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Jump jockey Ben Hitchcott was born on December 8, 1976, the elder brother of Flat jockey Sam Hitchcott.
Jump jockey Ben Hitchcott was born on December 8, 1976, the elder brother of Flat jockey Sam Hitchcott.
Ben was nine years old when he first sat on a pony. After leaving Sackville School, near East Grinstead, he did a week’s work experience at Epsom with Roger Ingram before embarking on a nine-week course at the British Racing School. He then had a spell as an apprentice with Clive Brittain at Newmarket.
Ben was nine years old when he first sat on a pony. After leaving Sackville School, near East Grinstead, he did a week’s work experience at Epsom with Roger Ingram before embarking on a nine-week course at the British Racing School. He then had a spell as an apprentice with Clive Brittain at Newmarket.
He started out as an amateur and rode an Easter Monday point-to-point winner at Lockinge, where he caught the attention of local trainer Henrietta Knight and her husband Terry Biddlecombe, with whom Ben then spent time honing his skills over fences. When Ben left Henrietta and Terry to move back home, his parents bought him a useful grey point-to-pointer called Celtic Silver.
He started out as an amateur and rode an Easter Monday point-to-point winner at Lockinge, where he caught the attention of local trainer Henrietta Knight and her husband Terry Biddlecombe, with whom Ben then spent time honing his skills over fences. When Ben left Henrietta and Terry to move back home, his parents bought him a useful grey point-to-pointer called Celtic Silver.
He rode his first winner under rules on First Instance in a Fontwell amateur riders’ chase on October 27, 1999. Less than two months later he made
He rode his first winner under rules on First Instance in a Fontwell amateur riders’ chase on October 27, 1999. Less than two months later he made
headlines when winning the Mac Vidi Novices’ Chase at Folkestone on a 12-year-old mare named Nethertara, a prolific winner of point-to-points but, until then, a maiden under rules. Shrugging off a bad mistake two out, Ben galvanised Nethertara to catch the AP McCoy-ridden odds-on favourite Arctic Camper on the run-in to win by three lengths.
headlines when winning the Mac Vidi Novices’ Chase at Folkestone on a 12-year-old mare named Nethertara, a prolific winner of point-to-points but, until then, a maiden under rules. Shrugging off a bad mistake two out, Ben galvanised Nethertara to catch the AP McCoy-ridden odds-on favourite Arctic Camper on the run-in to win by three lengths.
He finished second to Tom Scudamore in the 2000/01 amateur riders’ championship and scored the biggest success of his career in that season’s Imperial Cup aboard the Dina Smith-trained Ibal, beating McCoy on Valiramix and Richard Johnson on Rooster Booster.
He finished second to Tom Scudamore in the 2000/01 amateur riders’ championship and scored the biggest success of his career in that season’s Imperial Cup aboard the Dina Smith-trained Ibal, beating McCoy on Valiramix and Richard Johnson on Rooster Booster.
He became a conditional the following season and went on to ride more than 100 winners, with Jonjo O’Neill, Bob Buckler, Diana Grissell and Robin Dickin among those to employ his services. The best horse he rode was Jonjo’s Iris’s Gift. During the 2001/02 season Ben won two Worcester bumpers on him and then added a Grade 2 bumper at Newbury in February. They finished fifth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and second in the equivalent race at Aintree.
He became a conditional the following season and went on to ride more than 100 winners, with Jonjo O’Neill, Bob Buckler, Diana Grissell and Robin Dickin among those to employ his services. The best horse he rode was Jonjo’s Iris’s Gift. During the 2001/02 season Ben won two Worcester bumpers on him and then added a Grade 2 bumper at Newbury in February. They finished fifth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and second in the equivalent race at Aintree.
He announced his retirement at the age of 29 following his victory on Red Moor in the Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Hurdle at Bangor on May 20, 2006, his first success of the season. He took the decision in order to begin his next career as a farrier.
He announced his retirement at the age of 29 following his victory on Red Moor in the Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Hurdle at Bangor on May 20, 2006, his first success of the season. He took the decision in order to begin his next career as a farrier.
His farriery apprenticeship lasted almost six years but he has since reaped the rewards, having founded his own business in Groomsbridge, near Lingfield, in September 2011. When not busy with the job, Ben enjoys going hunting with his own horses.
His farriery apprenticeship lasted almost six years but he has since reaped the rewards, having founded his own business in Groomsbridge, near Lingfield, in September 2011. When not busy with the job, Ben enjoys going hunting with his own horses.
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