Article by Chris Pitt
Eric Anthony Burr held a jump jockey’s licence from 1958/59 to 1965/66 but rode only five winners during that time. He was based with trainer David Machin at The Manor Stables in Girsby, near Hainton, in Lincolnshire. Machin’s main claim to fame was training a Cheltenham Festival winner, Mighty Apollo in the 1957 Kim Muir, partnered by leading amateur rider Bobby Brewis.
Eric Burr had three winners from just eight rides during the 1959/60 season. The first of these was on Blonde Warrior, trained by Machin, at Market Rasen on Boxing Day 1959. Blonde Warrior would go on to run in three Grand Nationals, completing the course twice under Terry Biddlecombe in 1962 and Brian Lawrence in 1963.
Both Eric’s other wins that season were achieved on Limsol, also trained by Machin, at Market Rasen in March 1960 and at Southwell the following month. Limsol also provided him with his only winner of the 1960/61 season when scoring at Uttoxeter.
His only other winner came in the 1962/63 campaign, during which he had 25 rides, aboard Chase The Shadow at Manchester for Rotherham permit holder Brian Platts.
He stayed with David Machin throughout his career and had his last ride on Machin’s mare Susannah Sue at Nottingham on 9 June 1966.
He rode a total of five winners, these being in chronological order:
1. Blonde Warrior, Market Rasen, 26 December 1959
2. Limsol, Market Rasen, 5 March 1960
3. Limsol, Southwell, 2 April 1960
4. Limsol, Uttoxeter, 17 December 1960
5. Chase The Shadow, Manchester, 13 October 1962.
