Iain Gebbie

Iain Gebbie

Article by Alan Trout

Although he never had more than three winners in a season, Iain Campbell Gebbie was active throughout the 1970s and ended with 19 victories. At the start of his career he was associated with Bedfordshire-based trainer Phil Allingham and had his first ride at Plumpton on February 21, 1972, when Precious Vale finished second, beaten three lengths in the Cowfold Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle. .

Back at the same course over a year later he had his first success when Premium Blonde, the outsider of three, won the Devils Dyke Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle, having led from before halfway. 

One of the best horses Iain rode in the next few years was Persian Majesty, winning a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham and later partnering him in the 1977 Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham where they finished fourth. He achieved his biggest success in November 1976 when winning the Warrnambool Trophy Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Stratford on Ektoras. 

Iain was used quite often by Grand National-winning trainer Toby Balding and won on two of his promising novice hurdlers, Tailem Bend and Dropshot. 

He had his final victory at Fontwell Park on August 13, 1980, when Tamerco finished strongly to take the Rother Novices’ Hurdle by two and a half lengths. Despite having more than 50 rides that season he was not able to add to his total. 

His final ride was at Huntingdon on Easter Monday, April 12, 1982, when unplaced on Anointed in the Ken Furbank Memorial Handicap Hurdle. Iain had to put up 4lb overweight at 11 stone, which suggests it was rising weight that ended his career in the saddle. 

Iain Gebbie’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Premium Blonde, Plumpton, April 3, 1973

2. Tomal, Windsor, November 26, 1973

3. Precious Vale, Fakenham, April 15, 1974

4. Hot Swell, Stratford-on-Avon, August 31, 1974

5. Hot Swell, Devon & Exeter, October 12, 1974

6. Rompalong, Newton Abbot, May 21 ,1975

7. Hot Swell, Worcester, August 11, 1975

8. Persian Majesty, Cheltenham, October 8, 1975

9. Rompalong, Newton Abbot, May 19, 1976

10. Ektoras, Stratford-on-Avon, November 18, 1976

11. Mount Street, Devon & Exeter, November 23, 1976

12. Pekane, Plumpton, April 11, 1978

13. Dornie, Wincanton, October 6, 1978

14. Reehad, Plumpton, November 28, 1978

15. Wareath, Wincanton, March 8, 1989

16. Prince Of Normandy, Ludlow, December 18, 1979

17. Tailem Bend, Towcester, December 22, 1979

18. Dropshot, Taunton, April 24, 1980

19. Tamerco, Fontwell Park, August 13, 1980