Peter Madden

Peter John Madden was born in Jamaica on September 25, 1951. His father was in the armed services and he brought his family back to settle in Britain in 1965.

Peter became apprenticed to trainer Doug Marks at Upper Lambourn and rode his first winner on Quoit, owned and trained by Marks, in the Sodbury Handicap at Chepstow on June 29, 1968.

His best season was as an apprentice with 36 winners in 1970.

In 1971, while still apprenticed to Doug Marks he rode his only Pattern winners on Fireside Chat in the Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden and the Prix de Seine-et-Oise at Maisons-Laffitte. 

Fireside Chat is probably best remembered for hacking up under Lester Piggott on his debut at Newmarket in 1970, then failing to justify 9/2 on favouritism at Salisbury next time out when beaten by a debutant called Mill Reef.

After retiring from the saddle Peter ran a pub in Newmarket for a time before he eventually turned to training in Ireland.

Big winners

1971: Gosforth Park Cup – Sweet Thanks 

1971: Goldene Peitsche – Fireside Chat

1971: Prix de Seine-et-Oise – Fireside Chat 

1972: Thirsk Hunt Cup – McIndoe