Matilda made her first appearance as a three-year-old at York on 10 August when she started 5/4 favourite for a ten furlong sweepstake.
Ridden by Bill Scott, she led from the start, set a strong pace and "won easy" from Moonshine and Kit Cat.
The Sporting Magazine praised the filly's speed, but criticised her lack of size, dubious stamina and difficult temperament.
On 18 September, Matilda was sent to Doncaster to contest the St Leger Stakes over one and three quarter miles, in which she was ridden by Jem Robinson.
She was third favourite in the betting at odds of 9/1 behind her stable companion Granby and  the Derby winner Mameluke.
The start of the race was chaotic and controversial: the official starter, Mr Lockwood, proved unable to control the jockeys and there were at least seven false starts before the race began.
There were suspicions that Lockwood, and many of the jockeys had been bribed to delay the start for as long as possible in the hope of upsetting Mameluke and preventing the southern horse from winning.
Matilda, however, was also disadvantaged: on several of the false starts she broke quickly and galloped a good distance before being recalled.
When the race finally began Matilda led the field after 80 yards and maintained her advantage into the straight.
A furlong from the finish she was headed by Mameluke, but rallied to  win by a length.
It was reported that Petre won bets totalling £15,000 on the race, including a £2,000 bet that he would win the St Leger before the "Catholic Question" was carried by parliament.
Matilda was scheduled to run a match race over one mile against Mr Foljambe's black filly on the last day of the Doncaster meeting, but the race did not take place.
Matilda made her first appearance as a three-year-old at York on 10 August when she started 5/4 favourite for a ten furlong sweepstake. Ridden by Bill Scott, she led from the start, set a strong pace and "won easy" from Moonshine and Kit Cat. The Sporting Magazine praised the filly's speed, but criticised her lack of size, dubious stamina and difficult temperament. On 18 September, Matilda was sent to Doncaster to contest the St Leger Stakes over one and three quarter miles, in which she was ridden by Jem Robinson. She was third favourite in the betting at odds of 9/1 behind her stable companion Granby and  the Derby winner Mameluke. The start of the race was chaotic and controversial: the official starter, Mr Lockwood, proved unable to control the jockeys and there were at least seven false starts before the race began. There were suspicions that Lockwood, and many of the jockeys had been bribed to delay the start for as long as possible in the hope of upsetting Mameluke and preventing the southern horse from winning. Matilda, however, was also disadvantaged: on several of the false starts she broke quickly and galloped a good distance before being recalled. When the race finally began Matilda led the field after 80 yards and maintained her advantage into the straight. A furlong from the finish she was headed by Mameluke, but rallied to  win by a length. It was reported that Petre won bets totalling £15,000 on the race, including a £2,000 bet that he would win the St Leger before the "Catholic Question" was carried by parliament. Matilda was scheduled to run a match race over one mile against Mr Foljambe's black filly on the last day of the Doncaster meeting, but the race did not take place.
Matilda (horse)