Alan Hulse
1945-2022
1945-2022
Apprentice Alan Hulse achieved his biggest success on Towser Gosden’s grand old stager Damredub in Kempton’s Saints and Sinners Handicap in June 1964, only four days after partnering his first winner.
Apprentice Alan Hulse achieved his biggest success on Towser Gosden’s grand old stager Damredub in Kempton’s Saints and Sinners Handicap in June 1964, only four days after partnering his first winner.
Born on June 17, 1945, Alan Charles Hulse, the son of a Portsmouth Corporation worker, had by then been apprenticed to John ‘Towser’ Gosden for three years, having joined him in 1961. He rode his first winner on Gosden’s filly Leadendale Lady at Kempton Park on Saturday, June 6, 1964.
Born on June 17, 1945, Alan Charles Hulse, the son of a Portsmouth Corporation worker, had by then been apprenticed to John ‘Towser’ Gosden for three years, having joined him in 1961. He rode his first winner on Gosden’s filly Leadendale Lady at Kempton Park on Saturday, June 6, 1964.
Four days after that initial victory, Alan found himself back at Kempton for its popular annual Saints and Sinners fixture. Comprising six races all worth a minimum of £1,000, it was the most richly-endowed midweek evening meeting of the year. The feature event was the Saints and Sinners Handicap, a mile and a half contest worth £2,634 15s to the winner. Alan rode a cool race for one so inexperienced, taking 7/1 chance Damredub to the front well inside the final furlong to score by a length and a half from Joe Sime’s mount Casting Vote, with I Claudius, ridden by Ron Hutchinson, one length further back in third.
Four days after that initial victory, Alan found himself back at Kempton for its popular annual Saints and Sinners fixture. Comprising six races all worth a minimum of £1,000, it was the most richly-endowed midweek evening meeting of the year. The feature event was the Saints and Sinners Handicap, a mile and a half contest worth £2,634 15s to the winner. Alan rode a cool race for one so inexperienced, taking 7/1 chance Damredub to the front well inside the final furlong to score by a length and a half from Joe Sime’s mount Casting Vote, with I Claudius, ridden by Ron Hutchinson, one length further back in third.
He then rode winners on three consecutive Fridays, all for Towser Gosden: Concealdem at Doncaster,
He then rode winners on three consecutive Fridays, all for Towser Gosden: Concealdem at Doncaster,
Leadendale Lady at Haydock, and Concealdem again at Lingfield. Riding his first five winners in little more than a month was a rattling good start to his career. There was just one more that year, Gosden’s filly Douteuse at Lewes in August.
Leadendale Lady at Haydock, and Concealdem again at Lingfield. Riding his first five winners in little more than a month was a rattling good start to his career. There was just one more that year, Gosden’s filly Douteuse at Lewes in August.
Surprisingly, Alan only rode three winners in 1965, the first of which was the £1,000 Joe Childs Apprentice handicap at Doncaster on Concealdem. He then won a Salisbury apprentices’ race and a Doncaster handicap on Gosden’s useful grey gelding Le Garcon.
Surprisingly, Alan only rode three winners in 1965, the first of which was the £1,000 Joe Childs Apprentice handicap at Doncaster on Concealdem. He then won a Salisbury apprentices’ race and a Doncaster handicap on Gosden’s useful grey gelding Le Garcon.
He was a touch unlucky in that he finished second five times that year, including twice on Damredub, firstly in a valuable handicap at Kempton and then in the Steve Donoghue Apprentice Handicap, beaten just half a length in the Epsom race. He was twice second at Folkestone on Towser Gosden’s good stayer Blazing Flight (losing by a head on the first occasion). He also finished third on Concealdem behind Tarquogan and Space King in a high-class renewal of Goodwood’s Chesterfield Cup.
He was a touch unlucky in that he finished second five times that year, including twice on Damredub, firstly in a valuable handicap at Kempton and then in the Steve Donoghue Apprentice Handicap, beaten just half a length in the Epsom race. He was twice second at Folkestone on Towser Gosden’s good stayer Blazing Flight (losing by a head on the first occasion). He also finished third on Concealdem behind Tarquogan and Space King in a high-class renewal of Goodwood’s Chesterfield Cup.
Alan Hulse never actually lost his 7lb claim, yet maybe if some of those placed efforts had gone his way, we might have heard more of him. He’d made such a good start and his future looked bright, but as things turned out, Le Garcon at Doncaster on July 14, 1965, turned out to be the final winner of his career.
Alan Hulse never actually lost his 7lb claim, yet maybe if some of those placed efforts had gone his way, we might have heard more of him. He’d made such a good start and his future looked bright, but as things turned out, Le Garcon at Doncaster on July 14, 1965, turned out to be the final winner of his career.
Alan Hulse died on June 13, 2022, aged 76.
Alan Hulse died on June 13, 2022, aged 76.
His winners were, in chronological order:
His winners were, in chronological order:
1. Leadendale Lady, Kempton Park, June 6, 1964
1. Leadendale Lady, Kempton Park, June 6, 1964
2. Damredub, Kempton Park, June 10, 1964
2. Damredub, Kempton Park, June 10, 1964
3. Concealdem, Doncaster, June 26, 1964
3. Concealdem, Doncaster, June 26, 1964
4. Leadendale Lady, Haydock Park, July 3, 1964
4. Leadendale Lady, Haydock Park, July 3, 1964
5. Concealdem, Lingfield Park, July 10, 1964
5. Concealdem, Lingfield Park, July 10, 1964
6. Douteuse, Lewes, August 15, 1964
6. Douteuse, Lewes, August 15, 1964
7. Concealdem, Doncaster, June 7, 1965
7. Concealdem, Doncaster, June 7, 1965
8. Le Garcon, Salisbury, June 30, 1965
8. Le Garcon, Salisbury, June 30, 1965
9. Le Garcon, Doncaster, July 14, 1965
9. Le Garcon, Doncaster, July 14, 1965
It was back in 1960 when I came to Lewes to start a 5-year apprenticeship with Towser Gosden at Heath House stables. After a couple of years I started to get rides, and some were at Lewes racecourse. I will always remember my first ride there, and getting a right rollicking from the master Lester Piggott, it was because I had pinched his place in the weighing room he always got changed in the same place at Lewes.
It was back in 1960 when I came to Lewes to start a 5-year apprenticeship with Towser Gosden at Heath House stables. After a couple of years I started to get rides, and some were at Lewes racecourse. I will always remember my first ride there, and getting a right rollicking from the master Lester Piggott, it was because I had pinched his place in the weighing room he always got changed in the same place at Lewes.
I was lucky enough to ride a winner at Lewes on a filly called Douteuse, it was the only place she ever won and her owner Sir Harold Werner wasn't there that day to see her win, so the governor decided to run her again at Lewes and this time the owner was there. She was a short priced favourite for the race after winning last time out on the same course. I think there were only about five runners and at the start, Ron Hutchinson's horse whipped round in front of me as the tape went up (no stalls in them days) of course it made me last to get away. She could never get going after that and I finished last, to the boos of the many punters who must have backed her that day. The owner was furious and I never rode another one of his horses again, but that's a fact of life in racing I'm afraid.
I was lucky enough to ride a winner at Lewes on a filly called Douteuse, it was the only place she ever won and her owner Sir Harold Werner wasn't there that day to see her win, so the governor decided to run her again at Lewes and this time the owner was there. She was a short priced favourite for the race after winning last time out on the same course. I think there were only about five runners and at the start, Ron Hutchinson's horse whipped round in front of me as the tape went up (no stalls in them days) of course it made me last to get away. She could never get going after that and I finished last, to the boos of the many punters who must have backed her that day. The owner was furious and I never rode another one of his horses again, but that's a fact of life in racing I'm afraid.
Another thing I remember was a horse we had in the yard called Sir Gatric he held the course record at Doncaster for 5 furlongs (he still might hold it today) he was really fast and the way the governor used to tell when he was at his best was to gallop him from the 5 furlong gate on the racecourse and time him. The idea of this was because the old horse knew that this was the same direction as his stable back at Heath House so he would go his fastest this way.
Another thing I remember was a horse we had in the yard called Sir Gatric he held the course record at Doncaster for 5 furlongs (he still might hold it today) he was really fast and the way the governor used to tell when he was at his best was to gallop him from the 5 furlong gate on the racecourse and time him. The idea of this was because the old horse knew that this was the same direction as his stable back at Heath House so he would go his fastest this way.
It was a great pity that the racecourse closed and I think it had a lot to do with the way Lewes changed as well. It was in those days quite an important part of horseracing in this country, even the Queen had horses trained here with Tom Masson. But slowly it started to change as more and more stables started to notice. Most now have houses built on them and for me I'm afraid Lewes has now ended up with very little character.
It was a great pity that the racecourse closed and I think it had a lot to do with the way Lewes changed as well. It was in those days quite an important part of horseracing in this country, even the Queen had horses trained here with Tom Masson. But slowly it started to change as more and more stables started to notice. Most now have houses built on them and for me I'm afraid Lewes has now ended up with very little character.
Alan Hulse.
Alan Hulse.