Eric Cousins

1921-1996

Article by Alan Trout

Before becoming a successful trainer, noted for his major handicap triumphs, Eric Cousins was a leading northern amateur rider in the 1950s and had 39 wins to his credit. He finished second in an Imperial Cup and a Becher Chase and had a ride in the Grand National, albeit a brief one.

Born on December 12, 1921, he served as a pilot in the RAF during the war. He had his first ride at Sedgefield on April 6, 1949, when Rustling Grass was unplaced in the Stanhope Selling Handicap Hurdle.

His initial success came at Sandown Park’s Grand Military meeting on March 17, 1951, when riding his own horse, Knight’s Pass, which he also trained, to victory in the Past and Present Handicap Chase. The pair had finished second in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Chase at Cheltenham 11 days earlier.

That was Eric’s only win that season, but he had 11 the next, then did even better in 1952/53 with 14, all trained by Horace Cousins. Only Danny Moralee with 22 wins and Atty Corbett with 19 did better in the amateur ranks.

Eric’s first ride over the Grand National fences had not gone well, for Dilwyn was a faller in the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase on April 4, 1951, but his next attempt, in the Becher Chase on November 6, 1953, was more successful, his mount Green Linnet finishing second, beaten three lengths by George Slack on Aintree specialist Freebooter.

He won eight races on Creggmore Boy, five on Shandagan and four on Greystown, and it was the latter who came closest to providing him with a big race winner when second, beaten three lengths by Mick Haynes on Bon Mot II in the Imperial Cup on March 19, 1955, ten days after having been unplaced in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Eric rode Alberoni in that year’s Grand National, however their race ended in a fall at the first fence.

Eric’s last win was at Haydock Park on February 7, 1957, when Northern King led from halfway and won the Ashton Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) by ten lengths. The pair then finished third in Division II of the Gloucestershire Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13, before Mick Pumfrey took over in the saddle and won Liverpool’s Mildmay Chase two weeks later.

Greystown was Eric’s penultimate ride when unplaced in the Jubilee Handicap Hurdle at Manchester on April 2, 1957. He made the briefest of comebacks when partnering Rainford, unplaced in the Past and Present Handicap Hurdle at Sandown’s Grand Military meeting on March 20, 1965.

Having gradually wound down his race-riding in the mid-50s to focus more on training, he achieved his first notable handicap success when Bonhomie won the 1957 Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot.

As the ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Flat Racing’ put it: “He has earned a reputation for turning out winners of important handicaps”. During the 1960s these included Kempton Park’s Jubilee Handicap four years in succession, back-to-back Lincolnshires, the Cambridgeshire, Victoria Cup, Wokingham, Portland Handicap and three Ayr Gold Cups.

On his retirement in 1977 he handed over the stable to his son Martin.

Sadly, Eric Cousins drowned while on holiday in Barbados in January 1996, aged 74.

His winners as an amateur rider were, in chronological order.

1. Knight’s Pass, Sandown Park, March 17, 1951

2. Bella Bambina, Newcastle, February 25, 1952

3. Bella Bambina, Catterick Bridge, February 29, 1952

4. Monkey Cup, Doncaster, March 17, 1952

5. Creggmore Boy, Doncaster, March 18, 1952

6. Saxon Prince, Carlisle, April 14, 1952

7. Creggmore Boy, Bangor-on-Dee, April 19, 1952

8. Creggmore Boy, Ludlow, April 30, 1952

9. Peter Penniless, Uttoxeter, May 3, 1952

10. Winter Chimes, Southwell, May 5, 1952

11. Creggmore Boy, Stratford-on-Avon, May 24, 1952

12. Creggmore Boy, Hexham, May 31, 1952

13. Shandagan, Uttoxeter, September 18, 1952

14. Bramble Tudor, Sedgefield, September 20, 1952

15. Shandagan, Ludlow, September 24, 1952

16. Shandagan, Hexham, October 4, 1952

17, Green Linnet, Woore, October 23, 1952

18. Winter Chimes, Southwell, December 22, 1952

19. Green Linnet, Manchester, January 1, 1953

20. Golden Wedding, Nottingham, January 27, 1953

21. Moogie, Southwell, April 2, 1953

22. Winter Chimes, Bogside, April 17, 1953

23. Creggmore Boy, Bangor-on-Dee, April 25, 1953

24. Creggmore Boy, Hexham, May 4, 1953

25. Moogie, Cartmel, May 23, 1953

26. Creggmore Boy, Cartmel, May 23, 1953

27. Bright Mabel, Bangor-on-Dee, October 17, 1953

28. Bright Mabel, Woore, October 22, 1953

29. Greystown, Birmingham, November 17, 1953

30. Greystown, Liverpool, December 3, 1953

31. Galloway Lad, Haydock Park, December 11, 1953

32. Shandagan, Birmingham, January 12, 1954

33. Shandagan, Newcastle, February 22, 1954

34. Dandini, Manchester, March 13, 1954

35. Hill Of Saul, Sedgefield, May 15, 1954

36. Greystown, Nottingham, October 25, 1954

37. Greystown, Uttoxeter, May 28, 1955

38. Northern King, Manchester, January 25, 1957

39. Northern King, Haydock Park, February 7, 1957

His major handicap training successes on the Flat included:

1957: Ascot Stakes – Bonhomie

1960: Ayr Gold Cup – Dawn Watch

1961: Lincolnshire – Johns Court

1961: Great Jubilee – Chalk Stream

1962: Lincolnshire – Hill Royal

1962: Great Jubilee – Water Skier

1963: Great Jubilee – Water Skier

1963: Victoria Cup – Tudor Treasure

1963: Cambridgeshire – Commander In Chief

1964: Great Jubilee – Commander In Chief

1965: Ayr Gold Cup – Kamundu

1966: Wokingham – My Audrey

1966: Portland – Audrey Joan

1969: Ayr Gold Cup – Brief Star

Eric Cousins and Alberoni fall after jumping the first fence in the 1954 Grand National

Eric Cousins' first winner: Knight's Pass at Sandown Park, March 17, 1951

Eric in action at Aintree in November 1954