Samuel Spode was an equestrian artist who specialised in the portraiture of sporting horses.
He painted many famous horses such as Harkaway a chesnut horse by Economist out of Fanny Dawson, by Nackbocklish out of his Miss Tooley, by Teddy the Grinder. He was bred at Sheepbridge, Co. Down and was one of the few top class horses bred in Ulster. He gained the first of his victories in November as a two year old, when he beat older horses in a canter over 1 mile at The Curragh. As a three year
old, when he won nine races, all at The Curragh, including three King's Plates, the Royal Whip and the Northumberland Handicap, in which he beat Birdcatcher.
Equine sporting art and portraits were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, with numerous famed racing horses immortalised in paint by artists such as George Stubbs, William Brocas, James Ward and John Frederick Herring Snr. Considering the importance of all things equestrian in Irish life and the continual depth of influence the Irish have in horse breeding and training, it is surprising that not more of these works are extant.
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