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09 Oct 11
23:24
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10 Jan 07
Jockey brother of Doug. Was himself 2nd in the jockey`s championship 3 times and rode the last Derby winner before the war. He was still riding in the 60s. He died young( ish)in 1972. I am almost certain he drowned,whether accidentally or otherwise,but I can`t find anything on the net at all. Anybody know the details ?
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I remember at the time it was reported that he had drowned but dont know the circumstances.
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Same as me. I remember reading the original account but not the inquest.
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Sad to say, I'm fairly sure it was reported as a suicide.
There was another Smith jockey at the time - Stan Smith. Many thought he was a brother, too - but I think he was a cousin. |
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I thought he died when a horse called Priddy Fair reared up and crushed him
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No - That was Manny Mercer.
Manny Mercer died on 26 September 1959 when a filly named Priddy Fair threw him before the start of the Red Deer Stakes at Ascot Racecourse. Mercer was fatally kicked in the head as he fell to the ground. Reporting on his death. |
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I am fairly sure that he died by his own hand.......it was reported that a shotgun was found near the body.
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Mr. Memory Eph Smith died by drowning. I would hate to be wrong but
I seem to recall an investigation into his affairs was or was about to take place. |
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Eph was short for Ephraim I think.
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You've probably already seen this @ http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,359670.0.html
There is an obituary in "The Times" 14 Aug 1972 - to summarise: Eric Eph SMITH - his father was a point to point rider who farmed at Shottesbrooke near Maidenhead (Berkshire). Eric had two brothers, Charles & Douglas who were all born there Maybe possible for you to view historical obituaries on-line? |
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Thanks everybody. Bears out what I suspected but just couldn`t find. Rather ruined a question for a quiz I am preparing which may see the light of day in the next week or so.
Stan certainly wasn`t a brother. I thought he was unrelated but could be wrong. |
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salmon, a final word I think that the guy called Stan was actually a journeyman jockey
whose christian name was Septimus. |
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I remember him being retained by Lord Roseberry when he ( Smith ) was about 50. But I think you are probably right that he was never a star name.
It`s amazing how little info there is about jockeys on the web. As far as Britain is concerned there`s more chance of finding stuff about famous horses. Eph has no wiki entry despite being very near the top of his trade for 30 years. He gets a mention on Doug`s entry which is itself a stub. |
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wikipedia not invented when Eph Smith was riding imo
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That must be it blackpood.
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Eph was found in a brook or a stream I recall. I think it was regarded as suicide. His last years were pretty dreadful. His more famous brother had sad times towards the end too. So tragically did Grev who hardly ever left his home. Like boxers ,many jockeys die skint. They shouldn't but sadly the booze and or the gambling does for them.
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Eph Smith did not commit suicide,he was out walking fell and drowned in a small puddle.He was also deaf but as typical of those times just accepted it.
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Jockeys trainers deaths always brings back that trainer oh christ father something freg sake massive gamble on it was it a northern trainer think he shot himself
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was it father hayes
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ooh my minds gone dont think it was father hayes
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Cricketers are more notorious for committing suicide. There is a famous book about it. Apart from Fred Archer,who was probably a special case because of the huge quantities of diuretics he was taking,I can`t find anything on the net about suicides amongst British/Irish jockeys. Most of us who are old enough seem to agree that Eph did but I can`t find any others ( there`s one or two Americans ).
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Ah. While I was typing the above we have a dissident. I certainly don`t remember it being established as suicide,but I know I jumped to that conclusion when I read between the lines of the article describing his body being found. The deaf bit rings a bell though.
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Salmon Spray what about Tony Murray and an Irish jump jockey and Irish Grand National winner Cathal Finnegan?
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Not mentioned in various lists I have found. but there are a number of jockeys I KNOW were killed on the racecourse who aren`t in similar lists.
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Taken me 20 mins but Murray died of a drugs overdose at the age of 41. However an open verdict was returned.
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If I remember correctly Tony Murray was himself lucky not to be a course fatality.
Did he crash into a concrete post? |
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Not sure dunlaying.
A Cathal Finnegan was still alive in Aug of this year when he took part in a jog for jockeys at Downpatrick. There was another one who rode Glencaraig lady but I can`t find anything about his death. |
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No = Didn't Tony he suffer serious facial injuries, after nearly getting decapitated by an old type Starting Tape?
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Thank you Onlooker,that is what happened is it.
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Pretty sure, dunlaying - the facial injuries part definitely did.
Joe Blanks sadly lost his life, due to a concrete post, at Brighton. |
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Salmon I read between the lines also on Eph Smiths newspaper report. Pretty certain that Cathal Finnegan is dead as said.
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Dunlaying is right about Tony Murray,had his jaw broken in smittereens off a concrete post at Windsor i think.
He was a truly great jockey who had his heart broken by a lady jockey with Grundy connections,rumoured that Greville Starkey was partially responsible. |
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Her's a rare old clip...
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39828 |
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Johnny Lehane was a jump jockey who drunk paraquat in his hotel room in 1969. Only 35. Rode a couple of Cheltenham festival winners, and rode Mr What to be placed in the Grand National. He was known as 'Tumper', I remember reading.
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Eph Smith was the elder brother of Doug Smith he died in 1972 and the inquest verdict was misadventure.The best horse he rode was Blue Peter who in 1939 won the 2000 Guineas,the Derby and the Eclipse stakes,he also rode the controversial Premonition to win the St Leger.
Cathal Finnegan was apprenticed to Vincent O`Brien until 1953 he then became a jump jockey winning the Irish Grand National in 1970 on Garoupe,he sadly drowned in the river Boyne in 1978. |
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I think it was Doug Smith who drowned - found in his swimming pool.
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ged, You may well be right, shortly before his death it was alleged that a load of readies he had stashed
had been hoisted. |
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Doug it was who drowned in his own pool...here is a link to his wife's funeral notice.....check out the names in the Mourners list.
http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/community/community-news/patricia_smith_1_548025 |
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Eph Smith won the British Flat apprentice championship 3 years in a row. The only man to do that. Only one other jockey has won it 3 times - and I've never heard of him - his winning totals are small - it was during WW2. Eph's totals were decent.
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Eph Smith wrote an autobiography called Riding To Win.
Doug Smith wrote an autobiography called Five Times Champion. I am sure they could be found in the many great libraries around Newmarket. |