Paddy Connors

Born on October 1, 1940, Irishman Paddy Connors, son of jump jockey David Connors, came from Naas, Co Kildare, and served his apprenticeship with the legendary Paddy Prendergast.

Moving across to Compton, in Berkshire, he worked for trainer George Beeby for a year before joining Earl Jones, who was then training at Roel Stables in Guiting Power, near Cheltenham.

Paddy rode his first winner on Hamoun in a handicap hurdle at Stratford on April 5, 1962. His second, Conor’s Choice in a Cheltenham selling chase, followed six months later. Soon after that came the big freeze, wiping out all racing from December 22, 1962 to March 8, 1963, bar a single day at Ayr in January which somehow survived the elements.

When racing resumed, Paddy finished third on the mare Good Gracious behind Ayala in the Worcester Royal Porcelain Chase. Earl Jones agreed he could ride her in the Grand National later that month.

Paddy was lying handy enough, just on the inside of middle, when, having jumped the first five fences perfectly well, Good Gracious got in a bit too close at Becher’s and the drop caught her out. Ayala won the race at 66-1, ridden by 19-year-old Pat Buckley.

Later that year, Paddy won a Hereford novices’ chase on Honey End, destined to be the unlucky runner-up in Foinavon’s sensational 1967 Grand National when ridden by Josh Gifford.

In 1964 Earl Jones moved from Guiting Power to Hazel Slade Stables in Staffordshire. Hazel Slade had previously been occupied by dual-purpose trainer Bob Ward prior to Earl taking over. In the distant past, Tom Coulthwaite had sent out three Grand National winners from there. Tom had trained them all on the stiff up-and-down territory and pine-filled air of nearby Cannock Chase.

Soon afterwards, Paddy suffered a serious motor-bike accident which kept him out of the saddle for several months. Mariner’s Signal gave him a victorious comeback when landing the Astbury Trophy Chase at Wolverhampton’s 1966 Christmas meeting.

After nine years with Earl Jones, Paddy joined Bob Clay at Shareshill, near Wolverhampton. Although Clay held the licence, he concentrated mainly on the farming side while Paddy looked after the training and continued to ride. They enjoyed their biggest success when Esban, owned by the exuberant singer Dorothy Squires, romped home in the 1973 Scottish Grand National with Jimmy Bourke on board.

Paddy rode the last of a career total of 22 winners on Spariot, trained by Bill Clay (no relation to Bob Clay), in the Hanbury Novices’ Chase at Uttoxeter on Easter Monday, April 15, 1974.

In the early 1980s, Paddy took out a permit and trained a couple of horses at Old Longdon Hall Farm, Rugeley, but when Earl Jones retired and sold his stables to Giuseppe (Joe) Fierro, Paddy found himself back at Hazel Slade as Fierro’s trainer.

He left there after three years and joined local vet and breeder John Newcombe at Brownhills, where his life revolved around Irish Draught and Shire horses.

He continued to live in Hazel Slade, a mere stone’s throw from Earl Jones’s old yard which, sadly, is now long gone.

Paddy Connors’ winners were, in chronological order:

1. Hamoun, Stratford-on-Avon, April 5, 1962

2. Conor’s Choice, Cheltenham, October 10, 1962

3. Sputnik One, Uttoxeter, June 3, 1963

4. Honey End, Hereford, October 5, 1963

5. Storm Signal, Taunton, March 14, 1964

6. Angela Brazil, Newton Abbot, August 13, 1964

7. Mariner’s Signal. Wolverhampton, December 27, 1966

8. Watertight, Hereford, March 27, 1967

9. Edlowmon, Taunton, April 6, 1967

10. Edlowmon, Market Rasem, April 15, 1967

11. Peace Prize, Market Rasen, June 10, 1967

12. Peace Prize, Ludlow, October 12, 1967

13. The Hustler, Ludlow, October 12, 1967

14. Silver Socks, Uttoxeter, October 3, 1968

15. Alluvion, Uttoxeter, April 8, 1969

16. Trespassing, Worcester, October 22, 1969

17. Hobstone Hill, Doncaster, November 21 ,1969

18. Baton, Towcester, April 12, 1971

19. Will Bank, Worcester, June 1, 1972

20. Hampton Court, Plumpton. August 27, 1973

21. Gins Lane, Fakenham, October 12, 1973

22. Spariot, Uttoxeter, April 15, 1974