Roy Crowther
Roy Crowther was born in Halifax and had the occasional ride over jumps for Ken Bailey. However, it was for owner-trainer Peter Poston that he rode his only winner.
His banner day in the saddle occurred when 5-2 favourite Worthy Friend won the Fakenham Novices’ Hurdle at that course on Easter Monday, April 15, 1968. The four-year-old was sent off the 5-2 favourite and beat 16 rivals, having finished second at Wetherby in the previous month, when ridden by Roy for the first time.
Roy rode Worthy Friend twice more after that Fakenham success, finishing third at Perth and eighth at Ayr. That the horse was sent to such far-flung venues was no surprise, for that was how Peter Poston was able to afford to keep some two-dozen of his own horses in training.
A Smithfield meat wholesaler by trade, Poston trained all his own horses, first at Exning, then at Ingatestone, in Essex, before moving to Raylands Stables, Rayes Lane, Newmarket, in 1969. Although based in the south, he ran most of his horses at northern and Scottish tracks, making the most of the generous travelling allowance the Levy Board used to pay in those days.
The Levy Board’s subsidy was an essential part of Poston’s operation, which was at its height from the mid-1960s to the mid-70s. The more runners he had, the more travel allowance he accrued. Hence, he was not one to keep his horses wrapped in cotton wool. Sound Advice ran 65 times before winning his one and only race at Lanark. High Water, Grand Avenue, Mill Green, Dire Straits and Fat Jack between them had 313 races for a collective score of 17 wins.
As for Worthy Friend, he ran only once during the 1968/69 season, winning at 20-1 at Perth, beating the notorious Hill House by four lengths.
Roy Crowther relinquished his licence in January 1969. He became travelling head lad to Newmarket trainer Jeremy Hindley for many years and was involved with all the stable’s big winners throughout the 1970s and ’80s. They included Irish St Leger winner Protection Racket, Dewhurst Stakes victor Huntingdale, Doncaster Cup hero Crash Course, 2,000 Guineas third Muscatite, along with other good horses such as Be Tuneful and Star Pastures.
After Hindley retired from training in 1987, Roy worked for the Jockey Club in the dope-testing department until his own retirement at the age of 70.
He lived in the same house in Newmarket for 47 years. He died in December 2010 following a short illness, aged 77.
He left a widow, Janice, sons Neil and Ian, and stepdaughter Jennifer.
Neil Crowther was a successful apprentice whose best mounts were Swell Fellow and Mrs McArdy. He also rode Hand Canter when, at Pontefract on August 4, 1975, that horse gave Jeremy Hindley the 200th winner of his training career.
