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Keen gardener & rugby enthusiast Percy Evans was born at Mastle Bridge, Pembrokeshire, on April 1, 1910, and, in 1938, rode just 32 times.This produced 17 wins, eight seconds and three thirds with just four running unplaced.....a remarkable achievement.
Lightweight Welshman Percy served his apprenticeship - from 1927 to 1930 - with Bartram Mitford Bullock, who sent horses out from Newby Hill Stables, Skelton-on-Ure, Ripon, Yorks.It was for Bullock that Percy rode his first winner, Martyr (left) at Hamilton on May 27, 1929.
He was later retained by trainer Arthur John Thomas whose stables, Silverbirches, stood in Pickford Grange Lane, Allesley, Coventry.
The most amount of winners he rode in one season was 58 in 1946.
Percy had an incredible strike rate in big races.
These included the Stewards' Cup, Jockey Club Cup, Liverpool Spring Cup, Victoria Cup (twice), Rosebery Stakes, Great Yorkshire Stakes, Jubilee Handicap, Portland, Free Handicap, Cheveley Park, Ebor, Cambridgeshire, Manchester November Handicap, Newcastle Cup & the Brighton Cup.
He was associated with the Ellemere House, Newmarket, stables of Robert John Colling's, with whom he stayed for eighteen years.
During the war Percy was in the Beds. & Herts. Regt., Royal Norfolk, R.A.V.C. for five and a half years.
Percy rode a winner on every British racecourse.
He also rode 20 winners in India at Madras in 1935-36.
Percy, who lived at Guy's Cliff Stables, Kenilworth Road, Warwick, was married to Margaret Ray. She gave him one son, Frederick, and three daughters, Jean, Janet & Dorothy.
Percy, the son of jumps jockey George Essex Evans. died at Newmarket on August 9, 1974 aged 64.
He had retired in 1963 and had taken up training, with modest success.
His son (F. W. Evans) rode as a jockey in the late forties & early fifties.
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