Geoffrey Charles Evans rode over jumps for much of the 1980s and had six wins.
He had his first ride at Hereford on August 22, 1981, when Friesland finished a very distant last in the Hoarwithy Novices’ Selling Hurdle. His initial success came on Easter Monday, April 4, 1983, when Cantabile, trained by Sue Griffiths, easily beat Jonjo O’Neill’s mount Autumn Gift by five lengths to land the Castle Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2) at Chepstow. The four-year-old was winning his third race in 27 days.
Geoff had his second success on April 23 when Ruth’s Magic proved too good for 15 rivals in the Grunwick Stakes National Hunt Flat Race at Taunton.
The following season produced two more victories, both on horses trained by Malcolm Eckley. First came Bold Illusion, who led for most of the way and finished six lengths clear in the Beeches Farm Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park on December 16; then just seven days later Burnditch Boy had ten lengths to spare at the end of the Denstone Selling Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter.
There was then a gap of over a year before Geoff next entered the winner’s enclosure. This time Michael Chapman was the trainer, with Baton Match getting the better of a prolonged battle with Oryx Minor, the mount of Mark Perrett, to land the Alveston Handicap Hurdle at Stratford on March 7, 1985 by a length.
Another long gap followed before Geoff had his sixth, and final, victory. It came on the penultimate day of the 1985/86 season, when Remainder Girl had an easy success in the Dealers Selling Handicap Hurdle at Stratford on May 30, coasting home by 15 lengths. That appears to have been Geoff’s last ride, hence he bowed out on a winner.
Geoff Evans’ winners were, in chronological order:
1. Cantabile, Chepstow, April 4, 1983
2. Ruth’s Magic, Taunton, April 23, 1983
3. Bold Illusion, Haydock Park, December 16, 1983
4. Burnditch Boy, Uttoxeter, December 23, 1983
5. Baton Match, Stratford-on-Avon, March 7, 1985
6. Remainder Girl, Strafford-on-Avon, May 30, 1986