John Rattenbury Skeaping R.A. (1901-1980) MILL REEF signed and inscribed 7 of 10, bronze, rich brown patina, mounted on original marble plinth with extensive gilt inscriptions reading: RACING RECORD OF MILL REEF, AT 2: WON SALISBURY, COVENTRY, GIMCRACK, IMPERIAL AND DEWHURST STAKES, SECOND IN PRIX ROBERT PAPIN, AT 3: WON GREENHAM, DERBY, ECLIPSE, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES AND PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE, SECOND TO BRIGADIER GERARD IN TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS, AT 4: WON PRIX GANAY AND CORONATION CUP, MILL REEF, MR. PAUL MELLON'S BAY COLT, 1968, BY NEVER BEND - MILAN MILL BY PRINCEQUILLO, HORSE OF THE YEAR, ENGLAND, 1971, WINNER OF THE DERBY, ECLIPSE, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES AND THE PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE, BRED BY MR PAUL MELLON, TRAINED BY IAN BALDING AT KINGSCLERE, JOHN SKEAPING R.A., SCULP., the bronze 25.5 by 32cm., 10 by 12 1/2in. Mill Reef was a bay colt foaled in 1968 by Never Bend out of MIlan Mill. He won 12 of his 14 starts for his American owner and breeder Mr Paul Mellon. The colt was trained at Kingsclere by Ian Balding and in 1971 he was voted Racehorse of the Year following a series of outstanding performances and then record European earnings of £300,192. After winning the 1971 Derby, Mill Reef won the Eclipse in a record time; the King George by a record winning margin; & the Arc in a record time. On 30th August 1972 Mill Reef broke a leg on the exercise gallops. Thanks to expert veterinary care, the horse's life was saved and he was sent to the National Stud at Newmarket where he became principal stallion. Mill Reef sired countless good horses including two Derby winners Shirley Heights (1978) & Reference Point (1987). Mr Paul Mellon presented this bronze, No.7 from the small edition, to Mill Reef's lad John Hallum who looked after the horse from his arrival in England from Virginia as a yearling to his eventual departure from Kingsclere to the National Stud.
£25,000 - £30,000
John Rattenbury Skeaping R.A. (1901-1980) MILL REEF signed and inscribed 7 of 10, bronze, rich brown patina, mounted on original marble plinth with extensive gilt inscriptions reading: RACING RECORD OF MILL REEF, AT 2: WON SALISBURY, COVENTRY, GIMCRACK, IMPERIAL AND DEWHURST STAKES, SECOND IN PRIX ROBERT PAPIN, AT 3: WON GREENHAM, DERBY, ECLIPSE, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES AND PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE, SECOND TO BRIGADIER GERARD IN TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS, AT 4: WON PRIX GANAY AND CORONATION CUP, MILL REEF, MR. PAUL MELLON'S BAY COLT, 1968, BY NEVER BEND - MILAN MILL BY PRINCEQUILLO, HORSE OF THE YEAR, ENGLAND, 1971, WINNER OF THE DERBY, ECLIPSE, KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES AND THE PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE, BRED BY MR PAUL MELLON, TRAINED BY IAN BALDING AT KINGSCLERE, JOHN SKEAPING R.A., SCULP., the bronze 25.5 by 32cm., 10 by 12 1/2in. Mill Reef was a bay colt foaled in 1968 by Never Bend out of MIlan Mill. He won 12 of his 14 starts for his American owner and breeder Mr Paul Mellon. The colt was trained at Kingsclere by Ian Balding and in 1971 he was voted Racehorse of the Year following a series of outstanding performances and then record European earnings of £300,192. After winning the 1971 Derby, Mill Reef won the Eclipse in a record time; the King George by a record winning margin; & the Arc in a record time. On 30th August 1972 Mill Reef broke a leg on the exercise gallops. Thanks to expert veterinary care, the horse's life was saved and he was sent to the National Stud at Newmarket where he became principal stallion. Mill Reef sired countless good horses including two Derby winners Shirley Heights (1978) & Reference Point (1987). Mr Paul Mellon presented this bronze, No.7 from the small edition, to Mill Reef's lad John Hallum who looked after the horse from his arrival in England from Virginia as a yearling to his eventual departure from Kingsclere to the National Stud.