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Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Stephen Eccles – not to be confused with well-known National Hunt jockey Steve Smith Eccles – was born on July 3, 1957 and rode purely on the Flat rather than over jumps.
Stephen Eccles – not to be confused with well-known National Hunt jockey Steve Smith Eccles – was born on July 3, 1957 and rode purely on the Flat rather than over jumps.
He began his career as an apprentice with ‘selling plate king’ Ken Payne at Kingsley House, Middleham and rode his first winner on the grey Idle Dice in the Levy Board Apprentice Stakes at Lanark on April 17, 1975. He rode three more winners that year but his score rose to 21 in 1976, including three on Payne’s useful miler Kithairon.
He began his career as an apprentice with ‘selling plate king’ Ken Payne at Kingsley House, Middleham and rode his first winner on the grey Idle Dice in the Levy Board Apprentice Stakes at Lanark on April 17, 1975. He rode three more winners that year but his score rose to 21 in 1976, including three on Payne’s useful miler Kithairon.
The following year he journeyed south to join Michael Jarvis at Pegasus Stables in Newmarket, then twelve months later moved again to Paul Cole at Lambourn. He enjoyed his two best years numerically with Cole, riding 25 winners in 1978, which included Ascot’s Crocker Bulteel Handicap on Andy Rew, and 22 in 1979.
The following year he journeyed south to join Michael Jarvis at Pegasus Stables in Newmarket, then twelve months later moved again to Paul Cole at Lambourn. He enjoyed his two best years numerically with Cole, riding 25 winners in 1978, which included Ascot’s Crocker Bulteel Handicap on Andy Rew, and 22 in 1979.
Stephen rode an impressive 83 winners as an apprentice.
Stephen rode an impressive 83 winners as an apprentice.
When his apprenticeship ended he rode for one year as a fully-fledged jockey in 1980 before venturing to Germany to continue his career. He soon became one of the leading riders there and achieved his biggest success on Laroche, trained by Heinz Jentzsch, in the 1994 German Derby.
When his apprenticeship ended he rode for one year as a fully-fledged jockey in 1980 before venturing to Germany to continue his career. He soon became one of the leading riders there and achieved his biggest success on Laroche, trained by Heinz Jentzsch, in the 1994 German Derby.
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