Paddy Gomez, an Irishman descended from a Spanish Armada shipwreck victim, rode winners in his homeland before crossing the Irish Sea after the war. His first British success was on Pride of Windermere at Cartmel for J. A. Craig Brown on Whit Monday, May 26, 1947.
That annual Cartmel Whitsun fixture was Paddy’s lucky meeting. Whit Monday 1950 was the highlight of his riding career when he came close to registering a hat-trick. After being narrowly beaten in the opening selling hurdle, he won a handicap chase on Jedburgh Lad and a handicap hurdle on Joyous Salute, both of them trained by Craig Brown. The following year he won again on Joyous Salute at Cartmel, this time in the novices’ chase, one of only two winners he rode all season.
The following season, 1951/52, was Paddy’s most successful with seven winners, all of them for Craig Brown. The first three came courtesy of Joyous Salute, at Perth in September, United Border Hunt (Kelso) in October, and – on a rare foray to the Midlands – at Birmingham on January 14, 1952. The last two victories were gained on novice chaser Wilcot-Don, at Carlisle’s Easter meeting and at Rothbury’s annual fixture in April.
Ironically, it was Joyous Salute’s fall at Cartmel on Whit Monday that year which, partly at least, contributed to Paddy’s early retirement, his career being cut short the following season when he fell one too many times on his head. He had ridden a total of 24 winners.
In retirement, he bought an isolated farm at Castle Hill in Linlithgow, the collection of buildings being home to 400 sheep, two horses, a peacock and assorted bantams. He made quite a name for himself by his success in training show-jumpers, while keeping his racing eye in by riding out for his nearest neighbour, permit trainer Andy Crow, who lived two miles away.