Andy Heywood
Conditional jump jockey Andy Heywood rode for just a couple of seasons at the start of the 1990s. He didn’t ride many winners, yet he has a place in racing history.
Conditional jump jockey Andy Heywood rode for just a couple of seasons at the start of the 1990s. He didn’t ride many winners, yet he has a place in racing history.
Andy was one of many young wannabe jockeys attached to Arthur Stephenson’s Bishop Auckland stable. With the racing world’s attention focussed on the first day of the Cheltenham National Hunt Meeting on March 13, 1990, little notice was taken of that day’s card at Sedgefield, where Andy rode his first winner on Royal Mile in a two-and-a-half-mile novices’ hurdle.
Andy was one of many young wannabe jockeys attached to Arthur Stephenson’s Bishop Auckland stable. With the racing world’s attention focussed on the first day of the Cheltenham National Hunt Meeting on March 13, 1990, little notice was taken of that day’s card at Sedgefield, where Andy rode his first winner on Royal Mile in a two-and-a-half-mile novices’ hurdle.
However, the racing world certainly took notice of Andy’s achievement later that year. A horse named Equinoctial was the 250/1 rank outsider of the nine-horse field for the Grants Whisky Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on November 21, 1990. His three runs in novice chases that season had resulted in alphabet form figures of PFP, twice pulled up and a first fence fall.
However, the racing world certainly took notice of Andy’s achievement later that year. A horse named Equinoctial was the 250/1 rank outsider of the nine-horse field for the Grants Whisky Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on November 21, 1990. His three runs in novice chases that season had resulted in alphabet form figures of PFP, twice pulled up and a first fence fall.
Andy had ridden him in a Hexham hurdle race less than a fortnight before the Kelso race, finishing miles behind, beaten more than 60 lengths. He was 15lb out of the handicap at Kelso. He had no realistic chance. But no-one told the horse that, and Equinoctial, having made steady headway from halfway, stayed on under pressure to take the lead on the run-in and score by 3½ lengths. At 250/1 he became the longest priced winner in British racing history.
Andy had ridden him in a Hexham hurdle race less than a fortnight before the Kelso race, finishing miles behind, beaten more than 60 lengths. He was 15lb out of the handicap at Kelso. He had no realistic chance. But no-one told the horse that, and Equinoctial, having made steady headway from halfway, stayed on under pressure to take the lead on the run-in and score by 3½ lengths. At 250/1 he became the longest priced winner in British racing history.
It would be nice to say that Equinoctial’s shock victory acted as a springboard to Andy Heywood’s riding career. Sadly, it did not. Later that season, he won a brace of novice hurdles on Prince Bishop, at Catterick on March 6 and Kelso on April 8, 1991. However, he faded from the scene soon after. Nonetheless, his name lingers on, having played his part in a slice of racing history.
It would be nice to say that Equinoctial’s shock victory acted as a springboard to Andy Heywood’s riding career. Sadly, it did not. Later that season, he won a brace of novice hurdles on Prince Bishop, at Catterick on March 6 and Kelso on April 8, 1991. However, he faded from the scene soon after. Nonetheless, his name lingers on, having played his part in a slice of racing history.