Aftertimers paradise this thread ,Brian Connorton used to ride Gunner B in his earlier races and then I think the horse was bought by "bigger" connections iirc?

Sorry Ged - Re Gunner B and George(sic)Toft, you were already there.

Gunner B

"Gunner B was as tough as old boots and had more character than almost all our other horses put together. He came to us from Geoff Toft at the advanced age of 5. He had shown some good form in the past but when winning an amateurs race at Newmarket on his last appearance but one of 1977 he had hung ominously. Having refused an offer for him the owner decided that a change of environment was need, especially as Toft had little with which to work him, and he was sent to Warrent Place"

The rest of course is history

in some ways the gunner b story doesn't paint toft in the best light but he was a pretty shrewd trainer imo,he had a big gambler in his stable called charlie harrison a scrap man from knottingley,none of the horses ran in charlie's name as he was obviously very much a cash man but they landed a fair few touches over the years with gunner b being the provider more than once i would have thought,the andy capp handicap at redcar springs to mind.Dont think charlie had anything to do with gunner b as it was owned by a mr barratt although cecil's travelling head lad george was on charlie's payroll so you never know i guess.

Does anybody know where david Maitland went after he retired?

I think he was apprenticed to Gordon Smyth at Lewes, then went to Newmarket, possibly to arundel after. Thanks.

Richard Dicey

Report from 2001....talks about the death of David Coates rip which was news to me.

THERE is no guarantee that Chris Catlin will have lasting success as a jockey merely because he has won the apprentice championship-just ask Richard Dicey.

Dicey, joint-champion apprentice with David Coates in 1968, was one of the title-holders who had to give up the sport because of increasing weight, but his story has a happier ending than seemed likely at one stage.

Earlier this year, just after Coates's death, For The Record asked for information about Dicey's current whereabouts, and the man himself replied from Australia, where he has lived for many years.

Now 51, he is busy and fulfilled with his family (a Canadian wife and their two children) and his freeze-branding, antiques and property businesses in Queensland. He used to run a pre-training centre in Perth with 50 horses, and says: "I still dream about races and my heart is in horses."

Dicey did not come from a racing family, but had a good grounding in the sport, being indentured to Ted Smyth, the Epsom trainer whose other apprentices included Duncan Keith, Brian Rouse, Michael Kettle and Alan Bond.

Russ Maddock rode mostly for Rohan, dod.

Johnny Seagrave rode plenty for him. Piggott got on several of the good ones.

Didn't Pat Rohan give up training suddenly.

Can anyone remember Harry Blackshaw or Tommy Dent, northern trainers.Tommy would take the milk out of your tea while you were drinking it.Tommy Shedden used to train near wetherby, he had a fair team in the 60's, he had a real good 2yr old owned by a guy that started Asda off called Peter Asquith called Proper Madam.

I remember going to York once and Snowy Wainwright had a 2yr old first time out with Harry Blackshaws son Martin (sadly killed in a car crash in France i think)they backed it off the boards and young Blackshaw near murdered it to get it home, it got beaten in a photo. Todays whip rules he would have been off a year.

I can remember Eddie Duffy, he trained at Wetherby, every one called him Atlas cos he had the world on his shoulders, he could get one ready though.

Russ Maddock rode for Pat Rohan in the early 60s and left to go to Bernard Van Cutsem in 1965. Johnny Seagrave then took over the lions share of Rohan's mounts with Geoff Oldroyd and Eddie Bromilow as back up. The trainer was not averse to engaging Lester from time to time.
Talking of Pat Rohan, just before the York May meeting in 1970, there was a whisper that his 4-y-o Sovereign Bill had come right back to his 2-y-o form and was showing form at home far in advance of the opinion that Major Swannell (the handicapper at York) had of the horse. Soveriegn Bill had been given a pipe opener under a huge weight at Catterick in preparation for the feature handicap on Musidora day. The horse was 20-1 others in the Life on the morning of the race and with no early prices on such a race in those days the only option was to go to the track. Unforunately the news about SB had reached the York layers and the biggest price I ever saw was an early 7-1, 6-1 generally with an SP of 4-1. SB won doing handstands under Ernie Johnson and it later transpired that the horse had landed the biggest gamble ever seen at York up to that time, with northern professional John Gough having a substantial interest. Soverieign Bill went on to win his next three or four races, all good class competitive handicaps, showing just how far he had been ahead of the handicapper that day at York. The horse never stopped improving and won the Lincoln two years later.

Workrider, Eddie Bromilow was at Pat Rohan's for years and relinquished his licence around 1976, although you could count the number of winners that he rode from 1968 onwards on the fingers of one hand. In fact he had a ride at Catterick one night and chap doing the runners and riders board had to chalk his name on a blank strip. His rides for Rohan tended to be of the more 'educational' type but he was an excellent work rider that could tell the trainer a thing or two about a horses well being (see Sovereign Bill above). In the same mould as Brian Proctor at Dick Hern's or Robert Street at Barry Hills.

Paulbu any chance of looking the White Wonder up i believe it won a trainers race at catterick with Harry Blackshaw up, he must have been about 70 by then.

PAULBU

Just got in after another 13 hour shift, sat having a glass or 2 of merlot.
I like to reminisce re the old days (it comes with age) I can remember John Gough, now that is a blast from the past, I think he moved to ozz many years ago but came back, I know this might sound a daft question but did he have a gents outfitters in York, don’t laugh (as I did) it’s what I was told, just want to know if it was true.

Can’t stop off to bed then only an 11 hour shift tomorrow.

Many thanks Paubu, been bothering me for ages whether i had remembered correctly. Harry may well have been the oldest rider to ride a winner under rules then and doubly unusual because i think the White Wonder was one of only 2 horses registered as white in the stud book.

Blackbarn, you're right about Proctor, 1962 Raceform shows Sir Gordon's retained jockeys as Scobie Breasley and W.N. Guest with apprentices B Proctor, M Germon, A Kimberley, W Senior, G J Wright. I will always remember Proctor as the jockey that Dick Hern used to give one winner a season to, usually in a big field Newbury back end 2-y-o maiden and usually at around 25-1. Must be the same A Kimberley as later with Jeremy Hindley and something tells me that Germon came north to ride for Denys Smith in the mid 70s when he was desperate for a jockey after being with Ryan Price.

Saxon
I don't remember it but I see it won a Warwick Maiden on Aug 4 1977
Trained by Peter Walwyn and ridden by Pat Eddery.
Won by a head at 2/1 opened at evens.Blow your Horn was 2nd Johnny Seagrave Absalom 3rd Taffy Thomas.
Won its next race at Goodwood at 5/1 under Eddery on Sept.12th 1977.

Paulbu

did you know a punter who was about in the 80/90s Lenny Margeson and if so, do you know what happened to him.

Just on my way to Joes dont forget all you lads who want a tenner on the football today that you make sure you get your £2 free spin on the machine! that includes the arbers from teeside, 2 pieces of advice for them 1 dont eat all our sausage rolls (you'll get fat) and 2 dont ask for more than a bottle on.

regards Ronnie

back to the racing ,paddy broderick is 72 today ...what a jockey , strong as an oxx ,he rode the great night nurse , and easby abbey , paddy had a style all his own....stephen craine is 55 today ...in 1992 he rode a filly of mine at pheonix park who i thought would have a good chance ..she finished last of 5..he came back and said to me in that manx accent of his ...shes pissy weak....and walked off....

Workrider

Wasn't Paddy Broderick the jockey who had a few problems with 'the bottle' ?

no i think you mean barry brogan