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Cyril Jones
Cyril Jones
Article by Chris Pitt
Cyril George Jones rode on the Flat from 1953 to 1965 and enjoyed easily his best year in 1961 when he rode nine winners.He was associated with Winchester trainer Les Hall throughout his career and began by riding over hurdles, achieving his first win on Hall’s selling hurdler Havall at Fontwell on September 16, 1952. They followed up at Stratford just four days later.
Unfortunately, having ridden over jumps, under the rules then in force he was not entitled to claim an apprentice allowance when riding on the Flat, hence he found himself thrown in at the deep end on level terms against senior jockeys. Nevertheless, he was appointed Hall’s stable jockey for the 1954 Flat campaign.
Cyril had opened his account on the Flat on Hall’s filly Abbots Tan in a one mile maiden at Leicester on July 21, 1953 (below, left). He rode one more winner that year, on Hall’s Full Dress in a Worcester seller in August. He drew a blank in 1954 and rode just one winner in each of the next three years. He gave up riding over hurdles at the end of the 1955/56 season and focussed solely on the Flat from then on.
Two-year-old Thyra Lee was responsible for both of Cyril’s two winners in 1958, but then a few more began to come his way. There were four in 1959, three in 1960, followed by a banner year in 1961 with nine winners for an in-form Les Hall yard.
The last of Cyril’s 31 winners – all bar one of them for Hall – came on Fair Speed at Bath on August 22, 1962 (left). He continued riding for three more (winner-less) years before finally hanging up his boots and saddle in 1965.
Cyril Jones’ winners in chronological order were:
1. Havall, Fontwell, September 16, 1952 (NH)
2. Havall, Stratford, September 20, 1952 (NH)
3. Presumption, Plumpton, October 15, 1952 (NH)
4. Abbots Tan, Leicester, July 21, 1953
5. Full Dress, Worcester, August 24, 1953
6. Holiday Spirit, Fontwell, November 5, 1953 (NH)
7. Pepito II, Fontwell, April 1, 1954 (NH)
8. Brascos S., Newton Abbot, December 27, 1954 (NH)
9. Brascos S., Taunton, March 31, 1955 (NH)
10. Roman Luck, Newbury, April 30, 1955
11. Hopeful Blue, Bath, August 23, 1956
12. I Wonder Why, Newbury, August 16, 1957
13. Thyra Lee, Newbury, May 31, 1958
14. Thyra Lee, Newmarket, October 30, 1958
15. Happy Tina, Bath, July 16, 1959
16. Dentine, Kempton, July 22, 1959
17. Happy Tina, Warwick, September 7, 1959
18. Voleur, Hurst Park, October 20, 1959
19. Babu, Alexandra Park, April 11, 1960
20. Hittite, Leicester, July 19, 1960
21. Marleycombe, Bath, August 11, 1960
22. Patiana, Brighton, June 7, 1961
23. Beau Nash, Sandown, July 10, 1961
24. Beau Nash, Bath, August 3, 1961
25. Star Alone, Brighton, August 23, 1961
26. Hittite, Birmingham, August 28, 1961
27. Star Alone, Warwick, September 16, 1961
28. Fudmos, Windsor, September 18, 1961
29. Star Alone, Birmingham, September 25, 1961
30. Pillock’s Green, Warwick, October 9, 1961
31. Fair Speed, Bath, August 22, 1962
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