Mustapha Muley, bred and owned by William Taylor Copeland (1797-1868), was foaled in 1838 by Muley out of a mare by Orville or Walton out of Mufti’s dam. He came third in the Derby when racing for the first time. His owner was a pottery manufacturer and the head of the famous Spode China Company in Stoke-on-Trent. He was also an active politician being Lord Mayor of London in 1835 and Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent (1837-1852 and 1857-1865). Copeland even interceded on Herring's behalf when the artist was suffering financial difficulties and paid off his debts of £500, in addition to commissioning a number of paintings from the artist in order to reverse his fortunes and providing him with a place to live at this time. As a keen sportsman he kept a stud of racehorses at his country residence at Leyton in Essex, which included King Cole, Chantilly, and Mustapha Muley, all of whom were painted for Copeland by Herring in 1842.