Nat Dixon

Nat Dixon

Article by Alan Trout

National Hunt jockey Nathaniel (Nat) Dixon rode for two decades and had 18 wins, the first of which was gained at Newbury on January 26, 1928 when his mount Herewith was a comfortable winner of the Moderate Handicap Hurdle, beating the subsequently disqualified Flown Away by six lengths.

Herewith was owned and trained by former champion amateur rider Percy Whitaker. He later sold the four-year-old to American amateur A. C. Bostwick who won two races on him before the end of the year.

Nat continued to ride the occasional winner, although they were few and far between. One unfortunate incident took place after Rock Bottom had won the Novices’ Hurdle at Towcester on Easter Monday 1930. The Stewards were informed that the horse was not qualified to have run “owing to the non-registration of partnership” and Rock Bottom was duly disqualified. They gained a measure of compensation when winning Pershore in May.

Having ridden four winners in 1931, Nat then endured five winless years before Sky Knight got him back on the winning trail with victory in the Mole Handicap Chase at Sandown Park on January 22, 1937. Sky Knight was probably the best horse Nat rode. They followed their Sandown success by landing the Stayers Handicap Hurdle at Nottingham and then added the valuable Newbury Handicap Chase, giving Nat the biggest win of his career.

Nat had his first experience of the Liverpool fences when partnering Athena II, a faller in the Stanley Chase on March 18, 1937. He then had a two-year wait for his next win, the drought being ended by Silver Hare, who justified 5-2 favouritism in a selling handicap hurdle at Derby in February 1939.

Towards the end of his career he got the chance to ride in the Grand National itself. His mount was the eight-year-old Granitza, on whom he had won the Frome Handicap Chase at Wincanton on Boxing Day 1946. Despite having won his previous start, Granitza was a 100-1 outsider in the massive 57-horse field. He refused and failed to complete the course, the race being won by another unconsidered 100-1 shot, Caughoo. Just seven days later, Nat rode Granitza in the prestigious Lancashire Chase at Manchester, however their participation ended in a fall after a mile of the race.

Nat’s last win was on Swing in the Challacombe Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot on September 13, 1947. He continued to hold a licence until the 1949/50 season and had his final ride at Huntingdon on Whit Monday, May 29, 1950 when finishing last of five on Coup de Diable in the Buckden Hurdle.

Nat Dixon’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Herewith, Newbury, January 26, 1928

2. Wise Prince, Derby, January 15, 1929

3. Rock Bottom, Pershore, May 5, 1930

4. Forage Cap, Birmingham, February 9. 1931

5. Polydross, Colwall Park, March 23, 1931

6. Potters Bar, Hereford, April 6, 1931

7. Rock Bottom, Leicester, December 7, 1931

8. Sky Knight, Sandown Park, January 22, 1937

9. Sky Knight, Nottingham, February 9, 1937

10. Sky Knight, Newbury, February 25, 1937

11. Silver Hare, Derby, February 21, 1939

12. Royal Spa, Uttoxeter, April 6, 1939

13. Silver Hare, Southwell, March 3, 1941

14. Great Patrick, Wincanton, October 27, 1945

15. Great Patrick, Wincanton, November 15, 1945

16. Granitza, Wincanton, December 26, 1946

17. Clemenceau, Cheltenham, December 30, 1946

18. Swing, Newton Abbot, September 13, 1947