Stalbridge Colonist

[WiganBob]

Anyone remember who used to ride Stalbridge Colonist in the 60’s/70’s ? Stalbridge was "one of the few" horses ever to beat Arkle, aided by a LOT of help from the Handicapper than is.

I don’t mean Stan Mellor, but the jockey who used to ride it when it ran "up North", he used to be the top jockey at Cartmel and a good few other northern tracks.

His name was something of the style like TW Biddlecombe /AP McCoy, in that it was two initials and then his name. Last I heard of the bloke was he was running a B&B near Ambleside, near Milnthorpe, not sure if he’s still on the right side of the turf now though as he’d be getting on a bit.

Thanks,

Wigan Bob.

[Coggy]

Hi.
Sorry mate but I can’t really help. The only other jockey I can recall riding him was Eddie Harty who got suspended for riding a finish a circuit too soon in the Scottish National, if I remember correctly.

[WiganBob]

Hello Coggy…

Thanks for yer consideration anyway, chances are someone will pop up with the answer, the jockey was a leading jockey on the Northern tracks and often won the Northern Jockeys Championship, in the 60’s, Top Man at Cartmel for many a year too.

Wigan Bob.

[bowlinggreen]

Hi,

The only jockey I remember as a regular rider was Stan Mellor who won the Hennessy on him against Arkle. Terry Biddlecombe rode him in one of the Gold Cups, could have been 1967, when Mellor not available. I can’t ever remember him running much up north. He was trained by Frank Cundell at Aston Tirrold in Oxfordshire, I think he mainly ran at Southern tracks.

[WiganBob]

Stan Mellor rode Stalbridge most of the time, but this northern jockey rode him at places like Sedgefield {I think it was}.

Can you remember any of the Northern jockeys from that era ?

I sent an email to Cartmel Racecourse asking if they had a list of the top jockeys at Cartmel in the 60’s, still waiting for a reply, {5 weeks later}, won’t be holding my breath though.

They {typically} just want us through the gate, other than that we mean nowt to them, waste of time thinking they might answer an email from a bloke who’s been attending their races on a regular basis for the last 53 years

Found this interesting write up about the old grey horse…

http://www.famousracehorses.co.uk/stalbridge.htm

Wigan Bob.

[bowlinggreen]

Sorry, Bob. I can’t think of a jockey with the 2 initials of that era other than G W Robinson and he rode for Fulke Walwyn in south. I can remember a few Northern jocks from mid 1960s- might ring a bell with you- Paddy Broderick, Stan Hayhurst, Pat Buckley, Gerry Scott, George Milburn, Jumbo (B) Wilkinson, Roy Edwards, Steve Davenport ( these 2 more Midlands). An old Directory of the Turf from mid 1960s would list all the jocks of that time. Regards.

[WiganBob]

Thanks for the list Bowlinggreen, {Crown Green I hope} ?

The names you listed rang a bell or two for me, it’s a while back hey, but the jockey I’m seeking wasn’t there, but you’d know him for sure once you saw/heard his name.

I stopped at his place 15 or so years ago, "The Plantation Cottage" near Ambleside, he was 60 ish then, living with a young ish say 35 year old woman, & their 4 year old, or so, daughter, she’ll be 19 or 20 by now, don’t time fly…

We’d booked in {me and the Mrs} and I noticed a saddle plonked on the banister rail, with his 3 initials carved into it, didn’t dawn on me right away {I was knackered after a long drive}. I just put it down to them being local riders, until, I came down the stairs the next morning and noticed all the framed photo’s of Steeple Chasers on near every wall, but the one that caught my eye was of Stalbridge Colonist, a horse I’d backed many a time, then the penny dropped, it was a racing saddle with the jockeys initials on it.

We had many a chat over a Full English about racing in the 1960’s, Biddlecome, Gifford, Walwyn, even Scobie Breasley, Dougie Smith, Eph Smith et-al.

Odd how as you get older you can’t remember their names, came up after all these years when a mate of mine was asking for decent digs round there. I suppose we could do a drive by, call in and ask, but you get to that point where you fight shy of asking in case the bloke has finally "weighed in" I’d rather not know, than know that, he was a real nice bloke.

I’ll find his name out though, one road or another…

Wigan Bob.

[Anonymous]

This doesn’t answer your question, I’m afraid; but I’ve just watched the finish of SC’s Newbury triumph hover Arkle here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxY1-LJrpaU

The astounding thing is the quantity of people

on

the racecourse; bizarre to hear O’Sullevan saying "you can see the crowd parting as Arkle comes to jump the last" – and you can, too.

Different times, different style. But didn’t they fly those fences and finish like trains!

[WiganBob]

Hello Pinza…

I knew that Stalbridge Colonist had run well against Arkle, but I’d forgot that it beat the mighty Arkle…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxY1-LJrpaU

A Super "Human" Horse, there’ll never be another like him, Arkle was Special.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr6kYAcEcAg

This was the race that broke the heart of Mill House, sad to see that happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV5cpc2LmK8

Some other good races here, not to mention the best racing commentator EVER !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCF2xL5aS-Y

One of me {long gone} Dad’s favourite horse running here, Flying Bolt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFCPPGL1gdY&NR=1

Here’s a horse that won me a few quid, beating another horse that I backed time and time again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCX4QL4k48

Won for me this time too…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eev5QAkEhF4&NR=1

Another of the Greats of the Age, backed this one many a time too, seeing as I was courting with a Night Nurse at the time, one won me money, tuther spent it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEy2OwN75SU&feature=related

A later generation, but a gutsy horse none the less…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkfs-DMLfi8&NR=1

Do you remember Peter O’Sullivans sprinters, Be Friendly and Come on Grey, they used to win the Vernon’s Sprint at Haydock Park. Come on Grey won 7 times at Haydock !!! {my local course}.

Pity is I can’t find any video for either of them

[bowlinggreen]

Any possibility of it being D V (Dave}Dick- he may have ridden up to mid 1960s. he wouldn’t have been a northern jock, but could have ridden the horse in some early races? before Mellor became regular rider. At least it’s a double initialled name!

[apracing]

Bob,

Eddie Harty would fit the style of name you specify in your first post, as he was always referred to in racecards as E.P. Harty – and that’s how his name appears in the list of Grand National winners printed in the first ever edition of Chasers and Hurdlers in 1976.

He was 31 years old when he rode Highland Wedding to win the 1969 National, so that fits with the dates you mention as well. By that stage of his career, I believe he was established as regular jockey for Fred Rimell – he only got the ride in the National due to injury. Owen McNally was the stable jockey for Balding and would normally have ridden Highland Wedding.

The link to a B+B in the Lakes seem less obvious in his case, as I thought he’d established himself as a bloodstock agent in Ireland after he retired from riding.

AP

[WiganBob]

Nah, I’d recognise the name straight off, best I can do so far is one of me mates said his first name was Victor, and that at least a few years ago he was "still going" as he says he was in his company in the Wheatsheaf in Milnthorpe, well just outside of Milnthorpe, just off the A6.

Looks like I’m narrowing it down anyway.

Thanks,

Wigan Bob.

[WiganBob]

Highland Wedding hey, that takes me back a while, I was at Aintree that day, and backed the horse at 100/9, I had a tenner EW on it.

Don’t know if you know this but the racecourse commentator said the horse had fallen {about 5 out}, I was so hissed off I threw me ticket on the floor, only to then hear him say it’s coming through to take the lead. There I was, looking down at hundreds of tickets and I couldn’t even remember the Bookies name on the ticket.

Had to walk along the Bookies stands, remember which one it was, tell him the tale and then wait till after the races were finished before I could get paid.

The Bookie was fair enough about it, but made me wait to make sure no one else presented the ticket. Thankfully he had heard what we all heard that Highland Wedding had fallen, so he was sympathetic towards my cause.

Wasn’t EP Harty by the way, but I remember him well…

Wigan Bob.

[WiganBob]

Just had a call from one of the lads who said it was…

V.

{Victor}

Percival.

Have to say it don’t ring a bell for me, but, hey, the first thing to go {thankfully} is the memory I was sure that there were three initials on his saddle though, maybe he had a middle name ?

Anyone remember

V. Percival

? I thought "everything" was ont tinternet, obviously not…

It’s a shame when folks seem to slip into oblivion hey, same with horses too, I’d have thought that

Be Friendly

and

Come on Grey

would have been there for all to see {on YouTube} etc.

Wigan Bob.

[wit]

if the pictures on the dining-room wall ring a bell:

http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/plantat … 4QodVBLgAw

then maybe Victor A Percival ?

best regards

wit

[WiganBob]

Hello wit…

Thanks for the link, should have thought of doing that meself

That’s the place alright, and some of the the photo’s that I remember, pity it don’t show you the staircase with the saddle ore the banister rail.

I think you are right on the initial too on the saddle, anyone remember him riding ? or seeing his name listed in the runners and riders in the Sporting Life ?

Wigan Bob.

PS… if any of you are ever up that way, Arnside / Silverdale South Lakelands area, it’s definitely the place to stay, classy and a lovely Full English, with many a racing tale to be told over breakfast. Victor is a real nice bloke too, not stand off ish.
I just phoned the place and he’s still running it.

[wit]

can’t speak for the numberboards at the track Bob, but "Victor A." is certainly what shows up for that address on the electoral roll.

[Author]

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