David Croft

David Croft

c1883-1917

Article by Alan Trout

David Croft rode 43 winners during the first decade of the 20th century, registering a best score of 19 in 1903. 

Born around 1883, David was apprenticed to Robert Sherwood, one of the leading Newmarket trainers, and had his first ride on Chaffinch, who finished unplaced in the Apprentices’ Handicap Plate at Newmarket on July 13, 1899. 

Progress was slow. He did not have his first winner until Lorgnette won the Red Bank Plate at Ripon on August 4, 1902. Two more wins followed that season, but 1903 was much better with doubles at Haydock Park and Yarmouth, plus victory on Morgantic in the Westmoreland Plate at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting on September 11.

There were seven wins in 1904, including doubles at Redcar and Haydock Park, but then no sign of him in either 1905 or 1906 before he returned to record 14 more victories in 1907. According to the Sporting Life, he had been “abroad and resting” during his absence.

He certainly made up for lost time. On his return to the saddle he rode five winners at Redcar’s two-day meeting on August 14 and 15. The ‘Life’ said he should be “complemented upon riding a really excellent finish” on Tit For Tat in the first of the five, the Warrenby All-aged Selling Plate, before wins on Jonathan in the Redcar Two-Year-Old Stakes and Ring in the Upleatham Welter Handicap completed the only treble of his career. On the second day of the meeting he won the Zetland Handicap on Camlarg and the Beaumont Two-Year-Old Selling Plate on an unnamed filly by Wolf’s Crag out of Tacita. All five winners were trained by Robert Sherwood. 

Sherwood, who trained 46 winners that year, also provided David with his final success when Fort Myers walked over for the Newby Plate at Thirsk on October 24, 1907. David’s last ride was on Rosebury, who finished unplaced in the Gormire Welter Handicap, also at Thirsk, on May 9, 1908.

David Croft died in August 1917 after contracting a severe illness while in Rio de Janeiro in June that year.