Aubrey Madgwick

Article by Alan Trout

Aubrey John Madgwick rode eight winners as an amateur before turning professional in 1981 and adding another 29. Of those, 22 were on horses trained by his father Michael, who had stables at Denmead, in Hampshire. 

It was at Plumpton on October 16, 1979 that Aubrey had his first success when Dubois rook advantage of a last flight mistake by Come Play With Me to land the Newick Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) by six lengths. There were three more wins for the young jockey that season and four in 1980/81. 

There was no immediate breakthrough when he joined the professional ranks, with another four victories in 1981/82, but he fared much better in 1982/83 with a tally of 14 wins, half of them on horses not trained by his father. His biggest success was probably on Du Maurier, beating 25 rivals to land the Oak Open Handicap Hurdle at Sandown Park’s Grand Military meeting on March 11, 1983. 

Undoubtedly the best horse he rode was Floyd, on which he scored by 15 lengths in the Brighton Hurdle (Division 2) at Fontwell Park on December 28, 1983. In 1985 Floyd would go on to win Sandown’s Imperial Cup and, five days later, the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, ridden on both occasions by Colin Brown. 

Aubrey continued to ride the occasional winner, his last coming at Plumpton on October 28, 1986 when Our Nobby, trained by his father and making his seasonal debut, scored by two lengths in an E.B.F. novices’ hurdle qualifier. Hs final ride was at the same course when Tender Track fell at the first flight in the Easter Selling Hurdle on Easter Monday, April 20, 1987. Two of his brothers, Geoffrey and David, also rode winners over jumps during the 1980s.  

Aubrey Madgwick’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Dubois, Plumpton, October 16, 1979 

2. Flyweight, Stratford-on-Avon, October 27, 1979

3. Hatchnmore, Windsor, February 20, 1980

4. Barrydale, Folkestone, May 3, 1980

5. Flyweight, Devon & Exeter, August 6, 1980

6. Flyweight, Fontwell Park, August 13, 1980

7. Hot Tramp, Plumpton, August 25, 1980

8. Roi De Frontiere, Plumpton, September 22, 1980

9. Middle-Model, Fakenham, September 25, 1981

10. Exuberant, Lingfield Park, January 7, 1982

11. Mountain Monarch, Lingfield Park, February 4, 1982

12. Whriba, Lingfield Park, March 20, 1982

13. Locksley, Fontwell Park, August 24, 1982

14. Taras, Ludlow, September 20, 1982

15. Rising Falcon, Newbury, November 10, 1982

16. Widd, Folkestone, November 15, 1982

17. Truncheon, Fontwell Park, December 1, 1982

18. Truncheon, Lingfield Park, December 22, 1982

19. Torbole, Newbury, December 31, 1982

20. Fire Chieftain, Windsor, February 2, 1983

21. Patchaville, Folkestone, March 8, 1983

22. Dut Maurier, Sandown Park, March 11, 1983

23. Straight Up, Ludlow, March 31, 1983

24. Ribolane, Newton Abbot, April 4, 1983

25. Nampara Cove, Wincanton, April 25, 1983

26. Pitlochry, Towcester, May 27, 1983

27. Floyd, December 28, 1983

28. Epryana, Chepstow, March 10, 1984

29. Fire Chieftain, Plumpton, April 21, 1984

30. Fire Chieftain, Fontwell Park, September 12, 1984

31. Epryana, Chepstow, December 1, 1984

32. Fil De Fer, Fontwell Park, December 28, 1984

33. Hawser, Fontwell Park, September 11, 1985

34. Hawser, Warwick, September 21, 1985

35. Middle-Mark, Plumpton, September 23, 1985

36. Fire Chieftain, Fontwell Park, May 26, 1986

37. Our Nobby, Plumpton, October 28, 1986