Stephen Little

Stephen Little

Article by Alan Trout

Stephen Arthur Little rode over jumps for much of the 1970s and recorded six wins.

His first ride was at Plumpton on Easter Monday, March 30, 1970, when Family Spirit was unplaced in the Hailsham Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1).

He registered his first win when a horse named Alec Pope won the Hard-Luck Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Southwell on April 10, 1971. It was one of only ten rides he had during that season. Trained by Walter Charles, the four-year-old Alec Pope had been placed twice in four starts under another young jockey, David Jelf. Now, with Stephen riding for the first time, the pair beat the favourite Gables Grey, the mount of Roger Rowell, by two lengths. 

More than 18 months elapsed before he had his second success but it finally came at Kempton Park on November 16, 1972, when the five-year-old Manoko made all the running and, despite clearly tiring in the closing stages, had enough in reserve to hold on to win the Vauxhall Novices’ Hurdle by two ands a half lengths from Doug Barrott on Tyrolean. This partly made up for the previous occasion Stephen had ridden him at Folkestone five days earlier when, having again made all, Manoko fell at the last flight when holding a clear lead.

Stephen had one unplaced effort on Manoko before falling when leading at halfway in the Tolworth Hurdle at Kempton in January. Graham Thorner then took over in the saddle. 

Despite having more than 30 rides during that 1972/73 season, he did not add to his total. He was now with the Newmarket stable of John Powney, who supplied him with his third winner when Voetsek led all the way to take the Elham Selling Handicap Hurdle at Wye on December 17 by six lengths. Stephen kept the mount for his one remaining start, at Wye in January 1974, when they finished second, beaten ten lengths. 

It was not until January 17, 1975 that he entered the winner’s enclosure once more, having made all the running on Last Orders and comfortably beaten Giddy Girl by 12 lengths in the St. Marychurch Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot. They again made all at Warwick on March 5, when recording another 12-length victory in the Shrewley Handicap Hurdle, despite hitting the last two flights. 

Just for once, Stephen did not lead all the way when recoding his fifth success, although his mount Snow Mountain did take the lead at halfway before coming home a comfortable eight-length winner of the Chinkwell Tor Novices’ Hurdle at Newton Abbot on February 24, 1976.

The day after his Newton Abbot victory Stephen won again when Over The Moon took the lead at the second last flight and was driven out to beat Calibre by five lengths in the Slough Selling Handicap Hurdle at Windsor. 

Both those winners were trained by Monty Stevens at Chippenham. Yet despite that brief burst of success, Stephen had no more winners. He had his last ride on Aurelianus, fading after leading early and eventually finishing well beaten in the Hawkins Opportunity Selling Handicap hurdle at Devon & Exeter on March 26, 1977.

Stephen Little’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Alec Pope, Southwell, April 10, 1971

2. Manoko, Kempton Park, November 16, 1972

3. Voetsek, Wye, December 17, 1973

4. Last Orders, Newton Abbot, January 17, 1975

5. Last Orders, Warwick, March 5, 1975

6. Snow Mountain, Newton Abbot, February 24, 1976

7. Over The Moon, Windsor, February 25, 1976