Ron Armstrong

Ron Armstrong

Article by Chris Pitt

Ron Armstrong was a successful apprentice on the Flat in the mid-1950s, riding 41 winners, before reinventing himself as a jump jockey in America in the 1960s. 

Born in 1937, Ronald O’Bryan Armstrong made an immediate impact by riding his first winner on his very first ride in public, Jack Ormston’s six-year-old mare St Helens in the Jesmond Selling Handicap at Newcastle on April 11, 1955. He won two more races on her that season, at Chester’s May meeting and at Ayr’s Western meeting, and finished the year with a score of 11 winners.

His services were soon in high demand, riding 16 winners in 1956. He rode 14 in 1957 including that year’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap on Roman Vale. But then, as so often happens, he came out of his time, lost his claim and struggled to make a living. One winner in 1958 and three in 1959 were meagre pickings by comparison with what had gone before, but there was none at all in 1960.

Ron then joined forces with fledgling Guilsborough trainer Ron Mason as his dual-purpose jockey and rode his first winner over jumps on Solid Fuel in a Birmingham selling hurdle on January 14, 1961.

In his last year as a Flat jockey in 1961 he rode three winners for Ron Mason: Smartie at Epsom’s Spring meeting, Vayga at Wolverhampton in August and, finally, Darenot in the Kineton Two-Year-Old Maiden Stakes at Warwick on September 16, 1961.

The following jumps season, 1961/62, he rode two winners, both for Ron Mason, from 50 rides, these being Solid Fuel at Towcester on October 28 and Tool Merchant at Stratford on November 18, 1961. 

Soon afterwards he left for America where looked to revitalise his career. It proved a successful move as he became one of the country’s leading steeplechase riders. 

Ron Armstrong died in 2010.

His most notable wins included:

1964: International Steeplechase – Mieldor 

1964: Manly Steeplechase – Red Circle 

1966: Brook Steeplechase – General Tingle 

1967: Bushwick Hurdle – Quick Pitch 

1967: International Steeplechase – Suruga Bay 

1967: Samuel K. Martin Memorial Cup Steeplechase – Blockbuster