Mary Venetia James, daughter of the Rt Hon George Cavendish-Bentink (1821-1891) and great-granddaughter of the third Duke of Portland (1738-1809), married racehorse owner and breeder John Arthur James (1853-1917) in 1885. Together, they achieved a number of successes on the racetrack. Venetia continued racing horses after her husband's death in 1917, winning the Victoria Cup and the 1932 Coronation Cup. The couple were a part of London's high society and were friends with King Edward VII. It was even rumored that Venetia was his mistress. Upon her death in 1948, childless Venetia bequeathed her jewelry to her goddaughter, Queen Elizabeth, a number of paintings to the National Gallery, and a collection of silver, furniture and objects to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

John Nost Sartorius was likely the most prolific painter of the Sartorius family. Because of his training as a sporting artist under his father and grandfather, his style is reflective of a more traditional style of sporting painting. However his personal style is distinguishable as being a more modern, less naïve approach with rounder, more naturalistic depictions of horses, as seen in the present picture. Although, his style is still notably traditional in comparison to his contemporaries.

Living at Carshalton, Surrey and often working at Newmarket, John Nost exhibited over one hundred paintings at the Free Society and the Royal Academy. He contributed sixteen subjects to The Sporting Magazine, and over forty of his paintings, mainly portraits of racehorses, were engraved. The Prince of Wales, Earl of Derby, Lord Foley, Charles James Fox and Christopher Wilson were among his patrons. Sartorius's accurate portrayal of Epsom, Ascot and Newmarket 'finishes' are a valuable document of the history of racing.