Portrait of a Winner

AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI GIMCRACK

The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes is a famous race with a lot of tradition. All traditions have to start somewhere so the sponsor was keen to offer a unique prize, as befits such a contest. A commission of their winner. So they have teamed up with the now Norfolk based artist, David “ Mouse” Cooper. ‘Mouse’ was born a naturally talented artist. Brought up in the East End of London, he left school with Grade A in art, but not much else. He went into racing as an apprentice jockey, had a few rides, and then became a work rider, and eventually yard manager. More and more he was driven to paint, and in 2005 he took the plunge and sold his house to pay his way through Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, gaining a Mouse dabbles with a self portrait. B.A. (Hons) in Fine Art. He has since worked as an artist and art tutor. He is widely collected, and has gained a reputation for successfully capturing the movement of horse and jockey, as well as the drama of racing. He now lives and works in a small studio in Fakenham, Norfolk If mouse knew which horse to paint in advance, then he could make art his hobby rather than career, sadly he will have to wait until around 2.47pm today before he knows his subject. The lucky connections will get a double prize, able to collect the painting of the Racecourse shown below this afternoon, they will then be presented with their commission on completion.