Philip Hewitt
Philip Hewitt winning on Pride of Ivanhoe at Warwick in 1961.
Philip Hewitt winning on Pride of Ivanhoe at Warwick in 1961.
Amateur rider Philip Stanley Hewitt, of Cliftonthorpe, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, was born on February 17, 1944. His name will always be associated with one horse, hunter chaser Pride of Ivanhoe.
Amateur rider Philip Stanley Hewitt, of Cliftonthorpe, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, was born on February 17, 1944. His name will always be associated with one horse, hunter chaser Pride of Ivanhoe.
Philip and Pride of Ivanhoe made their point-to-point debuts in 1960, finishing unplaced in the South Staffordshire Adjacent race. In March they gained their first success in the West Warwickshire Maiden. They then finished third in the Meynell Adjacent and easily won a match for the four-mile North Warwickshire Adjacent. The 1961 edition of ‘Hunter Chasers and Point-to-Pointers’ described Pride of Ivanhoe as “Very promising”. They were right.
Philip and Pride of Ivanhoe made their point-to-point debuts in 1960, finishing unplaced in the South Staffordshire Adjacent race. In March they gained their first success in the West Warwickshire Maiden. They then finished third in the Meynell Adjacent and easily won a match for the four-mile North Warwickshire Adjacent. The 1961 edition of ‘Hunter Chasers and Point-to-Pointers’ described Pride of Ivanhoe as “Very promising”. They were right.
In 1961, Philip’s father, Stanley Hewitt, a farmer by profession, registered his racing colours of yellow, white cap with dark blue spots and took out a trainer’s permit in order to aim Pride of Ivanhoe at hunter chases. He won first time out at Stratford, ridden that day by Norman Swinnerton. A neglected 25/1 shot, he jumped fluently throughout and produced “an astonishing turn of foot on the flat” to sprint past the useful Mr Teddy and win by two lengths.
In 1961, Philip’s father, Stanley Hewitt, a farmer by profession, registered his racing colours of yellow, white cap with dark blue spots and took out a trainer’s permit in order to aim Pride of Ivanhoe at hunter chases. He won first time out at Stratford, ridden that day by Norman Swinnerton. A neglected 25/1 shot, he jumped fluently throughout and produced “an astonishing turn of foot on the flat” to sprint past the useful Mr Teddy and win by two lengths.
“Pride” reappeared just seven days later in the Cubbington Hunters’ Chase at Warwick, partnered by Philip this time, and again jumped fluently, winning easily by eight lengths, giving his young rider, still six days short of his seventeenth birthday, his first victory under National Hunt rules.
“Pride” reappeared just seven days later in the Cubbington Hunters’ Chase at Warwick, partnered by Philip this time, and again jumped fluently, winning easily by eight lengths, giving his young rider, still six days short of his seventeenth birthday, his first victory under National Hunt rules.
Long odds-on for their next hunter chase over the same course and distance three weeks later, they won unchallenged by 20 lengths. “Pride” then won at Stratford easily under Bill Foulkes, then Philip resumed the partnership to score easily at Uttoxeter on Easter Monday. The following week they won the Clive Hunters’ Challenge Cup at Cheltenham, then made all to win the Feilden Hunters’ Challenge Cup back at Uttoxeter a fortnight later. That last victory was little more than an exercise gallop for Pride of Ivanhoe, rounding off his season unbeaten in seven hunter chases. Later that year, Philip and “Pride” appeared in the Horse Personalities part of the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley.
Long odds-on for their next hunter chase over the same course and distance three weeks later, they won unchallenged by 20 lengths. “Pride” then won at Stratford easily under Bill Foulkes, then Philip resumed the partnership to score easily at Uttoxeter on Easter Monday. The following week they won the Clive Hunters’ Challenge Cup at Cheltenham, then made all to win the Feilden Hunters’ Challenge Cup back at Uttoxeter a fortnight later. That last victory was little more than an exercise gallop for Pride of Ivanhoe, rounding off his season unbeaten in seven hunter chases. Later that year, Philip and “Pride” appeared in the Horse Personalities part of the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley.
As Philip had delayed applying for his Amateur Rider’s Permit, Bob McCreery was on board when Pride of Ivanhoe made a winning reappearance at Stratford in February 1962, then Bill Foulkes took over for an armchair ride win at Warwick seven days later. With the permit finally having been issued, Philip was reunited with “Pride” to win at Stratford on February 24. They then won the valuable Foxhill Cup Hunters’ Chase at Newbury, following up in a lesser contest at Doncaster.
As Philip had delayed applying for his Amateur Rider’s Permit, Bob McCreery was on board when Pride of Ivanhoe made a winning reappearance at Stratford in February 1962, then Bill Foulkes took over for an armchair ride win at Warwick seven days later. With the permit finally having been issued, Philip was reunited with “Pride” to win at Stratford on February 24. They then won the valuable Foxhill Cup Hunters’ Chase at Newbury, following up in a lesser contest at Doncaster.
Sent off the 6/4 favourite for the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase next time, Pride of Ivanhoe blundered at the Chair and was unsighted when falling at the seventh (the third fence in the Grand National). However, normal service was resumed next time out with another facile victory in Uttoxeter’s Feilden Challenge Cup. Shortly after that success, Pride of Ivanhoe injured himself on an electric wire and had to be roughed off for the season, finishing it with six wins and one fall from seven starts.
Sent off the 6/4 favourite for the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase next time, Pride of Ivanhoe blundered at the Chair and was unsighted when falling at the seventh (the third fence in the Grand National). However, normal service was resumed next time out with another facile victory in Uttoxeter’s Feilden Challenge Cup. Shortly after that success, Pride of Ivanhoe injured himself on an electric wire and had to be roughed off for the season, finishing it with six wins and one fall from seven starts.
Philip and Pride of Ivanhoe campaigned in decent handicap company during the 1962/63 season. They were unplaced in their first two starts at Manchester and Doncaster, but then scored twice within a week, winning Wetherby’s Boston Spa Handicap Chase and the Cheltenham Handicap Chase, the latter contest by 12 lengths.
Philip and Pride of Ivanhoe campaigned in decent handicap company during the 1962/63 season. They were unplaced in their first two starts at Manchester and Doncaster, but then scored twice within a week, winning Wetherby’s Boston Spa Handicap Chase and the Cheltenham Handicap Chase, the latter contest by 12 lengths.
Made favourite for the Hennessy Gold Cup next time out, they finished well down the field in eleventh place. They subsequently finished fourth in the Rhymney Breweries Chase at Chepstow and performed creditably to finish fifth in Mill House’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Made favourite for the Hennessy Gold Cup next time out, they finished well down the field in eleventh place. They subsequently finished fourth in the Rhymney Breweries Chase at Chepstow and performed creditably to finish fifth in Mill House’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
On their next outing, they finished second to Caduval in the valuable Capital and Counties Handicap Chase at Newbury, but then fell at Cheltenham in April and pulled up in Sandown’s Whitbread Gold Cup. They rounded off the season with a third-place finish behind Purple Silk and Master Perie in the Hawthorn Memorial Challenge Cup at Uttoxeter. The fact that they only won two races that season emphasised the difficulty of bridging the gap between hunter chase and top-flight handicap company.
On their next outing, they finished second to Caduval in the valuable Capital and Counties Handicap Chase at Newbury, but then fell at Cheltenham in April and pulled up in Sandown’s Whitbread Gold Cup. They rounded off the season with a third-place finish behind Purple Silk and Master Perie in the Hawthorn Memorial Challenge Cup at Uttoxeter. The fact that they only won two races that season emphasised the difficulty of bridging the gap between hunter chase and top-flight handicap company.
Sadly, in April 1964, Pride of Ivanhoe died from injuries sustained when he crashed into a gate at his home quarters in Leicestershire.
Sadly, in April 1964, Pride of Ivanhoe died from injuries sustained when he crashed into a gate at his home quarters in Leicestershire.
Philip rode just two more winners, both for his father in hunter chases: Golden Galleon III at Nottingham in 1964 and, lastly, Whitsun Morn at Uttoxeter on March 19, 1966.
Philip rode just two more winners, both for his father in hunter chases: Golden Galleon III at Nottingham in 1964 and, lastly, Whitsun Morn at Uttoxeter on March 19, 1966.
Philip Hewitt’s winners under National Hunt rules were, in chronological order:
Philip Hewitt’s winners under National Hunt rules were, in chronological order:
1. Pride of Ivanhoe, Warwick, February 11, 1961
1. Pride of Ivanhoe, Warwick, February 11, 1961
2. Pride of Ivanhoe, Warwick, March 4, 1961
2. Pride of Ivanhoe, Warwick, March 4, 1961
3. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 3, 1961
3. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 3, 1961
4. Pride of Ivanhoe, Cheltenham, April 13, 1961
4. Pride of Ivanhoe, Cheltenham, April 13, 1961
5. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 27 1961
5. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 27 1961
6. Pride of Ivanhoe, Stratford, February 24, 1962
6. Pride of Ivanhoe, Stratford, February 24, 1962
7. Pride of Ivanhoe, Newbury, March 10, 1962
7. Pride of Ivanhoe, Newbury, March 10, 1962
8. Pride of Ivanhoe, Doncaster, March 20, 1962
8. Pride of Ivanhoe, Doncaster, March 20, 1962
9. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 11, 1962
9. Pride of Ivanhoe, Uttoxeter, April 11, 1962
10. Pride of Ivanhoe, Wetherby, November 10, 1962
10. Pride of Ivanhoe, Wetherby, November 10, 1962
11. Pride of Ivanhoe, Cheltenham, November 16, 1962
11. Pride of Ivanhoe, Cheltenham, November 16, 1962
12. Golden Galleon III, Nottingham, February 4, 1964
12. Golden Galleon III, Nottingham, February 4, 1964
13. Whitsun Morn, Uttoxeter, March 19, 1966
13. Whitsun Morn, Uttoxeter, March 19, 1966
Some years later he owned, trained a rode Gill O'Whiskey to win the RMC Group Novices' Hunters' Chase at Wetherby's 1982 Easter meeting. He also won the Dingley Dell Hunter Chase on him at Nottingham in 1983 and the Major Charles Townsend Memorial Hunters' Chase at Huntingdon in 1984.
Some years later he owned, trained a rode Gill O'Whiskey to win the RMC Group Novices' Hunters' Chase at Wetherby's 1982 Easter meeting. He also won the Dingley Dell Hunter Chase on him at Nottingham in 1983 and the Major Charles Townsend Memorial Hunters' Chase at Huntingdon in 1984.
14. Gill O'Whiskey, Wetherby, April 13, 1982
14. Gill O'Whiskey, Wetherby, April 13, 1982
15. Gill O'Whiskey, Nottingham, May 10, 1983
15. Gill O'Whiskey, Nottingham, May 10, 1983
16. Gill O'Whiskey, Huntingdon, February 9, 1984
16. Gill O'Whiskey, Huntingdon, February 9, 1984