Dennis Clarke

Dennis Clarke

Article by Alan Trout

National Hunt jockey Dennis Herbert Clarke made a promising start to his career with 25 wins in his first four full seasons, but he added only three more after that. 

His first ride was on the 13-year-old Beau Diable, finishing unplaced in the King’s Acre Handicap Hurdle at Hereford on October 3, 1953. It was not until a year later that he had his first success when Simon de Montfort led from the first flight to land the Perlethorpe Handicap Hurdle at Southwell by ten lengths. Like all but one of Dennis’s first 19 victories, the nine-year-old was trained by former jump jockey Sid Warren. 

Dennis had seven more wins before the season ended, but then he did not have a single success for over a year. However, the 1956/57 campaign yielded 11 wins.

At Kempton Park on March 1, 1958,  Dennis brought his mount Chastise with a strong late run to force a dead heat with Arthur Freeman on Flaming Star. Four weeks later, Arthur would win the Grand National on the Irish-trained novice chaser Mr What. 

Alas, no such prize awaited Dennis, and he had just one win in each of the next three seasons, the final victory coming at Worcester on December 1, 1961, when Scotch Fare caught long-time leader Flame Royal in the closing stages to take the Powick Selling Hurdle. 

He had his last ride at Newbury on March 9, 1962, when Spring Brown was unplaced in the Bath End Handicap Hurdle. 

Dennis Clarke’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Simon de Montfort, Southwell, October 11, 1954

2. Kirghiz, Ludlow, October 21, 1954

3. Simon de Montfort, Wolverhampton, November 22, 1954

4. No Clowning, Warwick, December 11, 1954

5. Vistal, Birmingham, December 13, 1954

6. Simon de Montfort, Hurst Park, December 17, 1954

7. Punjab, Newbury, December 31, 1954

8. Carrickbay, Stratford-on-Avon, April 14, 1955

9. Receipt, Buckfastleigh, September 1, 1956

10. Heron’s Lad, Fontwell Park, October 9, 1956

11. Little Fiddler, Plumpton, October 15, 1956

12. Royal Seal, Wincanton, November 1, 1956

13. Royal Seal, Fontwell Park, November 7, 1956

14. Receipt, Worcester, December 1, 1956

15. Simon de Montfort, Newbury, December 28, 1956

16. Star Inn, Plumpton, January 28, 1957

17. Royal Result, Uttoxeter, March 23, 1957

18. Receipt, Towcester, April 22, 1957

19. No Clowning, Taunton, May 2, 1957

20. Croise, Wincanton, February 6, 1958

21. Delvin, Hurst Park, February 8, 1958

22. Chastise, Kempton Park, March 1, 1958 (dead heat)

23. Croise, Fontwell Park, March 3, 1958

24. Glamorgan, Stratford-on-Avon, March 27, 1958

25. Glamorgan, Southwell, April 3, 1958

26. Glamorgan, Huntingdon, March 30, 1959

27. Como Star, Wetherby, April 18, 1960

28. Scotch Fair, Worcester, December 1, 1961