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Sad news that the great jockey has passed away, at the age of 86.
Simply one of the best; my condolences to his family and friends.
Very sad – great jockey and seemed a lovely bloke when interviewed.
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It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"One for the Hall Of Fame, such a great jockey of a magic bygone era of racing without the shackles of social media to bring it down. When bookies wrote up their own prices and tick tacking was their best means of communication on track and boardmen chalked up the results on blackboards in smokey betting shops.
Joe Mercer was out there winning races on horses that are now legends as he himself is.
A true gent and one of the best. RIP ⚘Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Sad news, one of the greats who was part of the tapestry of my early years following racing.
RIP
A true gentleman apparently , and in my humble opinion , a great stylist in the saddle. Lovely tribute today paid by Willie Carson. R.I.P.
Absolute stylist – agree 100%.
Here he is winning the 1980 Gold Cup on Le Moss after an epic tussle with Ardross….
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"The name is one of my earliest memories when I got into racing. Just mentioned his name a few days ago on the ITV racing thread alongside Brigadier Gerard.
RIP THE DEAD RIP
The dead don’t care
about an RIP here
or an RIP there
if its at the front
or if its right behind
They sleep now
fully fattened sows
To the rhyme of
gently snoring cows
So dont frown
and be kind
if they drift at night
right in then out
of your sheep filled mind
to remember your loss
Like little Bo Peep
and dont scare
if you hear a stair
that creaks in the night
or a tapping that
raises your hair
in a fright
They just want
you to know
they are there
So just sleep
without a care
it will help them
to bury their mares
to finally
REST IN PEACE.
Dedicated to Joe
I am unusually still in London and enjoyed a late kate in the little park I visit and just got back and thought how crass I had been lately with my RIP. It was a very quickly executed poem of six lines and then I experienced a hail storm the likes I had not experienced before. A quarter of an inch wide. I put my hand out of the window and experienced pure pain as the hail ripped into it.
The hail made me change and then extend the poem. Tippi’s words were apposite in the extreme so I thought nothing further needed to be written about Joe Mercer. She often nails it like someone else
!J. Mercer
L. Piggot
A. Breasley
G. StarkeyThey all fit together. Scobie Breasely was A as I remember, but for the life of me I cannot remember why.
Joe was Joe Mercer – a name I always liked far better than my own. It just rolls so eloquently if spoken, and looks great on a racing card.p.s.
Did an awful job on the block quote and even re-wrote some of it. Finally worked out how to correct it but wrote ….I enjoyed a late Kate in the park, instead of a late latte. Whoever Kate is I hope you don’t mind, but I replaced you for latte.
I was just reading about Joe Mercer and had forgotten he was on Brigadier Gerard and was on Bustino. Racing is good now but I think it was better then – and I am not quite sure why ? Joe Mercer was a great Jockey. Very dedicated and a very likeable man and thanks Joe for all the memories.
P.s. there is no instruction manual so if you want to test something out like blockquote ( as I did) go into ‘test’ in the lounge. You can muck about in there and don’t concern yourself about the results – people may laugh – but just ignore them.
Maybe Kate was late as she was helping Bo Peep find her sheep Gamble I’m sure she would have loved to have sat with you in the Park and shared a late night latte.
I was reading that Joe had a brother Manny married to Geoff Wragg’s daughter who tragically died on Ascot racecourse after being thrown by his horse and kicked in the head. The owner never raced the horse again and it was retired to stud. Manny is buried in Newmarket Cemetery just at the top of the town opposite the Rowley Mile.
I have never visited but will make a point to do so one day this year.
Fred Archer is also buried there and I would imagine a lot of other jockeys and trainers both famous and not so well known. To lose his brother so young in such circumstances must have been a devastating blow to the family. I believe he was just 30 years old so it’s right that we also remember Manny here with his brother.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...A bit sad; a sign of the times; perhaps an ordinary choice given the name of the owners (Exponent Private Equity); but why on earth would the Racing Post want to “monetise” Steve Cauthen saying really nice things about the late Joe Mercer. I am OK about having most of the Racing Post content behind a paywall, it is a business after all, it is natural, and is earning a living for 300 staff. But nice words from one gentleman about another who has just died can only be read if you have paid to read them? There are many people in this industry continually espousing ideas about encouraging new people into this sport, and here we have its principal mouthpiece aligning itself with the unreconstructed Eberneezer Scrooge.
Rest in peace, Joe. I was just a small kid when he was in his prime, but I’ve read enough about him to understand what a legend he was.
Nice to see so many of you contributing to this thread.Pre internet, the only way to read kind words – or any words – in the Racing Post was to buy it.
I am not sure how having items behind a pay wall online is any different?
Anyway, I remember being there and seeing Joe Mercer ride a four-timer – and backing all of them – on Doncaster Cup day back in the day.
I think he might have won the November Handicap on Town Moor on his very last ride too, with Graham Goode IMO giving a rare (I wasn’t a fan) stand out “Joe going for glory!” commentary.
What a wonderful rider he was.
I am "The Horse Racing Punter" on Facebook
https://mobile.twitter.com/Ian_Davies_
https://www.facebook.com/ThePointtoPointNHandFlatracingpunter/
It's the "Millwall FC" of Point broadcasts: "No One Likes Us - We Don't Care"“I think he might have won the November Handicap on Town Moor on his very last ride.”
Bold Rex for John Dunlop at 20/1.
Was that November Handicap on Bold Rex? Black colours with white spots, similar to Helena Springfield/Meon Valley Stud but not owned by then. Trained maybe by Peter Walwyn or Bruce Hobbs , late 80s?
Probably wrong on all counts but if nothing else it might prompt a trip into the shed to dust off the Superform annuals to see what race/horse it is that I’m on about.
A great jockey nevertheless and sad to hear of his passing.
!
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