He was born on 3 November 1830 and baptised on 6 October 1833 at St Edith’s Church, Monks Kirby, a village in north-eastern Warwickshire.

He went on to ride for some of the most titled people in the land, including Sir Robert Peel and Lords Clifden, Derby and Palmerston.

The 1854 Ascot Gold Cup gave him one of the greatest races of his career, when he beat Kingston by a head on the famous West Australian.

[citation needed] Day was a "natural horseman" with "exceptionally fine judgement",[4] and was perceived as a "more accomplished rider" than his brothers.

[4] George Lowe of the Sporting Life described him as "absolute perfection in seat and hands, and the way he dropped on an opponent in the last fifty yards could never be forgotten".