Gordon Hicks
1937 - 1988
1937 - 1988
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
National Hunt jockey Gordon Hicks spent most of his career riding for Vernon Cross and accumulated 24 British winners during that time.
National Hunt jockey Gordon Hicks spent most of his career riding for Vernon Cross and accumulated 24 British winners during that time.
Albert Gordon Hicks, always known by his second Christian name, was born on April 16, 1937. He started out on his racing career in 1952 as an apprentice with Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey at Wimborne, in Dorset, before going to ride jumpers in Germany.
Albert Gordon Hicks, always known by his second Christian name, was born on April 16, 1937. He started out on his racing career in 1952 as an apprentice with Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey at Wimborne, in Dorset, before going to ride jumpers in Germany.
Gordon returned to Britain and took out a licence for the 1962/63 season, having based himself with Vernon Cross at Stockbridge, Hampshire. It didn’t take him long to ride his first winner, that coming on Cross’s juvenile hurdler Bemused at Towcester on October 27, 1962. He rode two more winners that term, both selling hurdlers, firstly on Wise Warrior at Cheltenham on April 10, 1963 and then on March Ahead at Newton Abbot three days later.
Gordon returned to Britain and took out a licence for the 1962/63 season, having based himself with Vernon Cross at Stockbridge, Hampshire. It didn’t take him long to ride his first winner, that coming on Cross’s juvenile hurdler Bemused at Towcester on October 27, 1962. He rode two more winners that term, both selling hurdlers, firstly on Wise Warrior at Cheltenham on April 10, 1963 and then on March Ahead at Newton Abbot three days later.
He doubled that score to six in 1963/64, beginning with another selling hurdler, Verbal Victory, who scored at Newton Abbot on September 21, 1963, followed by novice hurdler Iolani at Fontwell in November. Toby Balding supplied Gordon with a winning spare ride on selling hurdler Baymoss in a novice riders’ race at Cheltenham on January 8, 1964. Cool Colony won a Newton Abbot maiden hurdle on Easter Monday, with another Newton Abbot winner coming courtesy of Geoff Turk’s selling hurdler Doxford in May, and then Vernon Cross’s John Bliss obliged at Uttoxeter on the penultimate day of the season.
He doubled that score to six in 1963/64, beginning with another selling hurdler, Verbal Victory, who scored at Newton Abbot on September 21, 1963, followed by novice hurdler Iolani at Fontwell in November. Toby Balding supplied Gordon with a winning spare ride on selling hurdler Baymoss in a novice riders’ race at Cheltenham on January 8, 1964. Cool Colony won a Newton Abbot maiden hurdle on Easter Monday, with another Newton Abbot winner coming courtesy of Geoff Turk’s selling hurdler Doxford in May, and then Vernon Cross’s John Bliss obliged at Uttoxeter on the penultimate day of the season.
Gordon made a flying start to the 1964/65 campaign and, thanks to Cross’s early season horses, actually found himself leading the jockey’s table after the first week. Novice hurdler King Of Saba won on the opening day of the season (Saturday, August 1) at Newton Abbot; Iolani won there on the Monday; and when the show moved on to Devon & Exeter, he landed the last race on Wednesday’s card on Bronze Bouquet and the first race on Thursday’s aboard Iolani. Another August success came on John Bliss at Fontwell, who went on to win again at Cheltenham in October.
Gordon made a flying start to the 1964/65 campaign and, thanks to Cross’s early season horses, actually found himself leading the jockey’s table after the first week. Novice hurdler King Of Saba won on the opening day of the season (Saturday, August 1) at Newton Abbot; Iolani won there on the Monday; and when the show moved on to Devon & Exeter, he landed the last race on Wednesday’s card on Bronze Bouquet and the first race on Thursday’s aboard Iolani. Another August success came on John Bliss at Fontwell, who went on to win again at Cheltenham in October.
Juvenile hurdler Court Gardens won first time out at Fontwell in October and Bariska won at Worcester in November. Yet despite having eight winners on the board by the end of November, it seems that Gordon had used up all his luck for he rode no more winners all season.
Juvenile hurdler Court Gardens won first time out at Fontwell in October and Bariska won at Worcester in November. Yet despite having eight winners on the board by the end of November, it seems that Gordon had used up all his luck for he rode no more winners all season.
His score dropped to four for 1965/66, then just one for each of the next three seasons. He rode his final winner at Devon & Exeter on September 4, 1969, aboard a popular 15-year-old grey selling chaser named Laird O’ Montrose, whose long career had included finishing fourth in the 1960 Champion Hurdle and being nursed back to health after breaking a leg at Uttoxeter.
His score dropped to four for 1965/66, then just one for each of the next three seasons. He rode his final winner at Devon & Exeter on September 4, 1969, aboard a popular 15-year-old grey selling chaser named Laird O’ Montrose, whose long career had included finishing fourth in the 1960 Champion Hurdle and being nursed back to health after breaking a leg at Uttoxeter.
Gordon handed in his licence in 1972 and joined David Elsworth as head lad. He then had a short spell in the same capacity with Ian Balding before buying Jamie Douglas-Home’s old yard at East Hendred, in Berkshire and taking out a trainer’s licence with a nine-horse string.
Gordon handed in his licence in 1972 and joined David Elsworth as head lad. He then had a short spell in the same capacity with Ian Balding before buying Jamie Douglas-Home’s old yard at East Hendred, in Berkshire and taking out a trainer’s licence with a nine-horse string.
On Thursday, March 3, 1988, he achieved his first training success with 25-1 outsider Flutter Money ridden by Ben de Haan, in the Corvedale Novices’ Hurdle at Ludlow. Gordon described the win as his biggest thrill, better than any of the winners he’d ridden as a jockey. “I feel as though I’ve achieved something,” he said. “I’ve never had a thrill like this. I hope this will be the first of many.”
On Thursday, March 3, 1988, he achieved his first training success with 25-1 outsider Flutter Money ridden by Ben de Haan, in the Corvedale Novices’ Hurdle at Ludlow. Gordon described the win as his biggest thrill, better than any of the winners he’d ridden as a jockey. “I feel as though I’ve achieved something,” he said. “I’ve never had a thrill like this. I hope this will be the first of many.”
Sadly, it wasn’t to be because Gordon Hicks died just five months later, on Saturday, August 13, 1988, aged just 51.
Sadly, it wasn’t to be because Gordon Hicks died just five months later, on Saturday, August 13, 1988, aged just 51.
