Alfred Gibbons

Alfred Gibbons

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1876, Alfred Benjamin Gibbons rode eight winners over hurdles in the first years of the 20th century, starting with an eight-length victory on Postman’s Knock in the Pemberton Maiden Hurdle at Shurley Hunt – later known as Shirley Park – on December 9, 1901.

Ten days later, Alfred struck again when Doleful took the Seabrook Selling Hurdle at Folkestone, beating Percy Woodland’s mount Moon Ray by a length. 

Hurst Park on February 8, 1902, was the scene of Alfred’s next victory, with Little Gert landing the Stechford Selling Hurdle, defeating Fred Hassell on Simonsbath by a length. His only other win that year came in the Easter Monday Handicap Hurdle at Kempton Park when the five-year-old Wolf won his first race on only his second effort over hurdles. 

A two-year gap then ensued before Alfred won again. Finally, at the Ipswich meeting on April 15, 1904, Battle Royal prevailed in the Maiden Hurdle, beating Chuck-a-Luck, ridden by the intrepid amateur Sir Claude de Crespigny, by a length.  

The next victory was at Aldershot in November when Cambo took the Three-Year-Old Hurdle on his first outing over the obstacles. His third win of the year came at Newmarket on December 15, when Atholcraft won the Three-Year-Old Selling Hurdle. 

Alfred’s eighth and last winner was Eileen Asthore in the Maiden Hurdle at Gatwick on February 1, 1905. She had only one more race that season, finishing third, with Alfred aboard, at Sandown Park on March 2. 

His final ride was at Newmarket on December 28, 1905, when Asperine finished second in the Links Three-Year-Old Hurdle, beaten two lengths by Irish jockey Maurice Harty on Spear. 

That was not only Alfred Gibbons’ last ride; it was also the final meeting ever held at Newmarket’s National Hunt course. It had been laid out in the early 1890s by Colonel Harry McCalmont on part of his Cheveley Park Estate that bordered the Cambridge Road, opposite the Racecourse Side gallops. With the Colonel’s death in 1902, enthusiasm for the meeting gradually waned, resulting in its closure three years later. 

Alfred Gibbons’ winners were, in chronological order:

1. Postman’s Knock, Shirley Hunt, December 9, 1901

2. Doleful, Folkestone, December 19, 1901

3. Little Gert, Hurst Park, February 8, 1902

4. Wolf, Kempton Park, March 31, 1902

5. Battle Royal, Ipswich, April 15, 1904

6. Cambo, Aldershot, November 25, 1904

7. Atholcraft, Newmarket, December 15, 1904

8. Eileen Asthore, Gatwick, February 1, 1905