1814 Bombay Turf Club Racing Trophy

NEW YORK, NY -- A highlight of the English & Continental Silver auction on January 28 is a fascinating object with Anglo-Indian horse racing interest: a George III sterling silver gilt covered two-handled cup by London silversmith William Bennett engraved to commemorate an 1814 horse race at the Bombay Turf Club in Bombay (now Mumbai), India (lot 102). The engraving reads:

This cup Value 100 Guineas Given by Mr. Charles Forbes for Maiden Horse carrying 9 stone one three Mile Heat Won by Colonel Corsellis's GA. H. Trumpeter Beating Young Escape, Khaun, Chance, Present Occasion, Beverly Mufti and Hamlet, Bycullah Course, 6th Jany 1814

Sir Charles Forbes (1774–1849) was an important figure in establishing organized horse racing in Bombay. As the respected head of Forbes & Company Ltd., he co-founded the Bombay Turf Club (BTC) in 1802 with Captain G. Hall, A. Campbell, and P. Hadow. This group acquired land in Byculla, the most affluent district of British Bombay, to create a dedicated venue for formal race meetings moving the sport beyond its informal beginnings and establishing a structured institution that catered to the city's elite social life.

Forbes' leadership and financial backing were crucial to the BTC's success. He served as a key patron using his prominent position as a successful merchant and philanthropist to lend legitimacy and permanence to the club's operations. His contributions helped to build the infrastructure and social standing of horse racing in the region.

Forbes' legacy in Indian horse racing endures: The organization he helped establish evolved into the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), which moved its premier location to the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in 1883. In permanent recognition of their founding father, the RWITC continues to host the annual Sir Charles Forbes Trophy as a significant and respected fixture on the Mumbai racing calendar.

The winner of the 1814 trophy, Colonel Thomas Corsellis, is recorded as a British military officer serving in the Bombay Native Infantry in India at this time.

Given the Bombay Turf Club was founded only 12 years prior to the awarding of this prize, this trophy is an early and important piece of Indian sporting history. The expense of commissioning this piece in London and sending out to India in 1814 is fine example of the dedication to sport by the founders of the club.

English & Continental Silver

Auction Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 10am
Exhibition January 17 – 19
View Lot