Chris Mellerick
National Hunt jockey David Christopher Mellerick, who went by his second christian name, rode winners in his native Ireland before arriving in England and joining Toby Balding’s stable at the close of the 1960s.
National Hunt jockey David Christopher Mellerick, who went by his second christian name, rode winners in his native Ireland before arriving in England and joining Toby Balding’s stable at the close of the 1960s.
He rode eight winners from 64 mounts during the 1970/71 campaign. They included two on Sailor’s Collar in novice riders’ chases at Folkestone in September and Kempton in October, and a pair of Wye handicap chases on Star Of Arum in January and March.
He rode eight winners from 64 mounts during the 1970/71 campaign. They included two on Sailor’s Collar in novice riders’ chases at Folkestone in September and Kempton in October, and a pair of Wye handicap chases on Star Of Arum in January and March.
The following season, 71/72, Chris rode 14 winners from 85 mounts. Among them were two Fontwell novice chases and a Wye handicap chase on Ken Ivory’s ten-year-old campaigner Contemptuous; and back-to-back wins on Toby Balding’s two-mile chaser Crumlin at Huntingdon’s Christmas meeting and Cheltenham’s New Year fixture.
The following season, 71/72, Chris rode 14 winners from 85 mounts. Among them were two Fontwell novice chases and a Wye handicap chase on Ken Ivory’s ten-year-old campaigner Contemptuous; and back-to-back wins on Toby Balding’s two-mile chaser Crumlin at Huntingdon’s Christmas meeting and Cheltenham’s New Year fixture.
In January 1972 he won three consecutive races on Balding’s novice chaser Vulgan Town at Sandown, Doncaster and Kempton, losing his right to claim a 3lb allowance when landing the Doncaster race. In February he finished second, breaten a length, on Big Valley in Sandown’s Oteley Hurdle but later that season rode him to win over fences in the Schilizzi Challenge Bowl Chase at Towcester’s Easter meeting.
In January 1972 he won three consecutive races on Balding’s novice chaser Vulgan Town at Sandown, Doncaster and Kempton, losing his right to claim a 3lb allowance when landing the Doncaster race. In February he finished second, breaten a length, on Big Valley in Sandown’s Oteley Hurdle but later that season rode him to win over fences in the Schilizzi Challenge Bowl Chase at Towcester’s Easter meeting.
His winning tally fell back to eight for the 1972/73 campaign, bookending the season with a pair of wins on Toby Balding’s handicap chaser Arctic Idler at Devon & Exeter at the start of August and in Newton Abbot’s Lord Mildmay Memorial Challenge Cup at the end of May.
His winning tally fell back to eight for the 1972/73 campaign, bookending the season with a pair of wins on Toby Balding’s handicap chaser Arctic Idler at Devon & Exeter at the start of August and in Newton Abbot’s Lord Mildmay Memorial Challenge Cup at the end of May.
Chris rode just one winner from 33 rides during the 1973/74 campaign, in what turned out to be his final season in England.
Chris rode just one winner from 33 rides during the 1973/74 campaign, in what turned out to be his final season in England.