Horse. Snooker. Sunday Mirror, Sunday 26 May 1935
MENTION of Ascot reminds me that weights for the Royal Hunt Cup are due on the day following the Derby. It will be interesting to…
Prior to the establishment of the Woolwich Academy and the designation of its inaugural cadets as “snookers,” horses bearing the same name were victorious in races across Europe. The horses changed, the names of the owners changed, but a horse named Snooker consistently ranked among the top performers since the end of the eighteenth century. It is plausible that this moniker bestowed a degree of auspicious fortune upon the horse. Alternatively, the prevalence of the name may have been a contributing factor, with one of numerous horses bearing the name achieving notable success. In the 1930s, entire sections of sports newspapers were dedicated to Snooker, which was owned by Mr. J. B. Joel. Each race was analysed in great detail, with experts offering praise or criticism of the winning or losing coaches. However, for a period of time, horse Snooker eclipsed all mention of the billiards game with the same name in the sports press.