There were two Ralph Morels, members of a family that owned a shipping company in Cardiff and became prominent in local politics. Fortunes were to be made shipping coal from there around the country, and to parts of Europe. They also imported iron ore from Spain. The company’s health waxed and waned owing to conflicts within the family.
Captain Ralph Elliott Morel lived at Dinas Powis in the Vale of Glamorgan. His brother, Major Edward Clement Morel, was part of the business. Both enjoyed their racing and had runners at Chepstow and Cardiff. The Major’s Waving Star nearly gave the family victory in the 1939 Welsh Grand National when six lengths ahead at the final fence, only to be pipped at the post. Major Morel died suddenly two months later.
Ralph Cory Morel was the Captain’s oldest son. A keen horseman, he decided to leave the family business and move to Cornwall while maintaining his connections with South Wales. He rode in steeplechases and point-to-points and was a member of the Glamorgan Hunt for many years. At a dinner after the 1925 Glamorgan Hunt meeting, where he’d won on his Barnstormer, he ensured that the winner’s trophy was given to the groom who had looked after the horse for four years.
The Captain died at the end of June 1951. Young Ralph died, aged only 45, in August. In 1952 the Welsh Grand National was run on Easter Monday for the first time. The following day, 15 April, there was a mixed meeting that included a 2m4f flat race and the new Ralph Morel Challenge Cup, a three mile chase. Whether it is one or both of the Ralphs being commemorated is not clear.
The Morels’ shipping company was wound up in 1956, but their race continued until 1994. This was thanks to the devotion of Captain Ralph’s daughter Posy Lewis (1908-90), who was one of the first women to be granted a licence by the Jockey Club in 1966. In reality she had trained for some years already, the licence being held at different times by her brother and her son. She was also the first female steward at Chepstow.
Sources include:
https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/threads/morel.29839/
Amazon review of Morel book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morels-Cardiff-History-Family-Shipping/dp/072000246X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258192900&sr=1-1
Western Mail, 8 August 1951
Mr. Ralph Cory Morel, member of the well-known Cardiff shipping family, has died, aged 45. He was the eldest son of the late Mr. Ralph Morel and of Mrs. Morel, of St. Andrew’s House, Dinas Powis. During World War II he was commissioned in the 13th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was one of the officers who acted as guard to Queen Mary when she stayed at Badminton. At one time he was in the firm of Morel, Ltd., shipowners, Cardiff Docks, but he left the business some years ago and had lived at Porlock, Somerset, in recent years. A keen horseman, he had been a member of the Glamorgan Hunt and was a well-known rider at the local point-to-point meetings.