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Mr Venture Paul Misa, former amateur rider and racehorse owner died in a London hospital on Wednesday 9 August 1939, aged 71. He had been in ill-health for months.
He came of an old Spanish family and had been connected with racing in England for 45 years. He won his first race in Spain, and when he came to England nearly fifty years' earlier, he raced and rode under the assumed name of 'V. Marske'.
For some years he trained his own horses at Newmarket, but latterly they had been with Victor Smyth at Epsom.
He frequently officiated as a local steward at South-Country meetings.
He served with the British Army during the Great War in the remount section from 1915 before transferring to the Dragoons as a 2nd Lt in 1916.
Photo, left: Returning to weigh in on Burnisher after winning the Club Open Long Welter Race at Lewes, 1909.
In May 1915 , he was wounded when hit in the face by a bullet which took away part of his cheekbone and came out behind his ear.
Both his sons served in the war.
Harry 1894-1967 was a Capt in the Dragoons winning an MC and the Mons ribbon, and John Manuel b 1898 -1979 was commissioned into the 17th Lancers from the Military school at Sandhurst in 1918 serving in France he won a DSO.
J M rode his first winner in 1919. In all he rode less than 10 winners.
He began training in 1928 on his own after being assistant to William Waugh he went on to become Fred Darling's assistant in 1931.
Venture Paul's first winner in England was Good Gracious in 1895 , he went on to ride against his son J M at Salisbury in May 1924.
Harry stayed in the Army and went on to become a Major. He frequently rode out for Tom Leader whilst his regiment was stationed at Colchester. He rode his first winner over jumps in the 1926/27 season.
In all he rode 21 winners. He had 2 rides in the Grand National: P/Up in 1929 on Rampant which he had ridden into 2nd in the 1929 Grand Military Chase and completed the course in 1933 .
He was involved in 2 bizarre incidents on the turf.
At Wye, in October 1928 , Golden Drake fell. Major Misa standing close by caught the horse mounted him and qualified for 2nd place.
At the 1929 Cheltenham Festival in the Coventry cup 2 horses went to post Rathcoole the 1/5 favourite won but the other horse Don Sancho fell and completed the course only he didn't have the rider on board he started out with. Major Misa had been stood close to the fence and hopped on board to claim the £75 second prize.
The old rule 170 stated that in event of a rider becoming disabled the horse may be ridden by any person of sufficient weight providing he is qualified according to the conditions of the race, no penalty will incur if carrying overweight , thanks to the large overcoat he was wearing Major Misa was able to draw the weight............. surprisingly the rule was amended the following year to remove that part.
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