A collection of unique hairstyles from some of the world’s most famous racehorses is for sale.
Three-time Grand National winner Red Rum and other turf stalwarts such as Shergar, Nijinksy and Arkle have been collected for 50 years by enthusiast Ray Goddard.
Goddard, a truck driver from Reading, traveled the country pursuing his unique hobby.
He died 20 years ago and his special treasure, a trophy collection of Ray Goddard’s champion horse heads, went under the hammer at the National Equestrian Museum in Newmarket on Wednesday.
Bidding for the entire 829-piece collection starts at £24,000, with auctioneer Graham Budd’s estimated sale price of between £40,000 and £50,000.
“I rarely use the word ‘unique’ in the auction world because if you do something like it, it comes across,” Budd said.
“This has been in the works for 50 years. He first collected horsehair in 1948 and is still collecting it in the 2000s.
“He was a long-haul truck driver, but his passion was racing. Every weekend or in his spare time, he visits horse farms, stables and racetracks. He’ll go and try to get more hair for his collection.
He continued: “There are over 800 of them and they are all great racehorses, great race winners, mares or gray mares that have made their mark in racing history. For racehorses, it’s the middle of the 20th century.”The collection includes hair from 42 Epsom Derby winners, 13 Cheltenham Gold Cup winners and 13 Grand National winners between 1948 and 2003. The collection will be auctioned live on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
