Rare and beautiful creamware plate, painted with the crest of HIGH FLYER circa 1790.
 
  High Flyer was an 18thC thoroughbred racehorse, who was unbeaten in fourteen races. He had a clear lineage to the Arab stallions. Foaled in Great Barton  in 1774 he was closely related to GODOLHIN.
 
Purchased by Lord Bolingbroke, he was subsequently sold. The Lord liked sport,  but this horse
gave none as he always won every race! The first race was in Newmarket, Suffolk.
 
RICHARD TATTERSALL the bloodstock auctioneer, purchased the colt in 1779 for 2,500 pounds and set about making his fortune. He bred the horse for a fee. Her purchased all the daughters of ECLIPSE and bred them to Highflyer. In this way, the combined bloodline of HEROD and ECLIPSE formed the modern thoroughbred.  With the proceeds, (approx 15,000 pounds a year ) he purchased HIGHFLYER HALL, Ely.  After his death, the horse was finally buried in his paddock with the epitaph :
 
 "Here lieth the perfect and beautiful symmetry of the much lamented Highflyer, by whom and his wonderful offspring the celebrated Tattersall acquired a noble fortune, but was not ashamed to acknowledge it."
 
Tattersalls of Newmarket, Suffolk, remains Europe's leading bloodstock auctioneer.
 
Measures approx 10 Inches wide.
Excellent condition. Small well restored flake to  rim.