Harry Pike

Harry Pike

c1886-1922

Article by Alan Trout

Henry Pike, known as Harry or by his nickname ‘Titch’, rode 88 winners on the Flat between 1904 and 1912. He also came within a neck of foiling one of the biggest gambles of the early 20th century.

Born around 1886, Harry was apprenticed initially to Captain J. C. Kirk, and then to Richard Dawson, who trained at Whatcombe, in Berkshire. It is likely that he had his first ride on an unnamed two-year-old filly by Black Duck out of Belle Of Ouseley who finished unplaced in the Arden All-aged Selling Plate at Warwick on September 17, 1901. 

It was not until June 9, 1904 that Harry registered his first success when Accroc, owned by Richard Dawson, won the Ashcombe Mid-weight Handicap, a race for apprentices, at Lewes, beating Country Bumpkin, the mount of Bernard Dillon. Later that year, Harry finished second on 100-8 chance Vril in the 1904 Cambridgeshire Handicap, beaten a neck by Dillon on the well-backed Hackler’s Pride. 

Hacker’s Pride belonged to members of the Druid’s Lodge ‘Confederacy’, which comprised a group of owners who trained at Druid’s Lodge, near Salisbury. The ‘Confederacy’ brought off some spectacular betting coups when at its height during the first decade of the 20th century. Its leading members were Captain Wilfred Purefoy and Holmer Peard, the others being Frank Forester, Percy Cunliffe and Edward Wigan. All the management and planning was carried out by the ‘Confederacy’, its trainers effectively being little more than head lads.  

Among its biggest coups were the victories of Ypsilanti in back-to-back renewals of Kempton’s Great Jubilee Handicap in 1903 and 1904; of Hackler’s Pride in the 1903 and 1904 Cambridgeshire; and of Christmas Daisy in the Cambridgeshire in both 1908 and 1909. 

Having won the Cambridgeshire in 1903, Hackler’s Pride was backed to win it again in 1904 as soon as the weights were revealed. At the first call-over in mid-September, she opened at 33-1. Within a week she was down to 20-1. But the ‘Confederacy’ also had another runner, Frank Forester’s unexposed three-year-old Golden Saint, the winner of two minor races at Gatwick and Warwick, who was allocated just 6st 8lb to carry. The ‘Confederacy’ started backing Golden Saint, whose odds were cut from 25-1 to 100-7, with the result that by the start of October Hackler’s Pride’s odds had lengthened to 25-1. That was the signal for Purefoy and his fellow ‘Confederacy’ owners to get stuck in. In no time at all Hackler’s Pride was down to 10-1.

On the eve of the race Hackler’s Pride was available at 7-1 but she was backed down to just 7-2 by the time the 17 runners headed to the start. Bernard Dillon had the filly quickest away and she led to half-way. Headed briefly by two of the lightweights, she was back in front at the Bushes. But then Harry Pike brought Lord Carnarvon’s three-year-old colt Vril – receiving 30lb from Hackler’s Pride – through to challenge. Vril was wearing the filly down at the finish but was still a neck behind at the winning post. Crucially, Harry had put up 1lb overweight at 6st 8lb. 

The following month, Harry gained a measure of revenge over Bernard Dillon when riding another of Lord Carnarvon’s three-year-old colts, Bushy Bay, to win the Great Lancashire Handicap at Liverpool, beating Dillon on Captain Kettle by a length. 

Harry enjoyed his most successful season in 1905 with a score of 19 wins. He finished third on Jongleuse in that year’s 1,000 Guineas, his only ride in a Classic. 

For the next few years he kept up a steady stream of winners but the total fell to just two in 1911. Hence, as his career on the Flat was winding down, Harry turned to riding over jumps, initially enjoying a degree of success. 

Harry’s first effort over jumps was at Newbury on December 21, 1911, when finishing third on Night Wind in the Wilts Selling Chase. Newbury was also the venue for his first win, when Pricota was successful in the Weyhill Handicap Hurdle on January 17, 1912. By the end of April he had accumulated another nine wins, including doubles at Colwall Park and Nottingham. 

He continued to combine the two disciplined for the next 18 months. His sole success on the Flat in 1912 came when Great Captain, trained by Henry Young, dead-heated with Dormant in the Newby Plate at Ripon on May 11. That proved to be his last winner in that sphere. 

His last over jumps was at Aldershot on November 12, 1913, when Counties Club narrowly won the Autumn Handicap Hurdle. Ironically, after he had finished second on the same horse there the previous day, the Sporting Life noted that “he was bound to make headway in the profession”. Yet the following day he had what proved to be his last winner. 

His final appearance on the Flat was when finishing unplaced on Backford in the Daventry Two-Year-Old Plate at Warwick on November 19, 1913. His last ride under NH rules was also an unplaced one, aboard Counties Club in the Teddington Selling Hurdle at Hurst Park on February 13, 1914.

Harry Pike died in 1922.

Harry Pike’s wins over jumps were, in chronological order:

1. Pricota, Newbury, January 17, 1912  

2. Connie Ediss, Birmingham, February 12, 1912

3. Daylight, Hurst Park, February 16, 1912

4. Golden Ray, Clifton Park (Blackpool), February 23, 1912

5. Martlet, Uttoxeter, March 5, 1912

6. Pinkeen, Haydock Park, March 23, 1912

7. Featherstone, Nottingham, April 16, 1912

8. Exclusive, Nottingham, April 16, 1912

9. Dr Willner, Colwall Park, April 22, 1912

10. Jane Shore, Colwall Park, April 22, 1912

11. Kijabe, Colwall Park, November 4, 1912

12. Scotch Wolf, Sandown Park, October 25, 1913

13. Counties Club, Aldershot, November 12, 1913

Additional information sourced from ‘The Druid’s Lodge Confederacy’ by Paul Mathieu.