games, a bidding war erupted between two collectors who had torches from every other Olympics. The final price of £420k was a record for Graham Budd Auctions.

In October 2021, I bought my very first racehorse at Tattersalls October Sales. Subsequently named Gemini Star, I sent the filly to Alice Haynes in Newmarket. Just later that year, I actually moved to the town myself, to a location situated at the bottom of the famous Warren Hill gallops. So, not only do I get to see hundreds of racehorses every day, I can quite literally pop next door to see my own thoroughbred at Alice’s stables. For someone such as myself with a lifelong passion for racing it really is living the dream!

Gemini Star has also done her part; finishing runner-up on her debut at Haydock last October, before winning on her first three-year-old run at Thirsk in April. To own a winner with my very first horse is just incredible, so I am really enjoying the journey and where it is taking me.

Last month, Graham Budd Auctions sponsored a race at Newmarket promoting our upcoming auction. I was interviewed on Racing TV by Nick Luck and got to present the prize to winning connections. Having looked in from the outset for so many years, it is exciting to feel part of something I have followed with a passion throughout my life.

Memorabilia relating to Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery headline next week’s auction at the National Museum. Amongst the main pieces on offer include Royal Academy’s Breeders’ Cup winning trophy from 1990 and Dancing Brave’s Arc trophy from 1986. Eddery is still the only jockey to have won the Irish Jockeys’ Championship while based in the UK; his championship winning trophy is also featured.

Outside of those two aforementioned collections, two pieces that stand out are a racing plate from Golden Miller’s 1934 Grand National win (only horse to win Grand National and Gold Cup in same year) and racing silks worn by Joe Mercer when winning the 1974 French Oaks on Highclere for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Early interest in the auction has been very positive, so we are hoping for a large turnout, both in person and on the phone, next week. If the auction proves as popular as indications suggest, we would hope to make it an annual event.

Graham Budd was in conversation with John O’Riordan