Mark Elliott

Article by Alan Trout

Born on July 24, 1956, Mark Phillip Elliott rode under National Hunt rules for nearly a decade and finished with 27 winners. 

His first ride was at Ludlow on November 26, 1974, when his mount, Tom Hill, was pulled up in the Whitton Selling Handicap Hurdle. It would be almost two years before his initial victory, but finally at Bangor on October 16, 1976, Periplus held off the challenge of leading amateur rider Nicky Henderson on Bargain Day to win the Fenns Bank Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2). The four-year-old winner had been placed in his three previous races that season, ridden by the trainer Bill Clay’s son Neil. 

Following a win on the selling hurdler Prince Ardent at Haydock Park, there was a gap of two and a half years before Mark won another race, but he continued to ride for Bill Clay, who supplied him with 20 of his winners, including three on the hurdler Charles Swift. 

Arguably the best horse he rode was Rupertino, trained by former amateur rider Eric Hollister Owen junior. Mark won five races on him including four at Bangor, two of them in Mark’s final season with a licence.

It was at Worcester on April 30, 1983 that he scored for the last time when Aldro recorded a five-length victory in the Bewdley Novices’ Chase (Division 2). A month later, at Uttoxeter on Whit Monday, May 30, Mark had his final ride when finishing fourth on Chandeer in the Armitage Handicap Hurdle.