Jockeypedia 1,500 British jockey biographies.

A great site, I have visited it loads of time in the last year, A credit to you, if indeed it is your site?

I believe it is koi and I think he basically does it all himself. It's a very important contribution to a sport which is not well documented on the net.

Happy birthday!

Just out of interest, I clicked on Fred Archer's page. On it, it says that Archer's first win under rules came at Bangor-on-Dee. However, wikipedia (which I have no doubt is less reliable!) states that his first win 'under Jockey Club rules' came at my hometown of Chesterfield's long-defunct racecourse. Don't suppose you could educate me further...

Excellent site for anyone remotely interested in Horse racing.

Can't help you Mikael but that is what I meant about poor documentation on the net. Fred Archer was probably the best and certainly the best known British jockey of the 19th century,the cricketing equivalent would be W G Grace. You will not find those sort of contradictions about him.

Mikael - Wiki has it that Archer rode his first winner at Bangor in 1870, but, Welsh history (and Bangor's page) has it gthat he won there in 1868, when aged 10, on a pony called Maid of trent in a race (confined to ponies) over 2 miles of the steeplechase course. His first flat win came in 1870.

..and Happy Birthday Jockeypedia. Great work George.

Apart from jockeypedia the best historical racing documentation can be found on here,courtesy of people like ged,blackbarn and onlooker   

Here's Bangor's page, with reference to Archer's win, and the year...

http://www.bangorondeeraces.co.uk/about-us/history-0


But you'd really need to find a newspaper to be sure of the truth.

Here's a link which shows within it a scan of the result of Archer's win at Chesterfield, a 2yo hcap,  (and also talks, though it's just 'apparently' about him winning 2 years earlier at Bangor)...

http://blog.nhrm.co.uk/index.php/guest-blog-searching-for-a-big-jemima/

sorry, I don't mean to divert attention from George's Jockeypedia, which is a tremendous effort, and much-needed internet reference.

One of the best things to happen for racing fans of ALL ages. A credit to you,well done Sir.

Many thanks, ged.

Happy birthday Jockeypedia, great work and the "this day 50 years ago" brings me back to me first following the sport with all the jockeys bringing back memeories. If it is you Whitwhitlaw behind it, take a bow.

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for you good wishes regarding Jockeypedia. You're very kind.
I can confirm that George Wheeler (me) and Whit Whitlaw are one and the same person and that Jockeypedia is, indeed, a one-man band.

Regarding Fred Archer and Maid of Trent: the story in Jockeypedia on Fred Archer's page is correct, but to confirm it  I've just had a quick look at his biography by John Welcome.

Here's a paragraph from page 21...'Mrs Willan was just at that moment searching for a lightweight to ride her well-known pony Maid of Trent in a steeplechase at Bangor. She went to Mat Dawson to ask for his recommendation and to secure his permission for Fred Archer to ride. Both were willingly given. Weighing out at the well-nigh incredible figure of 4 st 11 lbs young Archer duly won the race for her. So the great jockey's first victory under any rules was at the age of twelve in a steeplechase...(at Bangor)'

I hope that tidies things up. Incidentally, I'm glad you like 50 Years Ago Today....

Happy birthday and thanks from me too  A true tour de force.

Interesting stuff, but guessing this is all only historical? Not current jocks?

George, for Gods sake get that Stable lads story finished,read it over breakfast only to find the words,to be continued.

Stu - the point is that stuff on current jockeys is easily available from loads of sources, a lot of the stuff on the site is/was only available on paper or in the minds of those old enough to remember. The achievement of getting all this stuff on one site is a staggering achievement.

The achievement of getting all this stuff on one site is a staggering achievement

Couldnt agree more.

Ray Goldsteins birthday today - the "iron man of Plumpton" and sire of jockeys - Seems he rode 65 winners at "lumpto", I don't know but I would guess only Josh (defo.), AP and possibly Johnson have exceeded that.

Whit (George), regarding the 75, 50, 25 years ago etc, where do you get the papers from? Are they available to all and sundry because if so would love to read some others from yesteryear.

George - it's interesting reading the piece from 75 years ago today (June 1) where the writer says that 'a small boy named Winter, aged 13' rode his first winner at Salisbury the day before on Tam O'Shanter, whereas your article on Fred, and others on the web, say he won on the horse at Newbury on May 15, 2 weeks earlier.

It would appear the writer of the piece on June 1 (in the Times?) has it wrong.

I presume you could check with the results for May 15?

ged - Well spotted! The date of Fred Winter's first win should indeed read Friday May 31.

Stu - I don't write about current jockeys. If I did I'd have to keep updating them. For example, I wrote about Leighton Aspell when he first retired. Then he came back and won the national. So I updated a second time. Then he won another National and I've got to update his entry for a third time. It's best to wait until their careers are over.

workrider - I'll have a look at the stable lads story.

Thanks everybody!

George

Thanks George.

With regard to salmon spray's observation of racing being, "not well documented on the net." ...

A differing terminology to the words 'not WELL' - would apply to the Wikipedia entry for AP McCOY -

The photograph has him wearing Michael TABOR's colours - for goodness sake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_McCoy