Vicki Harris

Vicki Harris

Born on September 26, 1963, Vicki Mary Harris rode over jumps for much of the 1980s and had seven wins. She was the daughter of Melton Mowbray-based trainer Jimmy Harris, whose career as a jockey had been ended by a broken back sustained in a fall at Huntingdon in 1971. 

Only beaten a neck in one of her rides on the Flat, Vicki made her debut over obstacles when finishing second, beaten five lengths, on Chaperon in the Bran Tub Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Stratford on December 30, 1982. She also finished second at Sedgefield in March when Periculo Ludus finished within a length of the winner. 

Success finally came at Southwell on April 19, 1984, when Tit For Tat, trained by her father, ran on strongly to land the Junction Selling Hurdle by three-quarters of a length. She doubled her score four days later on Periculo Ludus at Huntingdon on Easter Monday but then had only one win in nearly three years. 

She fared better in 1986/87 with three winners in the spring, before having her final success at Ludlow on May 24, 1988, when Kasu, trained like all of her winners by her father, ran on well to take the Neenton Handicap Hurdle by two and a half lengths. It was her third win on Kasu. She finished second on him once the following season but did not add to her total.

Vicki Harris’ winners were, in chronological order:

1. Tit For Tat, Southwell, April 19, 1984

2. Periculo Ludus, Huntingdon, April 23, 1984

3. Mandy’s Brother, Fakenham, March 31, 1986

4. Valda, Fakenham, April 20, 1987

5. Kasu, Hexham, Hexham, May 11, 1987

6. Kasu, Southwell, May 23, 1987

7. Kasu, Ludlow, May 24, 1988