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Mick on Stronghold
1919 - 2001
1919 - 2001
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Born on April 18, 1919, Mick Morrissey was the eldest of three Irish jump jockey brothers who plied their trade in England during the 1950s and 60s, the others being Paddy (born 1921) and Jimmy (born 1935).
Born on April 18, 1919, Mick Morrissey was the eldest of three Irish jump jockey brothers who plied their trade in England during the 1950s and 60s, the others being Paddy (born 1921) and Jimmy (born 1935).
Mick served his apprenticeship with Roderick More O’Ferrall at the Curragh and had his first ride on a horse named Metalwork in a six-furlong handicap at Naas on November 1, 1935.
Mick served his apprenticeship with Roderick More O’Ferrall at the Curragh and had his first ride on a horse named Metalwork in a six-furlong handicap at Naas on November 1, 1935.
He rode his first winner in Ireland in 1945 but a series of injuries including a broken leg meant that it was five years before he rode his second.
He rode his first winner in Ireland in 1945 but a series of injuries including a broken leg meant that it was five years before he rode his second.
His was a career dogged by injuries, including a fractured skull, broken jaw, broken kneecap and two broken arms. He broke his left collarbone eight times, the right collarbone twice, plus the usual litany of broken and cracked ribs.
His was a career dogged by injuries, including a fractured skull, broken jaw, broken kneecap and two broken arms. He broke his left collarbone eight times, the right collarbone twice, plus the usual litany of broken and cracked ribs.
He reckoned the best performance of his career was when winning a hurdle race on Priory Monk at Taunton on April 23, 1953. He’d had a fall in the first race and snapped his collarbone as he hit the ground. He did not reveal the extent of his injury as he didn’t want to miss riding Priory Monk, who won by a head. Mick was in too much pain to unsaddle the horse after the race – and then had to sit through an objection, which was overruled. Once the result was declared official, Mick was rushed off to hospital.
He reckoned the best performance of his career was when winning a hurdle race on Priory Monk at Taunton on April 23, 1953. He’d had a fall in the first race and snapped his collarbone as he hit the ground. He did not reveal the extent of his injury as he didn’t want to miss riding Priory Monk, who won by a head. Mick was in too much pain to unsaddle the horse after the race – and then had to sit through an objection, which was overruled. Once the result was declared official, Mick was rushed off to hospital.
Priory Monk was trained by permit holder Charlie Saunders, based at Diss, in Norfolk. Mick had won on him previously at Fakenham on Easter Monday and they went on to win a total of six races together.
Priory Monk was trained by permit holder Charlie Saunders, based at Diss, in Norfolk. Mick had won on him previously at Fakenham on Easter Monday and they went on to win a total of six races together.
Mick finished the 1952/53 season with a respectable eight winners, completed by a Buckfastleigh double on May 23, on 10-1 chance Ud Din Club for Tommy Cross and 20-1 outsider Osbir for Collumpton trainer Jack Cann.
Mick finished the 1952/53 season with a respectable eight winners, completed by a Buckfastleigh double on May 23, on 10-1 chance Ud Din Club for Tommy Cross and 20-1 outsider Osbir for Collumpton trainer Jack Cann.
Later that year, on October 15, 1953, Mick was involved in a strange incident at Southwell. His mount, a 20-1 shot named Knother, was brought down five fences out by the evens favourite Royal Student. Knother turned a somersault and Mick was flung into the air and came down on the back of Royal Student, who was just getting up after his fall. Mick grabbed the reins and stayed on to save himself being trampled.
Later that year, on October 15, 1953, Mick was involved in a strange incident at Southwell. His mount, a 20-1 shot named Knother, was brought down five fences out by the evens favourite Royal Student. Knother turned a somersault and Mick was flung into the air and came down on the back of Royal Student, who was just getting up after his fall. Mick grabbed the reins and stayed on to save himself being trampled.
At the start of 1954 he moved to Suffolk and lived in a 500-year-old pub, the White Swan at Hoxne (pronounced Hox’n), run by landlords Mr and Mrs Mills, who treated him like a son.
At the start of 1954 he moved to Suffolk and lived in a 500-year-old pub, the White Swan at Hoxne (pronounced Hox’n), run by landlords Mr and Mrs Mills, who treated him like a son.
He equalled his previous season’s score of eight winners, three of those being supplied by Priory Monk and another three by a decent chaser named Giles Farnaby. However, the following campaign, 1954/55, proved frustrating and he endured many second-place finishes before landing his first winner of the season on Charlie Saunders’ Bloomsbury Lad at Windsor on January 7, 1955. He rode one more winner that season, on Giles Farnaby at West Norfolk Hunt, as Fakenham was then known. Altogether, Mick won six races on Giles Farnaby, including four at Fakenham, twice at the Easter Monday fixture and twice on the Whit Monday card, which in those days were the only two days’ racing held at Fakenham.
He equalled his previous season’s score of eight winners, three of those being supplied by Priory Monk and another three by a decent chaser named Giles Farnaby. However, the following campaign, 1954/55, proved frustrating and he endured many second-place finishes before landing his first winner of the season on Charlie Saunders’ Bloomsbury Lad at Windsor on January 7, 1955. He rode one more winner that season, on Giles Farnaby at West Norfolk Hunt, as Fakenham was then known. Altogether, Mick won six races on Giles Farnaby, including four at Fakenham, twice at the Easter Monday fixture and twice on the Whit Monday card, which in those days were the only two days’ racing held at Fakenham.
Mick failed to ride a winner the following season and had just two the next, Downsway at Wolverhampton in December 1956 and his old ally Priory Monk at Southwell in April 1957.
Mick failed to ride a winner the following season and had just two the next, Downsway at Wolverhampton in December 1956 and his old ally Priory Monk at Southwell in April 1957.
The 1957/58 campaign yielded two more – Water Ski at Worcester in October and the Martin Tate-trained Kinver at Hereford on Easter Monday 1958.
The 1957/58 campaign yielded two more – Water Ski at Worcester in October and the Martin Tate-trained Kinver at Hereford on Easter Monday 1958.
The following season got off to a bad start with Mick ending up in Torbay Hospital following a fall from Prince o’ Scots, brought down in a Newton Abbot novices’ chase on August 16, 1958, resulting in a broken bone in his left hand and cuts above his right eye. Nor did things improve throughout the rest of the campaign, with no winners to show for it.
The following season got off to a bad start with Mick ending up in Torbay Hospital following a fall from Prince o’ Scots, brought down in a Newton Abbot novices’ chase on August 16, 1958, resulting in a broken bone in his left hand and cuts above his right eye. Nor did things improve throughout the rest of the campaign, with no winners to show for it.
By then Mick was training as well as riding, being based at Park View Stables, Watchfield, near Swindon. He rode one of his string, Fortune’s Fable, owned by the mildly eccentric John Manners, to victory at Uttoxeter on October 3, 1959. That was the last winner Mick rode.
By then Mick was training as well as riding, being based at Park View Stables, Watchfield, near Swindon. He rode one of his string, Fortune’s Fable, owned by the mildly eccentric John Manners, to victory at Uttoxeter on October 3, 1959. That was the last winner Mick rode.
In 1960 he moved his training operation to Hillside Stables, Radley, near Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire. However, the venture was not a success and he relinquished his trainer’s licence at the end of 1961. He also gave up riding at the end of that season.
In 1960 he moved his training operation to Hillside Stables, Radley, near Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire. However, the venture was not a success and he relinquished his trainer’s licence at the end of 1961. He also gave up riding at the end of that season.
Mick Morrissey died in March 2001, aged 81.
Mick Morrissey died in March 2001, aged 81.
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