Bob Hargreaves
Bob Hargreaves
Bob Hargreaves
Bob Hargreaves rode principally for trainer Horace Cousins, at Scotforth, near Lancaster, where Bob’s father, the ‘galloping major’ and later MP for Rochdale, Thomas Jesson, stabled his horses.
Bob Hargreaves rode principally for trainer Horace Cousins, at Scotforth, near Lancaster, where Bob’s father, the ‘galloping major’ and later MP for Rochdale, Thomas Jesson, stabled his horses.
Bob rode over jumps as an amateur between 1950 and 1963 and had two winners. He was also one of the jockeys who partnered Creggmore Boy, whose record of being the oldest horse to race in Britain since the turn of the 20th century, making his final start at the age of 22, is unlikely to be broken. He only rode Creggmore Boy a few times, the last occasion ending in a fall at Sedgefield in 1953, when claiming 7lb off the horse’s 13 stone burden, which included a 7lb penalty incurred for winning a chase at Cartmel 10 days earlier.
Bob rode over jumps as an amateur between 1950 and 1963 and had two winners. He was also one of the jockeys who partnered Creggmore Boy, whose record of being the oldest horse to race in Britain since the turn of the 20th century, making his final start at the age of 22, is unlikely to be broken. He only rode Creggmore Boy a few times, the last occasion ending in a fall at Sedgefield in 1953, when claiming 7lb off the horse’s 13 stone burden, which included a 7lb penalty incurred for winning a chase at Cartmel 10 days earlier.
Bob’s first win came on 11-8 favourite Bright Mabel in the Ingestre Novices’ Hurdle at Uttoxeter on 24 October 1953. The race produced a close finish, with Bright Mabel prevailing by just a head from Cabeza’s Last, the mount of Peter Major, with George Vergette on Langley Gorse a further head away in third,
Bob’s first win came on 11-8 favourite Bright Mabel in the Ingestre Novices’ Hurdle at Uttoxeter on 24 October 1953. The race produced a close finish, with Bright Mabel prevailing by just a head from Cabeza’s Last, the mount of Peter Major, with George Vergette on Langley Gorse a further head away in third,
His second victory came at Cartmel on Whit Monday, 10 June 1957, when 6-1 chance Copperwheat won the Cartmel Town Hurdle by five lengths. As with Bright Mabel, Copperwheat was trained by Horace Cousins.
His second victory came at Cartmel on Whit Monday, 10 June 1957, when 6-1 chance Copperwheat won the Cartmel Town Hurdle by five lengths. As with Bright Mabel, Copperwheat was trained by Horace Cousins.
His enthusiasm for racing remained undiminished in his later years, and he shared his sporting pleasure with his daughter Emma Jesson, for many years a familiar face on ITV’s weather forecasts.
His enthusiasm for racing remained undiminished in his later years, and he shared his sporting pleasure with his daughter Emma Jesson, for many years a familiar face on ITV’s weather forecasts.
Bob Hargreaves died in April 2009, aged 76.
Bob Hargreaves died in April 2009, aged 76.
Bob Hargreaves' first win, 24 October 1953
Bob Hargreaves' first win, 24 October 1953
His second win, 10 June, 1957
His second win, 10 June, 1957