Michael Dunlop
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Born in 1948, Michael Daniel Dunlop was the son of Danny Dunlop, Hambleton trainer Jack Calvert’s head lad. Danny had been at Hambleton since the days of Noel Murless in the 1940s so it was no surprise that young Michael should become apprenticed to Calvert on leaving school.
Born in 1948, Michael Daniel Dunlop was the son of Danny Dunlop, Hambleton trainer Jack Calvert’s head lad. Danny had been at Hambleton since the days of Noel Murless in the 1940s so it was no surprise that young Michael should become apprenticed to Calvert on leaving school.
Seventeen-year-old Michael had been with Calvert for two years but had had only three previous mounts in public before riding his first winner, on Crosby Don in a Redcar apprentices’ handicap on Whit Monday, May 30, 1966, scoring easily by eight lengths. He rode his second winner the following month on Brother Bug in a similar contest at Beverley, and his third on Lismore Light in an apprentices’ maiden at Newcastle in July.
Seventeen-year-old Michael had been with Calvert for two years but had had only three previous mounts in public before riding his first winner, on Crosby Don in a Redcar apprentices’ handicap on Whit Monday, May 30, 1966, scoring easily by eight lengths. He rode his second winner the following month on Brother Bug in a similar contest at Beverley, and his third on Lismore Light in an apprentices’ maiden at Newcastle in July.
He won again on Brother Bug at Pontefract in September and then landed a five-furlong handicap at York on Calvert’s Highland Melody to give him five winners for the season.
He won again on Brother Bug at Pontefract in September and then landed a five-furlong handicap at York on Calvert’s Highland Melody to give him five winners for the season.
He won twice more on Highland Melody in 1967, including Haydock’s Great Central Handicap, and also scored on Calvert’s veteran sprinter P.C. 49 at Newcastle at the end of August.
He won twice more on Highland Melody in 1967, including Haydock’s Great Central Handicap, and also scored on Calvert’s veteran sprinter P.C. 49 at Newcastle at the end of August.
Having won three races in 1967, Michael doubled that to six in 1968, beginning with his first ‘outside’ winning ride on Singing Scot in a Ripon apprentices’ contest for Eddie O’Keeffe. Michael won on Jack Calvert’s juvenile fillies Jackbeth and Bay Beauty three days apart in May but had to wait three months for his next victory on Polar Sun at Redcar in August. Two more followed before the end of the season including another juvenile winner, 33-1 outsider Fairzan at Catterick in September.
Having won three races in 1967, Michael doubled that to six in 1968, beginning with his first ‘outside’ winning ride on Singing Scot in a Ripon apprentices’ contest for Eddie O’Keeffe. Michael won on Jack Calvert’s juvenile fillies Jackbeth and Bay Beauty three days apart in May but had to wait three months for his next victory on Polar Sun at Redcar in August. Two more followed before the end of the season including another juvenile winner, 33-1 outsider Fairzan at Catterick in September.
A productive period between late April and early June 1969 saw Michael ride five winners, three of which came on Calvert’s sprinter Stephen George, culminating in the Garry Owen Daily Record Handicap at Hamilton’s popular Saints and Sinners charity meeting. The other two came courtesy of Fairzan, including a qualifying round of the Racegoers Club Champion Apprentice Handicap at Haydock. He won twice on Zeus Oir at Catterick that summer, including a dead-heat, but there were ominous signs of rising weight as he was obliged to put up 8lb overweight at 7st 10lb for the second of those wins.
A productive period between late April and early June 1969 saw Michael ride five winners, three of which came on Calvert’s sprinter Stephen George, culminating in the Garry Owen Daily Record Handicap at Hamilton’s popular Saints and Sinners charity meeting. The other two came courtesy of Fairzan, including a qualifying round of the Racegoers Club Champion Apprentice Handicap at Haydock. He won twice on Zeus Oir at Catterick that summer, including a dead-heat, but there were ominous signs of rising weight as he was obliged to put up 8lb overweight at 7st 10lb for the second of those wins.
Having ridden all except one of his winners for Jack Calvert, Michael duly completed his apprenticeship at the end of 1969 and set out on the new decade without the benefit of a claim. He joined Bridlington trainer Clifford Watts, who supplied him with both of his winners for 1970, in sellers at Hamilton and Pontefract.
Having ridden all except one of his winners for Jack Calvert, Michael duly completed his apprenticeship at the end of 1969 and set out on the new decade without the benefit of a claim. He joined Bridlington trainer Clifford Watts, who supplied him with both of his winners for 1970, in sellers at Hamilton and Pontefract.
He remained with Watts for the remainder of his career but rode just one more winner. Having drawn a blank in 1971, he achieved his final success on the two-year-old Arctic Word in the Captain Cook Maiden Plate at Redcar on Tuesday, June 6, 1972. He gave up being a jockey at the end of that season, having ridden a total of 24 winners.
He remained with Watts for the remainder of his career but rode just one more winner. Having drawn a blank in 1971, he achieved his final success on the two-year-old Arctic Word in the Captain Cook Maiden Plate at Redcar on Tuesday, June 6, 1972. He gave up being a jockey at the end of that season, having ridden a total of 24 winners.
Michael Dunlop’s winners were, in chronological order:
Michael Dunlop’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Crosby Don, Redcar, May 30, 1966
1. Crosby Don, Redcar, May 30, 1966
2. Brother Bug, Beverley, June 8, 1966
2. Brother Bug, Beverley, June 8, 1966
3. Lismore Light, Newcastle, July 9, 1966
3. Lismore Light, Newcastle, July 9, 1966
4. Brother Bug, (above), Pontefract, September 21, 1966
4. Brother Bug, (above), Pontefract, September 21, 1966
5. Highland Melody, York, October 5, 1966
5. Highland Melody, York, October 5, 1966
6. Highland Melody, Catterick, June 3, 1967
6. Highland Melody, Catterick, June 3, 1967
7. Highland Melody, Haydock Park, July 14, 1967
7. Highland Melody, Haydock Park, July 14, 1967
8. P.C. 49, Newcastle, August 26, 1967
8. P.C. 49, Newcastle, August 26, 1967
9. Singing Scot, Ripon, April 24, 1968
9. Singing Scot, Ripon, April 24, 1968
10. Jackbeth, Thirsk, May 8, 1968
10. Jackbeth, Thirsk, May 8, 1968
11. Bay Beauty, Beverley, May 11, 1968
11. Bay Beauty, Beverley, May 11, 1968
12. Polar Sun, Redcar, August 10, 1968
12. Polar Sun, Redcar, August 10, 1968
13. Celo, Pontefract, August 31, 1968
13. Celo, Pontefract, August 31, 1968
14. Fairzan, Catterick, September 28, 1968
14. Fairzan, Catterick, September 28, 1968
15. Fairzan, Ripon, April 23, 1969
15. Fairzan, Ripon, April 23, 1969
16. Stephen George, Ripon, May 17, 1969
16. Stephen George, Ripon, May 17, 1969
17. Stephen George, Carlisle, May 22, 1969
17. Stephen George, Carlisle, May 22, 1969
18. Fairzan, Haydock Park, May 24, 1969
18. Fairzan, Haydock Park, May 24, 1969
19. Stephen George, Hamilton Park, June 10, 1969
19. Stephen George, Hamilton Park, June 10, 1969
20. Zeus Oir, Catterick, July 24, 1969 (dead-heat)
20. Zeus Oir, Catterick, July 24, 1969 (dead-heat)
21. Zeus Oir, Catterick, August 14, 1969
21. Zeus Oir, Catterick, August 14, 1969
22. Ribble Reed, Hamilton Park, June 12, 1970
22. Ribble Reed, Hamilton Park, June 12, 1970
23. Top Display, Pontefract, August 6, 1970
23. Top Display, Pontefract, August 6, 1970
24. Arctic Word, Redcar, June 6, 1972
24. Arctic Word, Redcar, June 6, 1972