Kempton Cannon

In 1897, Walter Kempton Cannon rode 431 mounts but won on just 32, finishing 15th in the jockeys' table.

This was headed (inevitably, at the time) by his brilliant brother, Mornington, who had ridden 145 winners.

Mornington won the jockeys' championship six times in his career.

The highlight for Kempton that year was his success in the Cambridgeshire, in which he had given Comfrey a brilliant ride. Sadly, this was the only big race he won that season.

Kempton regained some status when, riding Addendum at Sandown's First Summer Meeting (June 24) the following season, he beat his brother (riding Nun Nicer) by three parts of a length in the valuable Sandringham Foal Stakes.

Newmarket: Wednesday, 14 October 1896. A steady, three-hour morning downpour, following a stormy night, had turned the course dead. Of the fifteen runners contesting that day's Cesarewitch, none was better suited to the conditions than Kempton's mount, the three-year-old St Bris who won, pulling away, by four lengths.

Kempton was to win the race a second time, in 1902, aboard 8/1 shot Back Sand (2/1 in the place market).

Black Sand had been second in the race the previous year, but this year - drawn 6 - Kempton sent the five-year-old on at the Bushes for an easy win.

The Cambridgeshire was also to prove a lucky race for Kempton: he won it again in 1899. Riding the 20-1 shot Irish Ivy, Kempton came up the centre of the course to pull away to win by an easy three lengths.

Kempton won his first classic (of three) when the good-looking Doricles won the 1901 St Leger: the first time in the history of the race in which the starter gate was used.

Doricles, a brown colt by Florizel ll, was a full brother to Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee, who had both won the race, so - although Doricles started at 40-1 - the signposts were there.

Run in bright sunshine on Wednesday, September 11, it was nevertheless an ill-tempered affair with much bad-feeling among the leading jockeys.

The odds-on favourite, Derby winner Volodyovski was expected to have an easy race: in the event its jockey, American Lester Reiff, found himself sandwiched between Revenue and Doricles. Volodyovski certainly lost ground but came again to grab a small lead. Kempton, however, was not to be denied and strongly retaliated, forcing his mount over the line a neck clear. Reiff immediately objected but the Stewards, after deliberations, decided not to disturb the judge's verdict.

Kempton won the 1903 Produce Stakes at York (August 26) when getting up on Catgut in the final strides to beat 4-6 favourite Melodious by a head.

It was their second meeting of the year: earlier, the filly Melodious had come out the better, but this time, getting 4 lb from her, Catgut sought and found revenge.

Kempton enjoyed a major success when taking the 1904 2,000 Guineas on St Amant. Though the light was not particularly good, it was clear from the stands that Kempton's mount had the race well in hand. He was not pressed to beat John o'Gaunt who, in turn, was two lengths clear of the third, Henry the First.

However, Kempton's greatest day in the saddle came that season on the first day of June when he won the Derby on St Amant.

Kempton's mount had originally been drawn 3, but the jockey asked for, and was granted, permission to race on the wide outside instead. Kempton chose this course of action because of the earlier deluge of rain which had greatly altered the going.

Luckily for Kempton, St Amant - a thoroughly bad-tempered horse - once again consented to do his best, as had been the case in the Guineas. Making every yard of the running, St Amant came home virtually as he pleased with the French colt (and favourite) Gouvernant toiling in its wake.

The race had been run in a downpour: consequently, every rider was 2 lb or more overweight when they returned to the scale, but the Stewards permitted them to pass (in accordance with the Rule of Racing 152).

Walter Kempton Cannon was one of the first leading English jockeys to adopt the 'monkey-crouch' seat, brought from America by Tod Sloan.

Kempton was associated with many of the successes of Mr L. de Rothschild, (owner of St Amant).

Kempton retired from racing shortly before the 1914 - 18 war in which he served with the Royal Flying Corps. Afterwards he opened a garage in Newmarket before finally retiring to live in Hove in 1926.

Born in Stockbridge, Hants. on 21 November 1879, Kempton died at Hove, aged 72, on 2 December 1951.

He left £14,131

His wife, Letitia Annie Watts, was the widow of jockey John Watts, who was once apprenticed to Kempton's father, Tom.

Kempton's first ride was Poor Box at Kempton, May 25, 1894

His first winner was Bunting at Stockbridge, July 12, 1894

Classic winners:

1901: St Leger - Doricles

1904: Two Thousand Guineas - St Amant

1904: The Derby - St Amant

Big wins include:

1896: Cesarewitch - St Bris

1896: Manchester November Handicap - Telescope

1897: Cambridgeshire - Comfrey

1897: Goodwood Stakes - Gluten

1899: Cambridgeshire - Irish Ivy

1900: Gimcrack Stakes - Garb Or

1902: Cesarewitch - Black Sand

1903: Coventry Stakes - St Amant

1905: Jockey Club Stakes - St Aman