Phil Harvey

1943-2020

Article by Chris Pitt

National Hunt jockey Philip Graham Harvey was born in the village of Hoby, near Melton Mowbray on January 31, 1943, the son of a cattle farmer. He was a first cousin of future Grand National and Gold Cup-winning trainer Jenny Pitman. 

As a farmer’s son, he always had ponies. One of his earliest memories was of his mother leading him up on a pony named Chicken at the Hoby Village Fete. Young Phil pulled up his irons, pretended he was on the Derby winner Pinza, and told his mother he was going to be a jockey when he grew up. His wish came true. 

Leaving home at 15, he initially went to Fred Rimell at Kinnesrley, where he rode work on Grand National winner ESB. 

Following a brief period as an amateur rider, he turned professional in 1960 and achieved his first success on Clougher Hero for Rutland-based owner-trainer Frank Gilman in the 32-runner Knowle Maiden Hurdle at Birmingham on January 31, 1961, his eighteenth birthday. In addition to riding in races, he did well in the stable lads’ boxing tournaments, a sport in which he maintained an interest throughout his life. 

Among the horses he rode during the early days of his career was the Gilman-trained Tyson, on whom he won five handicap hurdles during the 1961/62 campaign, as follows:

September 2, 1961: Bidford Selling Handicap Hurdle, Stratford-on-Avon. 

October 9, 1961: Perlethorpe Handicap Hurdle, Southwell.

December 12, 1961: Holly Handicap Hurdle, Birmingham.

May 14, 1962: Ollerton Handicap Hurdle, Southwell.

June 11, 1962: Ellington Handicap Hurdle, Huntingdon.

Phil lost his 7lb claim when winning on another of Frank Gilman’s handicap hurdlers, Silver Tara, at Wolverhampton on February 20, 1962, ending the campaign with a tally of ten wins, half of them courtesy of Tyson.      He won on Tyson again at Worcester in October 1962 but the horse failed to win again in a dozen starts that season.  There was, though, a ready-made replacement in the Gilman yard, novice hurdler Lady Don, on whom Phil won three times within five weeks at Stratford, Market Rasen and Worcester during September and October, the latter occasion being the second leg of a double with Tyson, resulting in Phil’s claim being cut further from 5lb to 3lb. 

He rode out his claim by winning three races at Nottingham’s two-day fixture at the end of October 1963, notching a first-day double on the Vic Speck-trained Heathcote in the Beeston Three-Year-Old Hurdle, beating Josh Gifford on the evens favourite Dorych after they had jumped the last flight alongside, and on Stan Palmer’s Marsh Chestnut in the Bulwell Chase, beating the 5-4 market leader In Haste by a resounding 15 lengths, The 3lb allowance disappeared after he’d ridden 13-8 favourite King Fin to win the Plodders’ Chase on the second day of the meeting. 

He kicked off 1964 in style by winning over Liverpool’s Mildmay fences – which in those days were smaller versions of those on the Grand National course – aboard Agate, trained by Tim Molony, in the Wirral Novices’ Chase on New Year’s Day. In March that year he had his first taste of the ‘real thing’ when partnering Reprieved in the 1964 Grand National. The horse gave him a good spin until being pulled up four fences from home.

He finished the season with victory on Frank Gilman’s three-mile chaser Mazener at Southwell on May 25, ending that 63/64 campaign with a career-best score of 20 wins.

Market Rasen was the venue for his first successes of the 1964/65 season, with a winner at three successive meetings at the Lincolnshire track, landing a selling hurdle on Flag Day II and a brace of novice chases on the Vic Speck-trained Deux Fois. In October he won a pair of three-mile chases on Stan Palmer’s Barleycroft, the first at Southwell, the second in the Gordon Foster Handicap Chase at Wetherby. Later that season he rode Barleycroft in the 1965 Grand National, only to be brought down at Becher’s first time. He finished the season with as respectable score of 15 winners.  

His final Grand National mount, in 1968, was on Foinavon, the unconsidered 100-1 winner of 12 months earlier, having been the only one to avoid the melee at the 23rd fence. Asked by the Daily Mirror how he planned to win on him this time, Phil joked that he might lay a trip wire after Becher’s. As things transpired, Foinavon was the unfortunate victim this time, being brought down in a four-horse pile-up at the water jump.  

Phil freelanced and rode for a wide variety of trainers during his career, from one- or two-horse permit holders to prominent trainers such as Willie Stephenson, Tim Molony, Vic Speck and Walter Wharton. He partnered Red Rum, who Molony then trained, on the gallops though not in a race. 

Probably the best horse he rode was Sweet Score, trained by Willie Stephenson. Having made all to win two Doncaster novice chases by a combined total of 33 lengths, they were unlucky not to win 1968 Massey-Ferguson Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Having led throughout, Sweet Score blundered badly at the last fence and was overhauled on the run-in by Tassilo and Salmon Spray, only to run on again in the dying stages and finish a close-up third, beaten a length and a quarter.

The next good horse he rode in public was Booster, also trained by Stephenson. Following novice chase wins at Haydock and Plumpton in February 1969, they were narrowly beaten in a three-way photo for Liverpool’s Mildmay Chase, finishing third to Rainbow Cottage and Mug, the distances being a short-head and a head. 

Victory on Stephenson’s Tyrones Walk in the Final Fling Chase at Market Rasen on the last day of May saw Phil end the 1968/69 campaign with another 15 winners to his name. 

He rode Booster to victory in a decent handicap chase at Doncaster in February 1970, beating the Dickinson-trained runner Rainbow Valley and the favourite Kerstina (a daughter of 1958 Cheltenham Gold Cup heroine Kerstin). Reunited with Sweet Score the following month, he again came close to registering a major Cheltenham success when finishing third, beaten a neck and a length, in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup at the National Hunt meeting.    

He moved base to Newmarket in 1970 and rode what proved to be his final winner on Game Surprise for Newmarket trainer Jeremy Hindley in a Market Rasen novice chase on May 18, 1971. Game Surprise was also his final ride of the season when finishing fourth at Fakenham on the last day of May. He ended his career having ridden a total of 92 winners. 

In retirement, Phil lived for 45 years at Brewood, near Wolverhampton, where he maintained his lifelong involvement with racing as an owner and breeder. He had horses in training with Barry Hills and Mark Johnston among others. 

He bred 14 individual winners including five-time winner Achilles Star, who was rated 107 after landing a Newbury handicap in September 1999; dual all-weather winner Moneghetti, named after the famous Australian marathon runner; and Cabeza De Vaca, who Matthew Boutin trained to land a good six-furlong handicap at Maisons-Laffitte in May 2004.

Phil Harvey died on November 5, 2020, aged 77.