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photo courtesy John Griffiths
Born in Drax, Yorkshire, on July 31 1932, Eric served his apprenticeship with Ryan Jarvis for whom, in 1966, he would ride Lombard to win the Ebor.He finished unplaced on his first ever mount at Newcastle in 1948.
His first winner was Penfair at Leicester, May 2, 1950.
Eric, having served his time, went to live in India for five years, returning to England in 1958
He became stable jockey to Jack Waugh and, on Lucasland, won both the July Cup and the Diadem Stakes.Â
He was on board Knockroe in 1973 when that horse broke the record for the Epsom Derby course. Lester Piggott had turned the ride down saying that he was fed up with the horse pulling himself up.
Eric's one classic win came on Front Row in the 1968 Irish 1,000 Guineas.
His best season came in 1973 with 65 winners.
He began training and, in 1981, landed the Molecomb with Prowess Prince and the Bessborough in 1983 with Grand unit, but was eventually beaten by economics.
"I was struggling to pay the bills and you can't carry on a business losing money," he said.
He then took the unusual step of becoming a tour guide, escorting his passengers into the National Horseracing Museum's minibus for their tour of Newmarket Town, the gallops and the racecourse.
Eric's grandsons are Jamie and Nicky Mackay, both jockeys.
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