Michael Mannion
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Newmarket’s July Meeting is a pretty good place to ride your first winner. Seventeen-year-old Michael Mannion did just that,
Newmarket’s July Meeting is a pretty good place to ride your first winner. Seventeen-year-old Michael Mannion did just that,
winning the appropriately-titled Newmarket Apprentice Handicap on July 13, 1966, on a filly named Prospect Pleases. And it must have been a pleasing prospect to see a photo of that winner on the front page of the following day’s Sporting Life, thus stealing the limelight from Lester Piggott, who’d ridden a July Meeting treble, including Showoff in the Bunbury Cup and Golden Horus in the July Stakes.
winning the appropriately-titled Newmarket Apprentice Handicap on July 13, 1966, on a filly named Prospect Pleases. And it must have been a pleasing prospect to see a photo of that winner on the front page of the following day’s Sporting Life, thus stealing the limelight from Lester Piggott, who’d ridden a July Meeting treble, including Showoff in the Bunbury Cup and Golden Horus in the July Stakes.
Michael Mannion was apprenticed to the filly’s trainer Harvey Leader and rode her to a second Newmarket victory (left) later that season, in the Exning (3yo) Handicap over the Rowley Mile course on Cesarewitch day. However, this time it was the Cesarewitch victory of Doug Smith-ridden Persian Lancer that made the next day’s front page.
Michael Mannion was apprenticed to the filly’s trainer Harvey Leader and rode her to a second Newmarket victory (left) later that season, in the Exning (3yo) Handicap over the Rowley Mile course on Cesarewitch day. However, this time it was the Cesarewitch victory of Doug Smith-ridden Persian Lancer that made the next day’s front page.
Continuing his theme of winning at top-grade courses, Michael rode his third winner at Ascot, on the Bill Holden-trained Some Gent in the Young Entry Apprentice Handicap on May 6, 1967. But it was a lowly Alexandra Park seller on Quicksandy for Polegate trainer John Hooton that gave him his fourth success; then lower still for his fifth, in a Catterick apprentices’ seller on Richmond Sturdy’s three-year-old Atlanta.
Continuing his theme of winning at top-grade courses, Michael rode his third winner at Ascot, on the Bill Holden-trained Some Gent in the Young Entry Apprentice Handicap on May 6, 1967. But it was a lowly Alexandra Park seller on Quicksandy for Polegate trainer John Hooton that gave him his fourth success; then lower still for his fifth, in a Catterick apprentices’ seller on Richmond Sturdy’s three-year-old Atlanta.
He won again on Quicksandy at Brighton, getting up on the line to force a dead-heat with Australian maestro Scobie Breasley’s mount High Sun. High Sun was the odds-on 4/5 favourite whereas Quicksandy was a 20/1 shot, so no doubt the bookmakers would have preferred him to have won outright.
He won again on Quicksandy at Brighton, getting up on the line to force a dead-heat with Australian maestro Scobie Breasley’s mount High Sun. High Sun was the odds-on 4/5 favourite whereas Quicksandy was a 20/1 shot, so no doubt the bookmakers would have preferred him to have won outright.
Three days later it was another seaside track, Yarmouth, that was the venue for Michael’s next winner, Freda’s Legacy in a one-mile seller for Cheshire trainer Don Charlesworth, despite putting up 5lb overweight at exactly 7st.
Three days later it was another seaside track, Yarmouth, that was the venue for Michael’s next winner, Freda’s Legacy in a one-mile seller for Cheshire trainer Don Charlesworth, despite putting up 5lb overweight at exactly 7st.
Then it was back to Newmarket’s July Meeting, July 13, 1967, twelve months to the day since his first winner. This time it was the Chesterfield Stakes for two-year-olds, which two years earlier had made racing history as the first British horserace to be started from stalls. Michael rode Harvey Leader’s filly Ormolu II and won by half a length from another great Australian jockey, George Moore, on Hopping Hill.
Then it was back to Newmarket’s July Meeting, July 13, 1967, twelve months to the day since his first winner. This time it was the Chesterfield Stakes for two-year-olds, which two years earlier had made racing history as the first British horserace to be started from stalls. Michael rode Harvey Leader’s filly Ormolu II and won by half a length from another great Australian jockey, George Moore, on Hopping Hill.
It appeared that the wheel had turned full circle in the space of exactly 12 months. But it didn’t revolve again. Indeed, the wheels had come off altogether, for Ormolu II turned out to be the last British winner of Michael Mannion’s career.
It appeared that the wheel had turned full circle in the space of exactly 12 months. But it didn’t revolve again. Indeed, the wheels had come off altogether, for Ormolu II turned out to be the last British winner of Michael Mannion’s career.
Michael Mannion’s winners were, in chronological order:
Michael Mannion’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Prospect Pleases, Newmarket, July 13, 1966
1. Prospect Pleases, Newmarket, July 13, 1966
2. Prospect Pleases, Newmarket, October 1, 1966
2. Prospect Pleases, Newmarket, October 1, 1966
3. Some Gent, Ascot, May 6, 1967
3. Some Gent, Ascot, May 6, 1967
4. Quicksandy, Alexandra Park, May 17, 1967
4. Quicksandy, Alexandra Park, May 17, 1967
5. Atlanta, Catterick Bridge, May 31, 1967
5. Atlanta, Catterick Bridge, May 31, 1967
6. Quicksandy, Brighton, July 3, 1967 (dead-heat)
6. Quicksandy, Brighton, July 3, 1967 (dead-heat)
7. Freda’s Legacy, Yarmouth, July 6, 1967
7. Freda’s Legacy, Yarmouth, July 6, 1967
8. Ormolu II, Newmarket, July 13, 1967
8. Ormolu II, Newmarket, July 13, 1967