David Guest
1948 - 2008
1948 - 2008
Flat jockey David Earl Guest-was a successful apprentice in the early 1960s before disappearing from the British racing scene and re-emerging as a professional in the 1970s.
Flat jockey David Earl Guest-was a successful apprentice in the early 1960s before disappearing from the British racing scene and re-emerging as a professional in the 1970s.
He served his apprenticeship with Sam Armstrong at Newmarket but rode his first winner for Epsom trainer Dick Thrale on The Flying Scotsman at Wolverhampton on May 13, 1961. He won on him again at Doncaster in June and at Birmingham in July.
He served his apprenticeship with Sam Armstrong at Newmarket but rode his first winner for Epsom trainer Dick Thrale on The Flying Scotsman at Wolverhampton on May 13, 1961. He won on him again at Doncaster in June and at Birmingham in July.
His sixth win, on the Sam Armstrong-trained Fair Moyns at Yarmouth in August, saw his claim reduced from 7lb to 5lb. He ended the 1961 season having ridden a respectable nine winners from 49 mounts. The following year he rode four winners from 60 mounts.
His sixth win, on the Sam Armstrong-trained Fair Moyns at Yarmouth in August, saw his claim reduced from 7lb to 5lb. He ended the 1961 season having ridden a respectable nine winners from 49 mounts. The following year he rode four winners from 60 mounts.
His apprenticeship at an end, he briefly held a professional jockey’s licence in 1964 but soon relinquished it and was not seen again on a British racecourse until 1971. It is likely that he spent some of the intervening years based in Scandinavia, as the Guest family were prominent members of the racing scene there, particularly the brothers Charlie and Nelson Guest and Charlie’s son Rae.
His apprenticeship at an end, he briefly held a professional jockey’s licence in 1964 but soon relinquished it and was not seen again on a British racecourse until 1971. It is likely that he spent some of the intervening years based in Scandinavia, as the Guest family were prominent members of the racing scene there, particularly the brothers Charlie and Nelson Guest and Charlie’s son Rae.
Riding for Newmarket trainer Gavin Pritchard-Gordon, David rode his first British winner for ten years when landing a three-year-old maiden at Warwick aboard King Pele on Easter Monday, April 3, 1972. That same horse gave David his only other victory that season in a one-mile handicap at Newmarket in August. His sole success from 42 mounts in 1973 came courtesy of the two-year-old filly Topsie in a five-furlong Redcar maiden in June.
Riding for Newmarket trainer Gavin Pritchard-Gordon, David rode his first British winner for ten years when landing a three-year-old maiden at Warwick aboard King Pele on Easter Monday, April 3, 1972. That same horse gave David his only other victory that season in a one-mile handicap at Newmarket in August. His sole success from 42 mounts in 1973 came courtesy of the two-year-old filly Topsie in a five-furlong Redcar maiden in June.
Essentially, David was a valued work rider who had the occasional ride in public. He rode what was to prove his final winner on Royal Princess, trained by Harry Wharton, in a two-year-old fillies’ maiden at Catterick on July 21, 1976, one of just eleven rides he had all that year. He did not renew his licence the following season.
Essentially, David was a valued work rider who had the occasional ride in public. He rode what was to prove his final winner on Royal Princess, trained by Harry Wharton, in a two-year-old fillies’ maiden at Catterick on July 21, 1976, one of just eleven rides he had all that year. He did not renew his licence the following season.
David Guest died in Spain on December 10, 2008, aged 60.
David Guest died in Spain on December 10, 2008, aged 60.