David Gibson (Major)

1925 - 1998

Major David Gibson was born on February 26th 1925. He served in the Welsh Guards and won the Grand Military Gold Cup four times, including three years in a row on his horse Klaxton in the early 1950s. He also rode in the 1957 Grand National, falling at the last fence.

William David Gibson was simply ‘Mr W. D. Gibson’ when winning his first race on Klaxton, the three-mile Long Walk Handicap Hurdle at Windsor on January 8, 1949, and had still not entered the officer ranks when winning his first Grand Military Gold Cup on him the following year. However, he had attained the rank of Captain when scoring on Klaxton at Plumpton and Sandown in the late autumn of 1950 and then gaining a second Gold Military Gold Cup  triumph in March 1951. At that year’s Royal Artillery meeting, he rode another of his horses, Dromard King, to victory in the Household Brigade Saddle Club Hunters’ Chase, then won a hunter chase on him at Towcester’s Whit Monday fixture.

David won his third successive Grand Military Gold Cup on Klaxton in 1952. In February 1953 he won Hurst Park’s George Williamson Handicap Chase on him. The next month he won a Newbury handicap chase on yet another other of his horses, Greenogue, giving him his tenth winner under National Hunt rules and resulting in his claim being cut to 5lb.

Klaxton, Dromard King and Greenogue were all trained by Ivor Anthony at Wroughton. However, following his retirement at the end of 1953, Bob Turnell took over as David’s trainer.

In March 1954 he won the four-mile one-furlong Hurst Park National Trial on Klaxton. Seven days later he won Sandown’s Past and Present Handicap Chase on Peter Thrale’s horse Dorodon.In 1956, by now promoted to Major, David won his fourth Grand Military Gold Cup, this time on Cottage Lace. For good measure, he annexed the next day’s Past and Present Handicap Chase on Greenogue. He won on both horses again later that season and landed a Ludlow chase on Greenogue early the following season.

He rode another of his horses, China Clipper II, to victory at Newbury in February 1957 and also rode him in that year’s Grand National. They looked all set to finish sixth or seventh, only to crash out at the very last fence. China Clipper II lay exhausted on his owner-rider for two minutes but, fortunately, the only damage David suffered was a broken collar bone.

Greenogue gave David the last of his 19 winners under National Hunt rules when winning at Newton Abbot in September 1957. His racing colours, black with a red, white and blue sash and cap, were those originally used by his grand uncle Lord Glanely, owner of six Classic winners including 1919 Derby winner Grand Parade.

He died in March, 1998.

Major David Gibson’s winners under National Hunt rules were:

1. Klaxton, Windsor, January 8, 1949

2. Klaxton, Sandown Park, March 17, 1950

3. Klaxton, Plumpton, October 16, 1950

4. Klaxton, Sandown Park, November 18, 1950

5. Klaxton, Sandown Park, March 16, 1951

6. Dromard King, Sandown Park, April 3, 1951

7. Dromard King, Towcester, May 14, 1951

8. Klaxton, Sandown Park, March 14, 1952

9. Klaxton, Hurst Park, February 6, 1953

10. Greenogue, Newbury, March 21, 1953

11. Klaxton, Hurst Park, March 5, 1954

12. Dorodon, Sandown Park, March 13, 1954

13. Cottage Lace, Sandown Park, March 16, 1956

14. Greenogue, Sandown Park, March 17, 1956

15. Cottage Lace, Hurst Park, April 21, 1956

16. Greenogue, Stratford-on-Avon, May 7, 1956

17. Greenogue, Ludlow, September 26, 1956

18. China Clipper II, Newbury, February 13, 1957

19. Greenogue, Newton Abbot, September 27, 1957