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It seems to have escaped TRF’s attention, so I will mention how saddened I was to hear of the death of Brian Rouse last week.
He was a very good jockey in a strong era for riders on the Flat. Remarkably, there was 15 years between his first winner and his second success. He rode only one winner as an apprentice, then quit the game but took out his licence again and began to make up for lost time.
His finest moment was riding the winner of the 1,000 Guineas in 1980 – Quick As Lightning for John Dunlop. He also rode Stannerra to win the Japan Cup in 1983.
Mr Rouse landed me a few nice bets in my early days punting, so I have fond memories of him.
May he rest in peace and my sympathy to his family and friends.
I did see that CAS, he was a good jockey. Overshadowed a bit in a stellar era by the likes of Piggott, Eddery, Carson, etc, but he was very capable.
Good to see you back, CAS. Hope all has been well.
I met Brian Rouse once, at Epsom back in circa 1984. I was just a little kid (I was twelve-ish at the time) but he made time to speak to me. He was on his way to ride a horse called Redden IIRC (I’m not at home, so don’t have my Timeform annuals at hand) and I think he won.
I send my most sincere condolences to his family and friends.
I think there are/were so many good jockeys during that era that went by very much unnoticed considering the list of big ‘names’ that were dominating the sport at that time. Rouse being one of the less noticed.
His association with Stanerra was remarkable in that 1983 season because after an unplaced finish in the Earl of Sefton, she then won the Brigadier Gerrard Stakes, Royal Ascot’s Prince of Wales Stakes and then 3 days later broke Grundy’s course record in the Hardwick Stakes before winning the Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes (aka Irish Champion Stakes) before becoming the first European winner of the Japan Cup….oh and for good measure she also managed to fit in finishing 4th in the Eclipse and 6th in All Along’s Arc.
All that is to say that she clearly wasn’t left wanting when it came to assistance from the saddle and one can only imagine how much more success he might have had had he not worked as an electrician until his late 20s….indeed it would be 15 years between his first and second winner as a jockey!
RIP
“Good to see you back, CAS. Hope all has been well.”
All well, thank you.
“Overshadowed a bit in a stellar era by the likes of Piggott, Eddery, Carson, etc, but he was very capable.”
It was a vintage era. I suppose we need to put Cauthen, Mercer and Swinburn into that category as well.
But as you say, Rouse – while not at their level – was a capable and highly reliable jockey. He won a Classic, rode a few more Group 1 winners and had a good record in the valuable handicaps.
My best memory of him is when he rode a winner I backed at Brighton in the early 1990s. It had to survive the longest stewards enquiry I can ever remember. It didn’t conclude until after two more races had been run. The worry was almost unbearable and it was a relief to finally hear “the places remain unaltered” announcement!
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