Ivan Flower

South-west-based National Hunt jockey Ivan Flower rode during the 1970s for Wells, Somerset trainer Herbert Payne. He achieved his first success on Payne’s selling hurdler Straight Cottage at Wincanton on November 29, 1973, his only success that season.

He rode just one winner the following season, on Joden in division one of the Newton Abbot Challenge Cup Maiden hurdle in May 1975. A year then passed before Ivan next visited the winner’s enclosure, this time on selling hurdler Sea Picture at Newton Abbot for Cornwall owner-trainer Frank Gorman.

Having ridden just three winners in as many seasons, Ivan rode four during the 1976/77 campaign, two on Sea Picture and two on Herbert Payne’s novice hurdler Tranby. In the autumn of 1977 Ivan won three races in as many weeks on Payne’s selling hurdler Young Steve, the last of those coming at Fontwell Park on October 17, when profiting from a bad mistake at the last by runner-up Kellagem.

On Boxing Day 1977 Ivan scored a double at Newton Abbot, on Bright Baby in the selling hurdle and Herbert Payne’s Mrs Stevens in the South Devon Handicap Hurdle. However, rather than being a launchpad for better things, those turned out to be the last two wins of Ivan’s career. He had his final ride on Sovereign Palace at Devon & Exeter on May 29, 1978, finishing sixth of eleven. He did not renew his licence the following season.

Ivan Flower’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Straight Cottage, Wincanton, November 29, 1974

2. Joden, Newton Abbot, May 22, 1975

3. Sea Picture, Newton Abbot, May 20, 1976

4. Sea Picture, Newton Abbot, December 27, 1976

5. Sea Picture, Devon & Exeter, March 26, 1977

6. Tranby, Taunton, April 21, 1977

7. Tranby, Devon & Exeter, May 11, 1977

8. Young Steve, Devon & Exeter, September 29, 1977

9. Young Steve, Newton Abbot, October 11, 1977

10. Young Steve, Fontwell Park, October 17, 1977

11. Bright Baby, Newton Abbot, December 26, 1977

12. Mrs Stevens, Newton Abbot, December 26, 197