Sword, John
(1927-1994)
John Sword was born on January 18, 1927 and, in 1943, was apprenticed to Walter Charles Earl at Stanley House, Newmarket.
That year, he made his first appearance on a racecourse. He rode Rondel in the Spring Stakes at Newmarket (May 26) finishing unplaced. This was 1,000 Guineas Day. His riding weight then was exactly six stone.
He rode five winners in 1949, all for Noel Murless. They included two wins on the two-year-old Brecon Beacon, at Bath and Warwick, and a walkover on Kinlochewe at Chepstow.
He remained with Murless when coming out of his time but found few winning opportunities. He rode one winner in 1950, on the Murless-trained filly Particular at Bath on May 11.
It was West Ilsley trainer Dick Colling who provided John with his final winner, Eastern Abbess in the South Coast Handicap at Brighton on August 8, 1951.
His last ride came at Salisbury on Scrupulous for Noel Murless in the Dorchester Stakes, Wednesday, September 26, 1951.