Denis McCarthy (died 1976)

Denis McCarthy

1907-1976

Article by Alan Trout

Denis McCarthy rode 20 winners between 1928 and 1936 and came back a decade later to add one more. 

Four of his first five victories were gained at Hawthorn Hill, beginning with Nannie II, trained by Guy James at Nutfield, Surrey, who won the Staines Handicap Chase on October 30, 1928. With Denis in the saddle for the first time they beat Redlynch, the mount of Tony Escott, by three lengths. The 30lb the winner received from the runner-up undoubtedly helped. 

Over the next few seasons Denis had the occasional success and won eight races on the chaser Pure Knight, including one at Wye in May 1934 which was his 15th win and resulted in him riding out his 5lb allowance. He rode in three renewals of the Lancashire Chase without success and finished sixth on Uncle Batt in the 1936 Becher Chase over the Grand National fences. 

He had his last ride – in England at least – for some years in March 1938, but reappeared in December 1945 and had a big race ride when partnering 33-1 outsider Fortune Founded in the 1947 King George VI Chase. It was the first time that Denis had ridden the gelding, who had run six times that season and had run out on his first start, finished third once (after remounting), fallen three times and been unplaced once. It really was a case of hope over expectation, but Fortune Founded  plugged on through beaten horses to claim third prize in a field of ten, with victory going to Bryan Marshall on Rowland Roy, who beat Ron Smyth on Flaxton by five lengths, with Fortune Founded a further four lengths back. 

It was on Fortune Founded that Denis had his final win when the eight-year-old landed the Lavant Novices’ Chase (Division 1) at Fontwell Park on March 17, 1948 by a distance, having been left clear when the two leaders both fell six fences from home. Thirteen days later, Denis rode Fortune Founded in the Welsh Grand National at Newport but this ended less happily with a fall, on what was his final ride. 

Denis McCarthy died in 1976. 

His winners were, in chronological order:

1. Nannie II, Hawthorn Hill, October 30, 1928

2. Nannie II, Hawthorn Hill, March 4, 1930

3. Right Ho, Newton Abbot, May 16, 1930

4. Right Ho, Hawthorn Hill, March 2, 1931

5. Dayboy, Hawthorn Hill, March 14, 1932

6. Pure Knight, Wye, March 23, 1932

7. Pure Knight, Plumpton, March 26, 1932

8. Dayboy, Huntingdon, May 16, 1932

9. Cubicle, Windsor, January 13, 1933

10. Dayboy, Hawthorn Hill, April 11, 1933

11. Hopeful Dwarf, Towcester, April 17, 1933

12. Pure Knight, Fontwell Park, April 27, 1933

13. Hopeful Dwarf, Towcester, October 21, 1933

14. Pyre Knight, Fontwell Park, May 3, 1934

15. Pure Knight, Wye, May 7, 1934

16. Hippolytus, Fontwell Park, October 11, 1934

17. Pure Knight, Plumpton, April 20, 1935

18. Pure Knight, Wye, May 20, 1935

19. Pure Knight, Fontwell Park, October 10, 1935

20. Red Eagle, Hawthorn Hill, April 27, 1936

21. Fortune Founded, Fontwell Park, March 17, 1948