Prohászka László: Equestrian Statues - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1997)

at drawing and sculpting as a boy, and later as a young adult studied art at the college of fine arts as a student of Pátzay. The statue of the steed erected by the race course in what is now called Kincsem park is one of his finest works. The animal is presented in a so-called training position without saddle or rider. The fine and perfectly life-like outlines of the 125 per cent life-size figure shows the touch of a genius.

The inscriptions carved into the four sides of the pediment tell a complete story. On the front side we can read the text: Kincsem 1874-1887. Bay mare. Cambuscan- Waternymph. (Cambuscan was the father, Waternymph the mother of Kincsem.) The words The miracle mare was entered for 54 races of which she won 54 recount Kincsem’s achievement unsurpassed to this day. The inscription on the opposite side says Bred by Ernő Blasko- vich, Tápiószentmárton.

On the rear of the base the name of the sponsoring company is commemorated: Erected by the Hungarian Horseracing Company in 1977 on the 150th anniversary of the first horse race in Pest.

The memorial to István Széchenyi (1791-1860), encased in a large vaulted aperture in the grandstand wall, is also the work of Béla Tóth. In the background, behind the upper-trunk bronze portrait of Széchenyi, some galloping horses can be seen. This motif, together with the perfect composition of the piece, serves as further proof that few of his Hungarian contemporaries knew as much about the sculptural representation of horses as did Tóth. Below the monument, which was unveiled on 29 September 1985, is the inscription Count István Széchenyi, founder of horse racing in Hungary. The inscription on the carved limestone of the ledge at the bottom of the four-and-a-half metre high, two-and-a-half metre wide aperture pays homage to the sponsor: Erected by the Hungarian Horseracing Company in 1985.

In front of the grandstand by the track, is Béla Domokos’ piece, the 125 per cent life-size statue of the racehorse Imperiál, which was erected in 1991. On the pedestal, on the side facing the grandstand, is the inscription: Imperiál 1960-1990. Bay stallion. Imi-Hurry. The celebrated steed won several international races, earning fame to Hungarian breeders. However, its bronze statue is not very advan56