Victor Garnier

Victor Garnier

Article by Alan Trout

Victor Paul Garnier had two wins on the Flat and two over jumps in a campaign that the First World War must have disrupted. 

He probably began his career elsewhere and was granted a temporary licence for 1914. He had his first ride at Sandown Park on October 22 that year, finishing down the field on Raffles V in the Hersham Two-Year-Old Selling Plate. Both horse and jockey may well have benefitted from the experience, for at Warwick on November 24 Raffles V gave victor his first British win when taking the Kineton-Two-Year-Old Selling Plate, beating Romanesque by a neck. Freddie Fox, rider of the runner-up, objected to the winners on grounds of boring but this was overruled. 

It was at Kempton Park on February 20, 1915 that Victor, having his first ride over jumps, had his next win when Warinsart landed the Littleton Four-Year-Old Handicap Hurdle, easily beating Aldermaston. 

A second win over jumps was not long in coming, for at Manchester on Easter Monday, April 5, Fil d’Ecosse won the Jubilee Handicap Hurdle by a length form Gondover, the mount of Georges Parfrement. Fil d’Ecosse was then sent to Ireland where he ran disappointingly, even though victor had one more ride on him at cork Park. 

A victory on Kim III in the Mayblossom Selling Mid-weight Handicap at Gatwick on May 15,  1915 was Victor’s last win on the Flat in Britain. He did not ride on the Flat after that year but continued over the jumps. He rode for the last time when finishing unplaced on Sweet Neil in the January Selling Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on January 17, 1917. 

Victor Garnier’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Raffles V, Warwick, November 24, 1914

2. Warinsart, Kempton Park, February 20, 1915

3. Fil d’Ecosse, Manchester, April 6, 1915

4. Kim III, Gatwick, May 15, 1915