Embedded Files
Philip Charles Tuck was born on July 10, 1956 and lived, for a time, at The Magpies, Station Road, Ampleforth, Yorkshire.He served a five year apprenticeship with Walter Wharton and rode his first winner, Persian King, on December 1975 at Catterick.
After a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury, he deputised for injured amateur rider Paul McMahon on Midnight Glen (his comeback ride) at Newcastle in January, 1990 - and, aged 33, promptly retired.
His actual last appearance on the racecourse was in October 1994 when partnering Sophism in the William Hill Golden Oldie Stakes at Bangor.
He had ridden a total of 423 winners including a record-equalling ten consecutive winners during eleven days in October, 1986. Johnnie Gilbert also rode ten winners on the trot in 1959.
The first treble of his career came at Stockton on Monday 19 January 1981 on Jane Roy 2/1, Castle Arch 9/2 and Apple Wine 5/2.
Big race wins included the 1984 Charlie Hall Chase (Burrough Hill Lad); 1982 Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Donegal Prince); 1985 Long Walk Hurdle (Misty Dale); 1980 Great Yorkshire Chase (Jer); 1982 Eider Chase (Lasonbany) and the 1985 Greenhall Whitey (Earl's Brig). He rode two Festival winners; 1987 Supreme Novices Hurdle (Tartan Tailor) and the 1984 Cheltenham Gold Cup (Burrough Hill Lad), left, trained by Jenny Pitman.
He rode in the Grand National on six occasions, his closest to winning coming in 1986 when coming second on Mr Snugfit to Last Suspect.
Phil was retained by G W Richards who trained at Greystoke Castle in Cumbria. He stayed with Richards until November 1989 when Richards announced that he would no longer be employing a stable jockey and that Phil would have to share rides with Graham McCourt and Neale Doughty.
Phil left the stable to become a freelance, using ex-jockey Chris Pimlott as his agent.
Phil began selling pharmaceuticals for horses before, in December 1994, being appointed a stewards' secretary by the Jockey Club.
(Left) Phil in his capacity of Clerk of Sedgefield racecourse.
On June 14, 1981, he married Maria Winter; she gave him a son, David Philip.
Phil's enjoys gardening, Do It Yourself and walking his dogs.
Trainer G W Richards was born near Bath, the eldest of ten children. He started off as a jockey and finished runner-up to Game Field in the 1958 Scottish Grand National but, aged 29, broke his back in a fall from Seaview at Perth. Five years later, he began training, managing such horses as Titus Oates and Playlord.
In his 34 years as a trainer, he won the Grand National twice (Lucius and Hallo Dandy).
He died aged 68 after a long battle with cancer.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse