Tag: jockeys

Has jockey James Doyle ever won a British Classic?

Cambridge-born James Doyle is the son of former trainer Jacqueline Doyle and the younger brother of Sophie Doyle, now a successful jockey in the United States. He rode his first winner, Farnborough, trained by Richard Price, in a lowly Class 6 apprentices’ handicap on the then Polytrack surface at Wolverhampton in June, 2005. Nowadays, Doyle is best known as former stable jockey to Wilthshire trainer Roger Charlton, whom he joined in 2012, and retained jockey for Godolphin, whom he joined in 2015.

Doyle recorded his first British Group One victory on Al Kazeem, trained by Charlton, in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, 2013 and his second, on the same horse, in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park less than three weeks later. He has since won numerous Group One winners on British soil, including the Prince of Wales’s Stakes twice more, on Poet’s Word in 2018 and Lord North in 2020, the St.James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot twice, on Kingman in 2014 and Barney Roy in 2017, and the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, again on Kingman in 2014.

For all his success at the highest level, Doyle has yet to win a British Classic, although he has won two on the opposite side of the Irish Sea. The first of them came courtesy of Cartier Horse of the Year, Kingman, in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh in 2014 and the second courtesy of Sea of Class, trained by William Haggas, at the same venue in 2018.

How many jockeys have been killed in the Grand National?

The first ‘official’ Grand National was run at Aintree Racecourse in 1839 and, in 172 runnings since, the celebrated steeplechase has claimed the life of one jockey. The tragedy occurred on March 12, 1862, long before safety equipment, such as helmets and body protection, became compulsory and in the absence of adequate medical care.

The ill-fated horseman was Joseph Wynne, the son of former Grand National-winning jockey Denis ‘Denny’ Wynne, who died after suffering fatal injuries when parting company with his mount, O’Connell, at The Chair. The Chair, at a height of 5’3” and preceded by a 6’ open ditch, was, and still is, a formidable obstacle. However, the villain of the piece was one of his rivals, Playmate, who overjumped and fell. This caused a ‘concertina’ effect, as a result of which both jockeys, O’Connell and another rival, Willoughby, both came to grief. To make matters worse, Playmate stumbled and fell, riderless, on top of Wynne, who was lying unconscious on the ground.

Wynne was still alive, albeit with a crushed sternum, or breastbone, when carried to the Sefton Arms Inn – now the Red Rum Bar & Grill – near the entrance to Aintree Racecourse, but died at eight o’clock that evening without ever regaining consciousness. He undoubtedly died of his injuries but, at the subsequent inquest in his cause of death, pulmonary tuberculosis, a.k.a. ‘consumption’, was identified as a contributory factor. As such, since the first Grand National in 1839 only one jockey has lost his life in the race. Over that time though, and as of 2024, 90 horses have died during the Grand National, which has understandably resulted in welfare concerns and smaller fields (down from 40 runners to 34).

How long did Silvestre De Sousa ride for Godolphin?

Having narrowly missed out on the Flat Jockeys’ Championship, 165-161, to Paul Hanagan in 2011,

Brazilian-born Silvestre De Sousa was announced as a retained jockey for Godolphin in February, 2012. De Sousa had apparently impressed Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, founder of Godolphin, and his racing manager, Simon Crisford, while riding for North Yorkshire trainer Mark Johnston the previous season.

De Sousa relocated to Newmarket to ride alongside stable jockey Lanfranco ‘Frankie’ Dettori and, when Dettori announced his decision to ride on a freelance basis in 2013, became prinicipal jockey to Saeed Bin Suroor at Godolphin Stables. However, by May, 2014, the writing was on the wall for De Sousa as Bin Suroor switched his affiliation to veteran jockey Kieran Fallon, 49, of whom he said, ‘ I’m happy to give him a chance in all the big races’. Bin Suroor proved true to his word and the following November, when William Buick and James Doyle were appointed Goldolphin jockeys, De Sousa lost his retainer altogether.

Nevertheless, De Sousa bounced back from his sacking by Goldolphin in no uncertain terms. He won the Flat Jockeys’ Championship for the first time in 2015, with 132 winners, finished runner-up to Jim Crowley in 2016, with 148 winners, and won the jockeys’ title again in both 2017 and 2018, with 155 and 148 winners, respectively.

How many times did Steve Cauthen become champion jockey in Britain?

Steve ‘The Kentucky Kid’ Cauthen made a successful British debut aboard Marquee Universal, trained by Barry Hills, on a typically rainy day at Salisbury on April 7, 1979. Four weeks later, Cauthen rode his first British Classic winner, Tap On Wood, a 20/1 outsider, also trained by Barry Hills, in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. In so doing, he inflicted one of just two defeats that the hitherto unbeaten Kris, trained by Henry Cecil, would experience during his sixteen-race career.

Cauthen became champion jockey for the first time, albeit with the modest total of 130 winners, in 1984, but it was during his subsequent spell as stable jockey to the aforementioned Henry Cecil, between 1985 and his retirement in 1992, that he reached the pinnacle of his career in Britain. Cauthen was champion jockey again in 1985 and during his first season at Warren Place won the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and St. Leger – a.k.a. the fillies’ ‘Triple Crown – on Oh So Sharp, as well as the Derby on Slip Anchor, both trained by Henry Cecil.

Having played second fiddle to Pat Eddery in the jockeys’ championship in 1986, Cauthen won the Derby, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and St. Leger on Reference Point, also trained by Cecil, in 1987, en route to his highest seasonal tally ever, with 197 winners. Nevertheless, Cauthen was involved in an epic duel with Pat Eddery for the jockeys’ title, which was also resolved 197-195 in his favour on the final day of the season.

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