Leslie Agar

Leslie Agar

Article by Alan Trout

Leslie Frank Agar had four wins on the Flat and five over jumps during the 1920s and early 30s. He was apprenticed to Walter Griggs, rider of three Classic winners, who had recently started training at Newmarket. Leslie had his first ride for him at Newmarket in the Visitors’ Apprentice Handicap on July 1, 1919, His mount, Ablad, lost all chance when dwelling at the start and finished last of the ten runners. Future comedy star George Formby finished second on Devonport, beaten a length, the closest he ever came to riding a winner.

Unlike George, Leslie was able to win races, the first of them back at Newmarket on October 12, 1920, when La Hogue scored by a head in the Apprentice Plate. He rode three winners the following year, including a half-length victory in the Lambton Gold Cup at Hurst Park on the five-year-old Warways, carrying just 6st 8lb and unable to claim his apprentice allowance due to the value of the race. However, despite continuing to ride on the Flat for two more seasons he did not add to his tally.

Having turned to riding over jumps, his first winner under National Hunt rules was at Newport on November 8, 1928, when Pactolus, owned and trained by Jack Pendarves at Epsom, won the Risca Selling Handicap Chase by half a length from Usk, the mount of Keith Piggott, father of Lester.

More than five years elapsed before Leslie had another winner, the drought finally ending when Hardham Gate, also owned and trained by Pendarves, won the Trull Selling Handicap Chase at Taunton on February 8, 1934, scoring by four lengths from Ballydross, ridden by future training legend Fulke Walwyn. Three more wins followed that season, all on four-year-old novice chaser Potluck, the last of them coming at Folkestone on May 10 in the Newingreen Chase.

Although Leslie held a licence until the 1936/37 season, there were no more winners.

Leslie Agar’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. La Hogue, Newmarket, October 12, 1920

2. Lord Bunny, Leicester, March 30, 1921

3. Killeen, Manchester, May 18, 1921

4. Warways, Hurst Park, July 22, 1921

5. Pactolus, Newport, November 8, 1928

6. Hardham Gate, Taunton, February 8, 1934

7. Potluck, Taunton, April 2, 1934

8. Potluck, Chelmsford, April 16, 1934

9. Potluck, Folkestone, May 10, 1934