Born in 1894, Clifford George Keeble had a few rides on the Flat, the first when finishing last of nine on Teddie’s Boy in the Effingham Plate at Epsom on June 7, 1923, Coronation Cup day. He did not ride a winner on the Flat but enjoyed a small measure of success over jumps.
He had his first ride under National Hunt rules on March 19, 1924, when unplaced on Star Of Hope in the Canterbury Handicap Hurdle at Wye. Just over a year later he had his first success, on Easter Monday, April 13, 1925, when six-year-old Ballykinler, the 5-4 favourite, won the Huntingdon Open Handicap Hurdle and then survived an objection by the rider of the runner-up for bumping.
Cliff had to wait until February 19, 1927 for his second win, when Ramant beat 18 others to take the Open Hunters’ Handicap Chase at Newbury – the definition ‘Open’ meaning that professional jockeys were allowed to ride in that type of hunter chase. He doubled his score for the season when Blinker won the Flintshire Chase by ten lengths at Bangor in April.
An even longer wait ensued – almost four years – before Cliff’s fourth and final victory, on Fairy Prince in the Chepstow Hurdle at Monmouth on April 2, 1931. It was the second time he had partnered the four-year that season, the first occasion being at Kempton Park in January, when he and the trainer were asked to explain the running of the horse the race. The stewards accepted their statements, and after champion jockey Billy Speck had finished unplaced on Fairy Prince at Newbury in February, Cliff was given another chance, and won by six lengths.
He did have one ride in a big race when teaming up with Klariniski in the 1928 Scottish Grand National at Bogside, but they were among the fallers.
Cliff Keeble died in 1963. His winners were, in chronological order:
1. Ballykinler, Huntingdon, April 13, 1925
2. Ramant, Newbury, February 19, 1927
3. Blinker, Bangor-on-Dee, April 8, 1927
4. Fairy Prince, Monmouth, April 2, 1931