A Boy and his Pony

The phrase "a boy and his pony" has become a cliché, but here's the original: Sir Alfred J. Munnings' A Boy and his Pony: Portrait of Daffern Seal on Canary (detail). This evocative oil painting on canvas, estimated value £1.5m to £2.5m, is the star buy in Sotherby's annual sale of Sporting Art in London on Wednesday 7 May (Sale L08121). The pre-auction exhibition opens at New Bond Street on 1 May. Daffern? That's a new one on me.