Joe Manley

Born in 1885, Joseph Serbules Manley spent the majority of his career as an amateur before belatedly turning professional. He was based mainly in Ireland and did most of his riding there, but nonetheless amassed 34 winners over jumps in Britain including Cheltenham’s Grand Annual Chase. 

He rode in England for the first time when finishing fifth on a horse named Kiora in the Warwickshire Handicap Chase at Birmingham on February 24, 1903. Joe achieved his first British success on Spring-lock in the Swallowcroft Selling Handicap Hurdle at Keele Park on October 24, 1904. 

Back on home soil, he finished second on the mare Annie Symons in the 1909 Irish Grand National, albeit a very distant second, 30 lengths behind the winner Little Hack II who won in a ‘hack’ canter. Annie Symons’ second-place finish was due largely to the falls of favourite Pauline and the third last fence and Clear Case at the last. Joe finished sixth in the 1912 Irish Grand National on Cornflower III. 

He enjoyed his most successful British season in 1913 with 10 wins. They included two on the Wednesday of Cheltenham’s National Hunt Meeting, March 12, notably on 8-1 chance Cooldreen, trained by Bob Gore, who won the Grand Annual Chase by ten lengths. He completed his double later that afternoon on Ben A Beg in the Cotswold National Hunt Flat Race. 

Joe rode eight winners during the war-curtailed year of 1915, placing him sixth in the amateur riders’ table. During World War One, he rode solely in Ireland, where he finished fourth on Llangollen in the 1917 Irish Grand National. 

He had turned professional by the time the war ended, returning to Britain to achieve a solitary success in 1920. He rode four winners the following year, the last of them on Dibbinsdale, the 9-2 on favourite, in the three-runner Congleton Hurdle at Uttoxeter on May 28, 1951. 

That was his last winner in Britain, his final appearance being when with finishing eighth of 12 on Miss Druce in the Earlstown Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park on January 10, 1925.