Major wins
- St Leger Stakes - Sceptre (1902)
| Frank Hardy | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | 26 December 1884 Northampton, England |
| Died | 29 September 1913 (aged 28) Hornsey, Middlesex, England |
| Major racing wins | |
| British Classic Races: St Leger Stakes (1902) Other major races: | |
| Racing awards | |
| British flat racing Champion Apprentice (1902 - tied) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Sceptre | |
Frank Hardy (1884 - 1913) was a Classic-winning jockey, who, in a career cut short by ill-health, won the 1902 St Leger on the celebrated Sceptre, the only horse to win four British Classic Races outright. He was the joint Champion Apprentice of 1902.
Frank William Hardy was born in Northampton on Boxing Day 1884, son of a plumber.
He became apprentice to Thomas Jennings Jr., who was based at Phantom House, Newmarket and his first winner was Papdale at Newmarket on 18 July 1901. [1]
The peak of his career came in 1902. He had been beaten on the top filly, Sceptre, early in the season in the Lincoln Handicap and lost the ride to Herbert Randall, who proceeded to win the 1,000 Guineas, 2,000 Guineas and Oaks on her. However, Randall fell out with the stable and Hardy was re-engaged for the St Leger, a race he won easily. That year, he was joint champion apprentice with 74 winners. [1]
On 31 March 1904, he fractured his thigh when Traitress hit a post and fell into the crowd at Northampton. [1]
Ill-health came to effect him and after a spell riding in France, he returned to England in 1913 and died in Hornsey, Middlesex, on 29 September 1913 of consumption. He was buried at Newmarket on 4 October. [1]
The British Classics are five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season. They are restricted to three-year-old horses and traditionally represent the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses against their own age group. As such, victory in any classic marks a horse as amongst the very best of a generation. Victory in two or even three of the series marks a horse as truly exceptional.
Harry Wragg was a British jockey and racehorse trainer, who gained the nickname "The Head Waiter" due to his "come from behind" riding style. In a 27-year riding career, Wragg rode over 1700 winners in Britain and Ireland, including three victories in The Derby and ten in other British Classic Races. He then embarked on a successful 36-year training career, in which he trained many important winners including five more classics. He retired in 1982 and died three years later.
Rock Sand (1900–1914) was a British Thoroughbred race horse and sire. In a career which lasted from the spring of 1902 until October 1904 he ran twenty times and won sixteen races. He was a leading British two-year-old of his generation, winning the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, The Derby, and the St. Leger Stakes. Therefore meaning the won the British Triple Crown. He won another series of major races as a four-year-old before being retired to stud, where he had success in both Europe and North America.
Gainsborough (1915–1945) was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the English Triple Crown in 1918 and became a superior sire.
Ard Patrick (1899–1923) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. One of the leading two-year-olds of 1901, he improved in 1902 to win The Derby, defeating the filly Sceptre. He returned from Injury problems to record his most important success when he defeated Sceptre and the Derby winner Rock Sand in the 1903 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse. He was then retired from racing and exported to Germany where he became a successful sire of winners.
Sceptre (1899–1926) was a British-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred racemare whose career ran from 1901 to 1904. In 1902, she became the only racehorse to win four British Classic Races outright.
Sir John Layton Jarvis was a British trainer of racehorses. Born into a racing family, Jarvis had a brief but successful career as a jockey before taking up training. He was one of the most prominent British trainers of the mid 20th century, winning nine British Classic Races and being the British flat racing Champion Trainer on three occasions. In 1967 he became the first trainer to be knighted for services to horse racing.
Fairway (1925–1948) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Fairway was the best horse of his generation in Britain at two, three and four years old, winning the St Leger Stakes, the Champion Stakes (twice) and the Eclipse Stakes. He retired as a five-year-old in 1930 and went on to become a successful and influential sire.
Charles James William Smirke (1906–1993), was a British flat-race jockey. In a career that lasted from 1920 until 1959, he rode the winners of eleven British Classic Races. As a rider, he was known for his skill, strength and tactical intelligence, together with his self-confident and outspoken personality. Although he never won the Championship, he was regarded as one of the best jockeys of his era. The Racing Post ranked him as the fifth greatest jockey of the 20th Century and the greatest never to have been champion.
John Watts (1861–1902) was a British flat-race jockey. In a career that lasted from 1880 until 1900 he rode the winners of 19 Classics. He was noted for his quiet and unspectacular style and undemonstrative personality. On his retirement from riding he became a trainer, but died two years later.
Premonition (1950–1970) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from autumn 1952 until July 1954 he ran fourteen times and won eight races. He won the Classic St Leger as a three-year-old in 1953, a year in which he also won the Great Voltigeur Stakes and was controversially disqualified in the Irish Derby. He won the Yorkshire Cup as a four-year-old in 1954 before being retire to stud, where he made very little impact as a stallion.
Busybody (1881–1899), was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won two British Classic Races in 1884. In a racing career which lasted from September 1883 until May 1884 she ran six times and won five races. As a two-year-old in 1883 she won her first three races including the Middle Park Plate and the Great Challenge Stakes before sustaining her only defeat when conceding weight to the winner Queen Adelaide in the Dewhurst Stakes. As a three-year-old she won the 1000 Guineas over one mile at Newmarket and The Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse a month later. She was then retired to stud where she became a successful broodmare.
Garden Path was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won the classic 2000 Guineas in 1944. In a racing career conducted entirely at Newmarket Racecourse the filly ran six times and won three races. She was one of the best British two-year-olds of 1943, when she won one race and was placed in both the Middle Park Stakes and the Cheveley Park Stakes. After winning on her first appearance of 1944 she became the first filly since 1902 to win the 2000 Guineas against colts. On her only subsequent race she was injured when finishing unplaced in the Derby. She was retired from racing at the end of the season and had some success as a broodmare.
Chamossaire (1942–1964) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1945 and siring the Derby winner Santa Claus. After winning twice as a two-year-old, Chamossaire contested all three legs of the Triple Crown in 1945. He finished fourth in both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby before winning the St Leger. He was retired to stud where he proved to be a successful sire of winners. Chamossaire died in 1964.
Walter Earl (1890–1950) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. After a riding career of limited importance he became a private trainer, first for Solomon Joel and later for Lord Derby. He was one of the most successful trainers of the 1940s, sending out the winners of six classics and winning the title of Champion Trainer in 1945. His best horse was Alycidon who won the Ascot Gold Cup in 1949.
Tranquil was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old when she won one race and finished second in the Gimcrack Stakes. In the following season she was one of the best horses in Britain, scoring classic victories in the 1000 Guineas and St Leger Stakes as well as winning four other races including the Jockey Club Cup and Newmarket Oaks. She won once in 1924 before her racing career was ended by injury. She made no impact as a broodmare.
Clarissimus was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was highly rated as a juvenile and showed promise by winning the Clearwell Stakes on the second of his two starts. He recorded his biggest when winning the 2000 Guineas on his debut as a three-year-old. Clarissimus went on to finish second in the Newmarket Stakes and a substitute St Leger before winning the Champion Stakes on his final appearance. After his retirement from racing he became a breeding stallion and had considerable influence as a sire of broodmares.
Tom Marquand is a British jockey who competes in flat racing.
Eric Ephraim Smith was an English flat racing jockey, who rode over 2,000 winners, including the winners of three Classics, in a career spanning over 30 years. He was three times the British flat racing Champion Apprentice and was ranked 23rd in the Racing Post's top 50 jockeys of the 20th century.
David Egan is an Irish jockey who is based in Britain and competes in flat racing. He was British champion apprentice in 2017. From 2019 to 2022 he was retained by owner Prince Faisal, for whom he won the 2021 Saudi Cup on Mishriff. Since July 2022 he has ridden freelance, and achieved two Classic victories on the Roger Varian trained Eldar Eldarov.