Ramon Harris
Aldershot-born Ramon Ivan Harris served his apprenticeship with Vic Smyth at Epsom and rode for a few seasons under Pony Turf Club rules. He then took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence and rode mainly for Sid Warren and Frank Pullen, accumulating 28 winners. All bar seven of them were gained during his last two seasons with a licence.
Aldershot-born Ramon Ivan Harris served his apprenticeship with Vic Smyth at Epsom and rode for a few seasons under Pony Turf Club rules. He then took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence and rode mainly for Sid Warren and Frank Pullen, accumulating 28 winners. All bar seven of them were gained during his last two seasons with a licence.
Progress was slow at first. Based in the south-west, he mostly relied on bank holidays for his early winners, such as in 1947/48 when his only two victories were gained at Newton Abbot’s Easter meeting and Buckfastleigh’s Whit Monday fixture. It was a similar story the following season when his sole success of the campaign came on Easter Monday in a Huntingdon selling hurdle.
Progress was slow at first. Based in the south-west, he mostly relied on bank holidays for his early winners, such as in 1947/48 when his only two victories were gained at Newton Abbot’s Easter meeting and Buckfastleigh’s Whit Monday fixture. It was a similar story the following season when his sole success of the campaign came on Easter Monday in a Huntingdon selling hurdle.
But the 1950/51 season brought a transformation and saw him ride a dozen winners. He made a good start, winning two handicap hurdles on Sid Warren’s Golden Surprise at Newton Abbot on August 7 and at Buckfastleigh five days later. He then won on Towser Gosden’s handicap hurdler Widow’s Cruise at Newton Abbot in September, that being the tenth winner of his career, resulting in his claim being cut to 5lb. In November he won a Taunton novices’ hurdle on Frank Pullen’s grey Ucada.
But the 1950/51 season brought a transformation and saw him ride a dozen winners. He made a good start, winning two handicap hurdles on Sid Warren’s Golden Surprise at Newton Abbot on August 7 and at Buckfastleigh five days later. He then won on Towser Gosden’s handicap hurdler Widow’s Cruise at Newton Abbot in September, that being the tenth winner of his career, resulting in his claim being cut to 5lb. In November he won a Taunton novices’ hurdle on Frank Pullen’s grey Ucada.
Ramon had his best day in the saddle on Wednesday, March 14, 1951 at Fontwell Park. He won the opening Havant Chase on Sid Warren’s Rosscar and also won the next race, division one of the Eastergate Novices’ Hurdle, on Frank Pullen’s Onslow Boy. He then finished third on Kitson in the Aldwick Handicap Chase and was third again in the next race, the Goodwood Handicap Hurdle, on Ucada. Later that season he won a handicap chase on Warren’s Golden Surprise.
Ramon had his best day in the saddle on Wednesday, March 14, 1951 at Fontwell Park. He won the opening Havant Chase on Sid Warren’s Rosscar and also won the next race, division one of the Eastergate Novices’ Hurdle, on Frank Pullen’s Onslow Boy. He then finished third on Kitson in the Aldwick Handicap Chase and was third again in the next race, the Goodwood Handicap Hurdle, on Ucada. Later that season he won a handicap chase on Warren’s Golden Surprise.
Riding as stable jockey to Warren, he made a fine start to the 1951/52 campaign, winning on all three days of Newton Abbot’s season-opening meeting, Golden Surprise on the Saturday, handicap hurdler Bouquiniste on the Monday and Golden Surprise again on the Tuesday. He followed up on Bouquiniste at Buckfastleigh the next Saturday and scored a third victory on Golden Surprise back at Newton Abbot six days later.
Riding as stable jockey to Warren, he made a fine start to the 1951/52 campaign, winning on all three days of Newton Abbot’s season-opening meeting, Golden Surprise on the Saturday, handicap hurdler Bouquiniste on the Monday and Golden Surprise again on the Tuesday. He followed up on Bouquiniste at Buckfastleigh the next Saturday and scored a third victory on Golden Surprise back at Newton Abbot six days later.
Those five wins ensured he ended the opening month of the season as the leading jockey. He won again on Golden Surprise at Fontwell in October, and in December landed handicap hurdles at Worcester and Warwick on Arnhem, before winning on Chrystal-Link at Wincanton on December 20.
Those five wins ensured he ended the opening month of the season as the leading jockey. He won again on Golden Surprise at Fontwell in October, and in December landed handicap hurdles at Worcester and Warwick on Arnhem, before winning on Chrystal-Link at Wincanton on December 20.
Sadly, that ninth winner of the season proved to be Ramon’s last in Britain. He was injured in a fall from a horse called Star Inn – his second fall of the day – at Plumpton on January 9, 1952. Having recovered, he decided to try his luck in America and did well there until being badly injured in a fall in 1955, in which he broke a leg and an arm and fractured his pelvis, necessitating five weeks in a plaster cast.
Sadly, that ninth winner of the season proved to be Ramon’s last in Britain. He was injured in a fall from a horse called Star Inn – his second fall of the day – at Plumpton on January 9, 1952. Having recovered, he decided to try his luck in America and did well there until being badly injured in a fall in 1955, in which he broke a leg and an arm and fractured his pelvis, necessitating five weeks in a plaster cast.