Matthew Dobson Peacock (1856-1935), had ridden from childhood and participated as an amateur jockey on the flat and over jumps, his first winner coming in 1877. He then turned to ownership and a year after his Golden Drop won the 1893 Manchester Cup he decided to set up as a trainer at Manor House in his home town of Middleham. Handicaps were his metier, and he trained six winners of the Northumberland Plate.
He achieved a long-held ambition in 1932 by training a hundred winners, no mean feat in those days of limited numbers of race meetings. He was the first Yorkshireman to do so. By then he was a much-loved veteran, and a pillar of his local community.
The Dobson Peacock Handicap at Newcastle began in 1936 in honour of Matthew senior, who died the year before, and was run at the Northumberland Plate meeting until 1997.
Dobson was the middle name of his second son Henry, known as Harry (qv), and his grandson Richard, known as Dick. They were both trainers, as was his elder son Matthew James Peacock (qv).
For more information about all the Peacocks visit the Middleham Stables History section of John Slusar’s greyhoundderby.com website.
http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Middleham/Middleham%20Racing%20Stables.html