Frank Hunt

Frank Hunt

1875-1923

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1875, Frank Harry Hunt rode on the Flat at the start of the 20th century but without success. He fared better over jumps with nine wins just before the start of the First World War.

He had his first victory at Hawthorn Hill on April 2, 1913, when Hereafter won the Highway Selling Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths. Hereafter went on to win four more races that year, all bar one of them with Frank on board. 

Having ridden five winners in 1913, the first four of them courtesy of Hereafter, he won four races in 1914, although in the first three of those he met a total of just four opponents. However, in his last win, at Newton Abbot on May 6, he rode Loch Maree to beat six rivals and land the Churchills Selling Hurdle, a race he had won the year before on Hereafter. 

Frank had his final ride on Birthday Clothes, a faller on the Flat in the Newent Selling Hurdle at Colwall Park on March 15, 1916. It is not known whether that fall was responsible for ending his career, but he did not return to race-riding following the end of the war. He died in 1923. 

Frank Hunt’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Hereafter, Hawthorn Hill, April 2, 1913 

2. Hereafter, Carmarthenshire Hunt, April 11, 1913

3. Hereafter, Newton Abbot, May 7, 1913

4. Hereafter, Devon & Exeter, August 27, 1913

5. Sally’s Pearl, Colwall Park, October 20, 1913

6. Loch Maree, Cardiff, Tenby Hunt, January 14, 1914

7. Cherry Fly, Cardiff, April 14, 1914

8. Loch Maree, Carmarthen Hunt, April 17, 1914

9. Loch Maree, Newton Abbot, May 6, 1914