FEATURES

From Club Newsletter December 2007

Pete Mercer knows the answer...

Well, were they the South-East’s most successful Married Couple. Please bear in mind the following statistics are taken from the South-East PtP records since racing resumed in 1946. As far as overall race wins is concerned then Chris has 126 to his career record whilst Jenny Grant/Gordon has 41 giving them an overall total of 167.

However, as a married couple Mr C. Gordon has a mere 45 successes to his account whilst Mrs J Gordon has only clocked-up 17 giving them a total of 62 victories as a married couple. The overall total of 167 IS four greater than the 163 that appear in the account of Bob and Julie Hacking.

All 36 of Bob’s total of 158 winners came before he married Julie, who recorded 8 wins under her married name to add to her victory on Bebe Fare at Heathfield in 1964 as Julie Marlow. As a married couple this gives them a total of 130 victories. However this is no two runner contest - the third contestants made a crafty move by marrying quite early into their racing careers - he had a mere 4 wins at the time of the marriage but subsequently rode another 51 winners. She had won two races on her own horse Rare Commotion prior to scoring 70 more times - giving John & Sheilagh French a combined winner total of 121 race wins.

So this now gives us the first three in the Married Couple Stakes for which we have a number of ‘also rans’ including Tom & Kate Hills (46 wins), Eric & Angela Savage (35 wins), Andrew & Sara Hickman (29 wins), Mr & Mrs L.Colville (22 wins), Tony & Anne Alcock (18), Tom & Pat Palmer (10), Peter & Alison Hickman (8 wins), Andrew & Fiona Coveney (6 wins) plus probably a few others further down the field.

So, does the pairing of a couple of competent riders result in more successful riders in the future? Young Gordon junior is still reduced to beating his pushchair with a twig to make it go faster. However it appears to be the more successful couples that hold the upper hand again.

Paul and Nigel - the two sons of Bob and Julie - clocked up 133 South-East PtP wins between them. The racing offspring of the French’s marriage were all on the distaff side but Lucy, Sarah and Scarlett managed to accumulate 35 South-East wins. Lucy and Scarlett have youngsters in the correct age range but none are currently inclined to continue the family racing involvement.

Third generation riders will, however, be occurring when Tom Cannon starts his race riding in 2008 – Tom’s mother Linda (nee Savage) having recorded 9 South-East PtP victories. Another anticipated 2008 debutee is Will Hickman – son of Peter and Alison - and he will be a fourth-generation PtP rider.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Sir

I would like to add to the research on married couple riders by Pete Mercer in your December issue. I may have a unique claim that both of my wives (Janet and Anne) won races on the same horse (Young Friendly). We also rode over 60 winners between us.

What may have escaped the research is that Anne rode her 21 as Mrs A Underwood and we only got together after we had both retired from riding in points. But Janet won two out of four rides as Mrs J Farrant and I rode quite lot of my winners in points and under NH Rules during that first marriage, although I may have peaked while still single!

JOHN FARRANT