Thomas Chipperfield

Thomas Chipperfield

Article by Alan Trout

Thomas Arthur Chipperfield rode eight winners under National Hunt rules during the 1920s. He won his first race, thanks to the stewards, at Derby on December 20, 1921, in the Belper Handicap Chase. Thomas finished second on Bedford Row, beaten a length. However, he objected to the winner, Picture Hall, ridden by Fred Brookes, on the grounds of “bumping, boring, and crossing after the last fence”. The objection was sustained, giving Thomas his first success. 

He enjoyed a good first half of 1922 with six winners, starting with Bedford Row, who had an easy victory over three rivals in the Weybridge Selling Chase at Kempton Park on January 27. He then captured the Four-Years-Old Handicap Hurdle at Derby aboard Katerfelto on March 7.

At Cardiff on Easter Monday, he rode Danebury to win the Cottrill Novices’ Hurdle by a neck from Winslade, ridden by future five-time champion jockey Billy Stott. At Newport three days later, aboard Honeysuckle, he won the Caerleon Novices’ Selling Hurdle by a head, beating another top jockey in James Hogan on The Minorite. Honeysuckle then won the Blaina Selling Hurdle at the same course the following day. This time it was Bilbie Rees, fresh from his Grand National triumph on Music Hall, who rode the runner-up. 

Bedelia provided Thomas’s final victory of the season, taking the Bickerton Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on Whit Monday, June 5, by four lengths.  

Despite that spell of success, Thomas managed only one more career victory. This again came on a bank holiday, when Ferryhill won the Selling Hurdle at Market Rasen on Easter Monday, April 21, 1924. The horse was sold at the post-race auction for 50 guineas to Major Tom Cavanagh, who had ridden the runner-up Muscadin.

Thomas Chipperfield held a licence until the 1927/28 season but had no more winners. His wins were, in chronological order:

1. Bedford Row, Derby, December 20, 1921

2. Bedford Row, Kempton Park, January 27, 1922

3. Katerfelto, Derby, March 7, 1922

4. Danebury, Cardiff, April 17, 1922

5. Honeysuckle, Newport, April 20, 1922

6. Honeysuckle, Newport, April 21, 1922

7. Bedelia, Wetherby, June 5, 1922

8. Ferryhill, Market Rasen, April 21, 1924