Sutcliffe, John

Though better known as a trainer – he sent out the winner of the 2,000 Guineas and trained the likes of Right Boy and Jimmy Reppin – John Robert Sutcliffe was no slouch as a jockey.

Born on January 3, 1940, he joined Willie Stephenson’s Royston stable as an amateur rider in September 1956.  His rode his first winner on Palissy in the Tudor Rose Hurdle at Hurst Park on February 8, 1957. On the same horse, he also won the 1957 Coronation Hurdle and the 1959 Monaveen Chase.

He rode a Boxing Day treble at Wolverhampton in 1957. Retained by Epsom trainer Dermot Whelan, John became the leading amateur in 1958-59 when riding 18 winners.

John originally lived at Heathcote, Farm Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, but trained from Woodruffe House, Headley Road, Epsom.