Tim Gibson

Tim Gibson

Article by Alan Trout

A conditional jockey with the great Fred Winter, Timothy Mark Gibson, known as Tim, won four races over jumps in the mid-1980s. 

He had his first ride at Ascot on October 29, 1983, when finishing a creditable second on the favourite Areus, beaten five lengths, in the Valley Gardens Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

It was not until the meeting at Carlisle on April 6, 1985 that he had his first success. It came courtesy of the 10-year-old Keno Hill, trained by Albert Davison, who led from halfway and scored by 30 lengths in the Cummersdale Conditional Jockeys’ Selling Handicap Hurdle. 

Just two days later, at Wincanton on Easter Monday, Tim doubled his score when Petit Pain had six lengths to spare at the end of the Axbridge Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2). More experienced jockeys then took over on both of his winners and there was a gap off eleven months before he had his third success. 

It came at Newton Abbot on March 12, when Party Miss came with a strong late run to catch Stars And Stripes and land the Peter Davey Handicap Hurdle by a length. Party Miss was trained by Ted Fisher, and it was he who supplied Tim with his final win when Wild Corn just got the better of a battle with Ruststone to land the Railway Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on March 21, 1986. 

Tim had one more ride on Party Miss, finishing third, but did not partner Wild Corn again. His final ride was on Yukon Flash at Sedgefield on April 22, 1986, finishing a tailed off tenth of 13 finishers in the Monkey Puzzle Selling Handicap Hurdle. 

Tim Gibson’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Keno Hill, Carlisle, April 6, 1985

2. Petit Pain, Wincanton, April 8, 1985

3. Stars And Stripes, Newton Abbot, March 12, 1986

4. Wild Corn, Newbury, March 21, 1986