Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris
Dennis Morris
Article by Alan Trout
Article by Alan Trout
Dennis Morris was born in Sutton Coldfield, Staffordshire, around 1874 and had a lengthy career over jumps, with a first win in 1898 and a last one in 1915. He rode 25 winners altogether and enjoyed by far his biggest success on Breemount's Pride in the 1899 Lancashire Chase.
Dennis Morris was born in Sutton Coldfield, Staffordshire, around 1874 and had a lengthy career over jumps, with a first win in 1898 and a last one in 1915. He rode 25 winners altogether and enjoyed by far his biggest success on Breemount's Pride in the 1899 Lancashire Chase.
He first visited the winner’s enclosure following a comfortable success on Conchology in the Selling Handicap Chase at Wye on April 4, 1898, beating Tamarind by eight lengths. On Easter Monday the following year he gained his most important victory aboard 20-1 chance Breemount’s Pride in the prestigious Lancashire Chase, the second most valuable steeplechase of the year, eclipsed only by the Grand National. The great Manifesto, already with one Grand National triumph behind him and another ahead of him, was among the fallers in that year’s Lancashire Chase.
He first visited the winner’s enclosure following a comfortable success on Conchology in the Selling Handicap Chase at Wye on April 4, 1898, beating Tamarind by eight lengths. On Easter Monday the following year he gained his most important victory aboard 20-1 chance Breemount’s Pride in the prestigious Lancashire Chase, the second most valuable steeplechase of the year, eclipsed only by the Grand National. The great Manifesto, already with one Grand National triumph behind him and another ahead of him, was among the fallers in that year’s Lancashire Chase.
Over the next decade Dennis rode at least one winner in every year bar one, achieving a best score of five in 1904. He twice rode in the Grand National. His first mount, Cushendun in 1904, was among the fallers, but in 1905 he completed the course last of seven finishers on Cottenshope. He had one other mount over the Liverpool fences, on Kolian in the 1906 Champion Chase, but their participation also ended in a fall.
Over the next decade Dennis rode at least one winner in every year bar one, achieving a best score of five in 1904. He twice rode in the Grand National. His first mount, Cushendun in 1904, was among the fallers, but in 1905 he completed the course last of seven finishers on Cottenshope. He had one other mount over the Liverpool fences, on Kolian in the 1906 Champion Chase, but their participation also ended in a fall.
Dennis had his last success when Bedgrove was an easy winner of the Rolleston Selling Handicap Chase at Southwell on May 13, 1915, beating George Lyall on Kolo by eight lengths. That was also Dennis’s last ride and the penultimate meeting of the British National Hunt season.
Dennis had his last success when Bedgrove was an easy winner of the Rolleston Selling Handicap Chase at Southwell on May 13, 1915, beating George Lyall on Kolo by eight lengths. That was also Dennis’s last ride and the penultimate meeting of the British National Hunt season.
Dennis Morris’s winners were, in chronological order:
Dennis Morris’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Conchology, Wye, April 4, 1898
1. Conchology, Wye, April 4, 1898
2. Omar, Hawthorn Hill, May 4, 1898
2. Omar, Hawthorn Hill, May 4, 1898
3. Conchology, Wye, June 1, 1898
3. Conchology, Wye, June 1, 1898
4. Breemount’s Pride, Manchester, April 3, 1899
4. Breemount’s Pride, Manchester, April 3, 1899
5. Issa, Portsmouth Park, October 30, 1901
5. Issa, Portsmouth Park, October 30, 1901
6. Sanctissima II, Hawthorn Hill, April 18, 1902
6. Sanctissima II, Hawthorn Hill, April 18, 1902
7. Dunlavin, Isle of Wight, April 25, 1902
7. Dunlavin, Isle of Wight, April 25, 1902
8. Blue Crescent, Folkestone, December 10, 1903
8. Blue Crescent, Folkestone, December 10, 1903
9. Padishah, Gatwick, March 16, 1904
9. Padishah, Gatwick, March 16, 1904
10. Knobstick, Colchester, April 4, 1904
10. Knobstick, Colchester, April 4, 1904
11. Knobstick, Woodbridge Hunt, April 6, 1904
11. Knobstick, Woodbridge Hunt, April 6, 1904
12. Princesimmon, Plympton, April 18, 1904
12. Princesimmon, Plympton, April 18, 1904
13. De Lisle, Wye, December 1, 1904
13. De Lisle, Wye, December 1, 1904
14. Blue Crescent, Plumpton, January 13, 1905
14. Blue Crescent, Plumpton, January 13, 1905
15. Blue Crescent, Sandown Park, March 2, 1905
15. Blue Crescent, Sandown Park, March 2, 1905
16. Bellivor Tor, Sandown Park, March 3, 1906
16. Bellivor Tor, Sandown Park, March 3, 1906
17. Bellivor Tor, Hooton Park, March 16, 1906
17. Bellivor Tor, Hooton Park, March 16, 1906
18. Walk-on, Plumpton, April 14, 1906
18. Walk-on, Plumpton, April 14, 1906
19. Romany Rye, Plumpton, January 12, 1907
19. Romany Rye, Plumpton, January 12, 1907
20. St. Vincent, Hambledon Hunt, May 2, 1907
20. St. Vincent, Hambledon Hunt, May 2, 1907
21. Culloden’s Delight, Gatwick, December 5, 1907
21. Culloden’s Delight, Gatwick, December 5, 1907
22. Galdale, Wye, May 11, 1908
22. Galdale, Wye, May 11, 1908
23. Dick Phenyl, Plumpton, January 8, 1910
23. Dick Phenyl, Plumpton, January 8, 1910
24. Cannock Lass, Leicester, December 3, 1912
24. Cannock Lass, Leicester, December 3, 1912
25. Bedgrove, Southwell, May 13, 1915
25. Bedgrove, Southwell, May 13, 1915
