Harry Kennard

(1900 - 1989)

Amateur rider Henry Rowland Heyworth Kennard (known as Harry rather than Henry) was born on February 13, 1900. He is best remembered as the owner-rider of Dwarf of the Forest, on which he won eleven chases and rode in four Grand Nationals.

Dwarf of the Forest was by The Giant Blackbird. He was trained by former amateur rider Sam Bennet, brother of Grand National-winning jockey Captain ‘Tuppy’ Bennet, and began his career in hunter chases. His owner rode him to win such a contest at Wincanton in October 1923. He then immediately switched the horse to handicaps and won on him at Hawthorn Hill the following month and at Wye in March 1924. He was unable to make the weight of 10st 5lb for that year’s Welsh Grand National, leaving the mount to professional jockey Glenville Calder, who proceeded to win the race by three lengths.

Harry was reunited with Dwarf of the Forest the following season, winning on him at Cambridge in November 1924 and Market Rasen in April 1925. He also rode him in the 1925 Grand National, finishing in sixth place.

The next season, he won three chases on Dwarf of the Forest, at Stratford in October and at Kempton in December 1925, and at Sandown in March 1926. He then rode him in the 1926 Grand National, once more completing the course, this time in tenth place.

The pair were successful in three more chases the following season, at Tanat Side Hunt and Cardiff in October 1926 and at Derby in February 1927. They took part in a third Grand National but this time failed to get round.

That victory at Derby was the last of Dwarf of the Forest’s career. Harry made one more attempt at the Grand National on him in 1929, the year of the record 66 runners, but they were among the many fallers.

Harry Kennard died on July 19, 1989, aged 89.