Great North Road (Great Britain) not compete with the new railways. The last coach from London to Newcastle left in 1842 and the last from Newcastle to Edinburgh in July 1847. The highwayman Dick Turpin's flight from London to York in less than 15 hours on his mare Black Bess is the most famous legend of the Great North Road. Various inns along the route claim Turpin ate a meal or stopped for respite for his horse. Harrison Ainsworth, in his 1834 romance "Rookwood", immortalised the ride. Historians argue that Turpin never made the journey, claiming that the ride was by John Nevison, "Swift Nick",
Dick Turpin (horse) €26,000. He entered into the ownership of John Manley and was sent into training with Richard Hannon, Sr at East Everleigh in Wiltshire. His sire, Arakan, was an American-bred horse who raced in Europe, winning the Criterion Stakes in 2004 and the Supreme Stakes in 2005. Apart from Dick Turpin, the best of his progeny has been the Toormore. Dick Turpin's dam Merrily showed no racing ability, failing to win in twelve starts. She was a great-granddaughter of Vareta, a French broodmare who won the Prix de la Foret in 1955 and whose other descendants included Zeddaan (Poule d'Essai des