March 1970
Drake’s Drum is retiring
Last updated on August 27, 2025
March 1970
Last updated on August 27, 2025
Location: High Park Farm • Campbeltown • UK
Session Feb 28, 1970 • Mixing "Oo You"
Article Circa March 1970 • Designing the packaging for "McCartney"
Article March 1970 • Drake's Drum is retiring
Session Circa 1970 • Home recordings
Article Mar 05, 1970 • "Let It Be" video clip shown on Top Of The Pops
Filming “A Hard Day’s Night” • Day 20
Mar 31, 1964
“A Hard Day’s Night” world premiere
Jul 06, 1964
In July 1964, Paul McCartney bought a racehorse named Drake’s Drum for £1,200 as a gift for his father, Jim.
In March 1966, Paul and Jim went to Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool to watch Drake’s Drum win the Huyton Plate, a race that precedes the famous Grand National. Drake’s Drum won another race at Newbury Racecourse in November 1966.
However, Drake’s Drum sustained an injury and never raced again. Rather than being moved to a retirement farm for horses outside London, as reported by contemporary news articles, he was brought to Scotland, where he joined the other McCartney family horses, including Paul’s Honor and Linda’s Cinnamon.
Out to grass
ONE OF Paul McCartney’s friends is being put out to grass — the racehorse Drake’s Drum which the Beatle bought for his father in 1964. The eight-year-old gelding has not been raced since 1968 and now it is going to a retirement farm for horses outside London.
Says Major Albert State, who runs the Hertfordshire stable which looks after Drake’s Drum: “I doubt if he’ll be used even for riding purposes. His front legs are weak — a fault which many former racehorses develop.”
From Manchester Evening News, March 17, 1970
A four-legged visitor for Beatle Paul
A FRIEND of Paul McCartney is moving home this week. He is being put out to grass, which is bad news for Beatle admirers living around Arkley, on the Hertfordshire fringe of London.
The friend is the racehorse Drake’s Drum, which Paul bought for his father in 1964. For the past two months, while it has been stabled at Arkley, he has been driving out to visit it regularly from his St. John’s Wood home. Drake’s Drum has not been raced since 1968. The eight-year-old gelding is now going to a retirement home for horses at a farm outside London.
“I doubt if he’ll be used even for riding purposes,” says Major Albert State, who runs the Arkley stables.
From Liverpool Echo – March 13, 1970
The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969 – 73
In this first of a groundbreaking multivolume set, THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1: 1969-73 captures the life of Paul McCartney in the years immediately following the dissolution of the Beatles, a period in which McCartney recreated himself as both a man and a musician. Informed by hundreds of interviews, extensive ground up research, and thousands of never-before-seen documents THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1 is an in depth, revealing exploration of McCartney’s creative and personal lives beyond the Beatles.
The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years
With greatly expanded text, this is the most revealing and frank personal 30-year chronicle of the group ever written. Insider Barry Miles covers the Beatles story from childhood to the break-up of the group.
The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001
An updated edition of the best-seller. The story of what happened to the band members, their families and friends after the 1970 break-up is brought right up to date. A fascinating and meticulous piece of Beatles scholarship.
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