In the next two years he proved himself to be a formidable stayer who excelled at distances in excess of two miles, winning the Doncaster Cup in 1852 and the Emperor of Russia's Plate in 1853.

Hawley, who owned the colt in partnership with John Massey Stanley,[4] sent him into training with his private trainer Alec Taylor Sr. at Fyfield, Hampshire.

When the colt easily defeated a horse named Slang, who was a year older, in a private trial race in March 1850, it was clear that he had considerable ability.

[2] Teddington made his racecourse debut in spring when he finished unplaced in a Sweepstakes at Newmarket and then ran third to Marlborough Buck in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom.

More significant, however, was a private trial race at Fyfield in which he gave six pounds and a beating to Vatican, a five-year-old who had finished third in the 1849 St Leger.

The injury responded to treatment, but when moved to Epsom he lost his appetite and would only "pick the split peas from a little corn" in the final build-up to the Derby.

From that point on he appeared to be in complete command of the race and after being briefly challenged in the straight he pulled clear to win easily ("in a canter")[8] by two lengths from Marlborough Buck.

Teddington held a narrow lead from the start, but Mountain Deer launched a strong challenge to move up nearly level inside the final furlong.

On this occasion he was set to concede nineteen pounds to the three-year-old and the race appeared to be a virtual match, with the other runners largely ignored in the betting.

The last strides proved dramatic as Teddington abruptly swerved to the left and lost ground before Marson straightened him up to win by a head.

[17] Teddington's success was a very popular one, and he returned to the winner's enclosure to receive a reception the like of which had "seldom echoed round Ascot Heath.

"[16] The race was the last under that name: the outbreak of the Crimean War resulted in the event being run in future as the Ascot Gold Cup.