Melvyn Humm

National Hunt jockey Melvyn Peter Humm held a licence from the 1956/57 to the 1962/63 seasons but rode just two winners from a limited number of opportunities. He was based with Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey who trained in Upper Lambourn and provided him with both his winning rides.

Melvyn’s first win came courtesy of Whitecat, a bay gelding by 1947 Cesarewitch winner Whiteway out of Catkin, in division two of the Henwick Novices’ Hurdle at Worcester on October 21, 1959. The following month he guided Bouncer to victory in division one of the Bromford Novices’ Hurdle at Birmingham.

He was unlucky not to win again on Whitecat in the Low Level Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton on January 25, 1960, coming with a late rattle but just failing to catch Fred Winter’s mount Paper Money by a short-head. He also finished third on Bouncer at Ludlow in April 1960.

Melvyn twice finished third on Fitztapa in three-mile handicap chases at Wolverhampton in November 1960 and Towcester in April in 1961, but it was David Mould who had the mount when the horse gained his only success of the season at Wye in May.

At Wolverhampton on January 22, 1962, Melvyn rode Whitecat in the Fordhouses Novices’ Chase, trailing in last of the eleven finishers, then partnered White Beauty in the Low Level Handicap Hurdle, finishing out of the first ten in the 33-runner field. He had to put up 5lb overweight at 10st 2lb on White Beauty, so maybe weight was becoming an issue.

Three days later he had what appears to have been his last mount in public when finishing tenth of twelve finishers on Fitztapa in a novice riders’ handicap chase at Kempton Park. Although he held a licence the following season and is listed as Colonel Payne-Gallwey’s stable jockey in the 1963 edition of Horses in Training, he does not appear to have had any rides for the yard.

Melvyn Humm’s winners were: