Harry Bancroft

Harry Bancroft

Article by Alan Trout

Harry Bancroft rode for four seasons on the Flat in the 1920s, two as an apprentice, two as a fully licensed jockey, and managed four winners.

Harry had the good fortune to be apprenticed to Matthew Dobson Peacock, one of the leading northern trainers for more than 40 years. He had his first ride on Medallion, who finished unplaced in the Cleveland Apprentice Plate at Redcar on June 9, 1924. The race was won by Demonicus, ridden by Andrew Lindberg, who was having only his second winner. 

It was not until July 10, 1925 that Harry had his first winner, and even then he had to share first prize. His mount, the five-year-old mare Lolita, dead-heated with the four-year-old filly Princess Sublime, ridden by Edward Barrett, in the Duchy Apprentice Plate at Pontefract. Neither horse was first past the post. That honour went to Maritime, ridden by Gordon Richards’s younger brother Cliff. Assistant trainer Matthew Peacock, on behalf of his father, objected to the winners on the grounds of ‘bumping and crossing’. The objection was sustained, the joint runners-up were promoted, and both jockeys had thereby ridden their first winner. 

At least, Harry, unlike Edward Barrett, went on to ride more winners. The first of these came eleven days later at Ayr, where Vixen’s Holt won the St Quivox Maiden Apprentice Plate. His final victory of that season was at Bogside on July 25 when Bryn Rossett walked over for the Apprentice Plate. 

He managed just one win in 1926. This was at Lanark on July 21 when his mount, Damsel, won the Apprentice Handicap Plate by a head. 

His apprenticeship ended soon after that and Harry took out a professional jockey’s licence for the remainder of the season. But like so many others, he did not find success after losing his apprentice allowance. He had what proved to be his final ride at Derby on April 8, 1927, on Fascination, who finished unplaced in the Welbeck Selling Plate, won by Pat Donoghue on King Throstle. 

When WW2 broke out, Harry held the training licence for the Michael Grove Stable, then run by the Duchess of Norfolk and from which Lucullus was sent out unsuccessfully to contest  the 1940 New 2,000 Guineas under Tommy Bartlam.

Harry Bancroft’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Lolita, Pontefract, July 10, 1925 (dead-heat)

2. Vixen’s Holt, Ayr, July 21, 1925

3. Bryn Rossett, Bogside, July 25, 1925 (walkover)

4. Samsel, Lanark, July 21, 1926