East, Johnny

Henry John East, known to all as Johnny East, was born on July 2, 1924, the son of jockey of exactly the same name, Henry John East (1893-1964).

Apprenticed to his father at Newmarket in 1938, Johnny rode his first winner, Salarrhodon, in a five-furlong handicap at Worcester on July 21, 1941 (right). He went on to ride 11 winners on the Flat before embarking on a successful career as a National Hunt jockey.

He best year was in 1957 when he won the first ever running of Sandown Park’s Whitbread Gold Cup in 1957 on Much Obliged. He also won that year’s Mildmay Memorial Chase over the same course and distance on Much Obliged, as well as that year’s Topham Trophy on Roughan and Haydock’s Tom Coulthwaite Chase on Goosander.

In 1958 he won the Victory Chase at Manchester on Northern Echo. He added a second Tom Coulthwaite Chase on Rock’s Cross in 1961

He rode about 350 winners before retiring in 1965. His final ride was on Parjo, who finished second in a hurdle race at Hexham on Whit Monday, June 7, 1965.

He looked after horses that need rest and breaking and then, briefly, trained. Afterwards he returned to Newmarket and became the long serving and greatly valued head lad for Mark Tompkins. 

Johnny East died on January 1, 2004, aged 79.