Sir Gordon Documentary

Greatest jockey ever. Numbers are unbelievable and remember there were no night meetings back in Sir Gordon`s day.

"Proud as a fighting ****"!
Great to watch again.
Amazing that he rates the satisfaction of training a winner way above riding one.
Such a fluent speaker too.  His stats. are simply astonishing.
The Sun Chariot tale is a great one.
Thanks for posting.

Good watch. I was only 9 years old when Pinza won the Derby but I can just about remember the newsreels. Beckhampton has not quite remained the top yard it was then but I do remember the first season that Roger Charlton was in charge and incredibly won the Derby and the French Derby. My wife and I went to the French Derby that year (1990 with Horse Racing abroad) and very few backed Sanglamore while Quest For Fame was not favourite at Epsom either. He also had Deploy that year, all 3 for Juddmonte. Not a bad bunch to start training with although Roger had been assistant to Jeremy Tree and took over an established yard.

Glad you both enjoyed it. He was a truly wonderful jockey and human being. Think they named a street after him in Newmarket. He played a cameo role in The Rainbow Jacket, the best racing movie ever made where Compo plays the crooked jockey. Willie Carson seen it at his local cinema when a young boy and left saying he wanted to become a jockey and the rest is history. Here is the official trailer but full film isn`t available online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbls_bPc4rc

Just a bit too young to remember Sir Gordon riding - a 1952 baby. What a splendid programme - in the days when BBC actually covered sport.

If they didn't nobody did. ITV started in 1955 which I must admit is much earlier than I would have guessed without Google.

Beckhampton have clearly pulled out the stops for Gordon Richards day. 2 valuable winners both ridden by Ryan Moore.

Thanks for you tube info enjoyed watching that.

There is a decent quality 1080p torrent of The Rainbow Jacket (1954). Quite a good film and as far as I know it is out of copyright due age (they changed the rules in the 70's making copyright longer for films).

Just watched that one again a couple of weeks ago mac.  As you say probably the best movie made on a racing theme.
By pure co-incidence the first interview I watch on the racing today is with Harry Charlton, who had just trained his first winner in his own, singular right, as a trainer, out of,.....Beckhampton.

Glad you enjoyed it folks.

He was such a modest man too was Sir Gordon.

Did Jeremy Tree not train at Beckhampton too LH? He was a great trainer too.

Yes Jeremy Tree was there for many years and Roger Charlton was assistant when he retired and took over. I remember the Monica Sheriff years with Sharpo and other good sprinters.

Thanks sageform, thouight that. Sharpo was a fantastic sprinter. Sherriff colours were the stand out Birdseye silks. Jock Whitney was a big owner with Mr Tree too. He owned Easter Hero the GN winner. And John Cherry another great horse to carry his famous silks. The legendary Sea Pigeon carried Mr Whitney`s famous pink, white with black striped sleeves, white cap in the Derby at Epsom.

Re Gordon Richards.  I seem to recall that he travelled to racecourses mostly by train and (this bit may not be true?) that he had a yearly first  class country wide season ticket. Anyone know if the latter bit was true?   Re the Rainbow Jacket, for those who have not seen it, it is on the Talking Pictures channel at 11.20 next Thursday morning. Look out for Stewards Robert Morley and Wilfred Hyde White letting Georgie off with a warning!!

nb - not watched the video yet!

Watched it now!!.  Great film. Loved it!. Julian's question "what did you do in your spare time"; Gordon, well not a lot as I had a 1000 rides a season!!!

Yes, that is correct blackbarn. Train was his normal mode of transport. There were no such things as motorways pre-war. When an apprentice he travelled by train in same wagon as the stables runners. When he became established he travelled 3rd class and when he made the big time, the owners paid for him to travel by train 1st class.

I have a signed copy of his book My Story and it`s a wonderful read. I would think that he signed thousands and a lot are still about.

Gordon equals Fred Archer`s record:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcrBz82de_8

A most enjoyable documentary from the days when the Beeb had respect for the sport - how much we miss Julian Wilson. Great seeing Gordon visiting Pinza at stud( in colour!), Sun Chariot in the yard at Beckhampton, and Gordon and the Major watching Troy on the gallops, though when the group of four horses galloped past and he said " that's Troy in behind" am not sure if he meant the one following the lead horse or the one at the back of the four.

I've read and hold a copy of the Seth- Smith book 'Knight of the Turf' ( with a handwritten letter from Gordon to the originally owner of the book from the Duff House address) published 26 years after 'My Story', and coincidentally am now reading Mathieu's 'Beckhampton'.

Here is a good documentary on Sir Lester. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzY56cl1YEU

verbotone liebe
I thoroughly enjoyed the Beckhampton book.

And a short tribute to the great Stan Mellor by Brough Scott.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDBUGoBHGfM

Late into this thread.Just watched the Julian interview with Sir Gordon. I never saw Sir Gordon ride but saw him at Doncaster 1967 St Leger (he wore that white mac), when he saddled Dart Board in the big race. As I've said here many times that Beckhampton/Tree/Whitney/Sherriff were the connections which fueled my first interest in racing. That 67 Leger meeting was when I saw a very fast Tree trained, Jock Whitney owned 2yo D'Urberville run, and win the big 2yo race. That race might not have been called the Flying Childers then.That was a very good race and stuck in my memory as I was used to seeing more moderate 2 year olds. Great memories thanks All.

John Cherry wins Cesarewitch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySPyZEDeIsg

Milton Ritzenberg later bought it from Jock Whitney to go hurdling with Harry Thomson-Jones

Tommy - the D'Urberville race was called the Norfolk Stakes, and it was the first year it was run. It replaced a valuable seller (the Fitzwilliam Selling Stakes) for 3 and 4yos, which previously opened the St Leger card. It was renamed the Flying Childers in 1973 when the 'Norfolk' name was switched to Royal Ascot (to rename the New Stakes in honour of the Duke of Norfolk. I guess they felt it wasn't 'new' any more - it had been run as the New Stakes since 1843). D'Urberville beat Mountain Call and Photo Flash. Piggott rode a treble, including Ribocco in the Leger. Debach Girl won the last with Willie Carson at 7-10 - she got a mention on here recently, but I can't remember why, or maybe it was Debach Boy, or maybe it was just Debach.

...that seller was moved to the Thursday. It was worth more than the Scarbrough Stakes, which then followed it. Only the Portland Handicap was worth more on the card.

Ged-Thanks again for jogging my memory.I was at the Leger meeting the year before also, and think I recall Sandy Barclay winning that Seller for Geoff Brooke. I think Chebs Lad beat a hotpot of Charles St George that day, Lorenzaccio maybe.I may be getting my years mixed up though. I well remember Ribocco/Piggott but not Debach Girl that day. The mention on here of Debach Girl that you're thinking of was on a thread of trainers with dodgy names, it was myself who said Fiddler Goodwill, Debach Girl's trainer.

I think he got his nickname because he used to carry a violin case to race meetings. I can`t think of any really good horses he trained but Fiddler Goodwill was a good trainer of handicappers. I`m sure his own colours were Green with a Circle which may have been white but not sure.

Harvey Leader gave Arthur the nickname when he discovered he could play the violin. Fiddler's colours were pink with a black circle and sleeves.

From another site - Debach Girl won at Wolverhampton on August 1, 1966, when Fiddler had four winners from four runners. He trained Woolley to win the 1969 Bunbury Cup.

Thanks for that blackbarn. At least I got the circle right, lol.

Can you remember Green with a circle belonging to any of his owners or is my memory getting mixed up?

Here is a great interview of Sir Henry by Matt Chapman. The sound on the video is out of sync but still worth a watch.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0exmy__iZFU

Short Pathe film on Arthur Goodwill stables

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfjyGr0Lhu8

There was a green with an orange circle, worn by Panglima, amongst others. I think Tommy/Chris Fairhurst trained it. The owner may have had other horses that began with 'Pan'. Can't remember his name. Could look it up tomorrow, but I'm sure someone else will remember.

Thanks for posting

Chris Barber-Lomax

Tommy - Chebs Lad won the Champagne Stakes (beating 10/11 Lorenzaccio) on gthe Tuesday, the day before Ribocco's St Leger (1967). Sodium beat Charlottown the year before, but Piggott won the Fitzwilliam seller that year (13/8 fav for Sam Hall). Barclay (claiming 3) had mounts on the card, but nothing in the frame. In 1965 (Provoke's year), there was another valuable seller, the Corporation Selling Stakes, for older horses, that began Portland day. Hutchinson won the Fitzwillam seller on Boston Two Step for a Middleham trainer called BS Foster. I remember the horse, but not the trainer.

Panglima was trained by Goodwill, so mac was along the right lines there. I don't know why I thought he was trained by Fairhurst.

Tommy - my final offering - probably...

1966 Doncaster St Leger meeting, Tues-Fri. Every day began with a valuable seller.

Tues. Glasgow Paddocks Selling Nursery Handicap. Rockemar - A Barclay for A Balding (100/8). (Other winners included Farm Walk and Bold Lad (beat Ribocco in the Champagne)).
Weds. Fitzwilliam Selling Stakes. Barnie's Image - L. Piggott for Sam Hall.
Thurs. Corporation Selling Handicap. Uncle Tittlefeet - L. Piggott for WA Stephenson.
Fri. Milton Selling Handicap. Le Garcon D'Or (8yo, 100/7, 28 ran). AJ Russell for Jack Ormston.

Ged- Sorry for late reply. I was there for two days both years 66/67 but was getting the years mixed up.
The horror of Charlottown losing in a photo with Sodium will never leave me.

Tommy  - maybe it's the first winner (seller) on the Tuesday, 1967 you were thinking of - Long Hill, trained by Brooke, but ridden by Doug Smith at 7/1. Chebs Lad won later on the card, as did Common Pond for Mick Easterby/Denis Letherby (the horse had won a nursery at the meeting the year before for the same connections).

Le Garcon D'Or repeated his win of the year before in the Friday seller, this time at 5/1 (Barclay was 2nd on Rockemar, who'd won the nursery seller the year before). The race was worth less than half what it had been the year before, so perhaps along with the loss of the Wednesday seller, it was showing a loss of appetite for such races.

That is the owner I was thinking of indeed - Chris Barber-Lomax! Panglima of course rang a bell right a way.

You are a legend Ged - thanks for that.

Here is a great interview with Peter Easterby. A must watch. They weren`t scared to run them back then!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv54KaVd2JM

Alverton was a tragic loss. Such a great horse too. Peter Easterby lost another very good horse that year 1979 too but I can`t remember it`s name. Star something? I`m sure it won some good races and he thought the world of it.

Ged-Thanks again, you've further jogged my memory. At that time I almost backed all Sandy Barclay's mounts probably causing my mix up with the Brooke trained winner.Didn't back Rockemar in fact I didn't have a good meeting either year. Other winners I recall were Audrey Joan and Florescence (Portland).Amazing how many sellers there were at such a big meeting.

Themightymac- Just watched the Peter Easterby clips. Great to see all those great horses again and saw a lot of them in the flesh.There is no doubt in my mind that this was the golden age of NH racing.

It sure was the Golden era of NH racing Tommy in my opinion too. Little Owl was a personal favourite of mine. Glad you enjoyed it.