Fred Hollis

Fred Hollis

Article by Alan Trout

South-west National Hunt jockey Frederick George Hollis rode a dozen winners in the late 1960s, starting with victory at Devon & Exeter on Whit Monday, May 29, 1967, when Meads Wonder landed the Fortescue Selling Handicap Hurdle, beating Cobblers Blessing, the mount of Owen McNally, by two lengths.  

He rode five winners during the latter stages of the 1967/68 campaign, including three within twelve days in May aboard April The Nineteenth, trained, like Meads Wonder, by Jack Cann at Cullompton, in Devon. The first of those three came in the Charles Vicary Memorial Challenge Cup Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot, followed by two victories at Uttoxeter. 

Fred’s next winner was juvenile hurdler Dogeared, also trained by Jack Cann, at Newton Abbot on the opening day of the 1968/69 season. However, it was another West Country trainer, Mrs Betty Kennard, who provided him with four of his six wins in that 1968/69 campaign, including his last, Anac Cuan, who took the Combe-in-Teignhead Novices’ Chase at Newton Abbot on May 29, 1969, beating Arkaig, ridden by Bob Davies, by half a length. The latter went on to be crowned champion jockey a few days later, whereas for Fred, there were to be no more winners. 

Fred Hollis’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Meads Wonder, Devon & Exeter, May 19, 1967

2. Sweet Saffron, Newton Abbot, March 2, 1968

3. Grand Marque, Newton Abbot, April 13, 1968

4. April The Nineteenth, Newton Abbot, May 11, 1968 

5. April The Nineteenth, Uttoxeter, May 16, 1968

6. April The Nineteenth, Uttoxeter, May 23, 1968

7. Dogeared, Newton Abbot, August 3, 1968

8. Phantom Boy, Devon & Exeter, October 5, 1968

9. Sir Finn, Plumpton, December 5, 1968

10. Sir Finn, Windsor, January 8, 1969

11. Sandy’s Ellie, Newton Abbot, May 28, 1969

12. Anac Cuan, Newton Abbot, May 29, 1969