Article by Chris Pitt
Peter Coady served his apprenticeship with former National Hunt jockey Dick Curran at Kirkby Overblow, near Harrogate from 1957 to 1961. He rode a dozen winners, ten on the Flat and two over hurdles, all of them trained by Curran.
His first winner was on Cobbler’s Gold in the Knottingley Apprentice Handicap at Pontefract on July 8, 1959. He then rode the filly Nereid to win three races in a row within the space of a fortnight, giving him a score of four for the season.
He improved his winning tally to five in 1960, including two on a three-year-old filly named Carole Mary at Carlisle and Stockton. He rode just one winner in 1961, Blenheim Star in an Edinburgh selling handicap, but as it was his tenth winner his claim was cut to 5lb.
Peter then took out a jump jockey’s licence for the 1961/62 season. He didn’t ride a winner that term but scored twice in 1962/63, both times on a hurdler named The Treatment, at Manchester on November 30, 1962 and at Southwell on April 11, 1963.
By that time, Peter had taken up the role of Dick Curran’s head lad, which occupied most of his time. He had the occasional ride over jumps for Curran but relinquished his licence at the end of the 1963/64 season.
Peter Coady’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Cobbler’s Gold, Pontefract, July 8, 1959
2. Nereid, Ripon, July 18, 1959
3. Nereid, Catterick Bridge, July 23, 1959
4. Nereid, Thirsk, August 1, 1959
5. Gipsy Wood, Pontefract, May 21, 1960
6. Nereid, Ripon, July 16, 1960
7. Woldsman, Bogside, July 23, 1960
8. Carole Mary, Carlisle, July 30, 1960
9. Carole Mary, Stockton, August 13, 1960
10. Blenheim Star, Edinburgh, July 3, 1961
11. The Treatment, Manchester, November 30, 1962
12. The Treatment, Southwell, April 11, 1963.
