David Coates, born in 1950, was joint champion apprentice with Richard Dicey and - but for a late-season injury, forcing him to miss a number of good mounts - should have been outright champion. David and Richard, with 40 wins apiece, were fractionally ahead of George Duffield (39) and Ray Still (38).
David was apprenticed to first Harry Maw at Doncaster then to Taffy Williams at Ferryhill. He had his first ride in April 1967; his first winner, Border Cruise, came a month later on Saturday May 27 in the Thorpe Handicap at Teeside.
He achieved his biggest win on Morgan's Pride in the 1968 Great St Wilfrid Handicap.
It was a tragedy that within two years of his championship, David had ridden his last winner in Britain. He moved to Scandinavia but, despite winning the Danish Derby, never repeated his stunning success as a teenager.
David Coates died in 2000.
Biggest wins:
1968: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Morgan’s Pride
1968: Northern Goldsmith’s Handicap – Mycropolis
