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Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Robin Megginson was a leading northern amateur rider for 20 years following the last war, registering 39 winners under National Hunt rules.
Robin Megginson was a leading northern amateur rider for 20 years following the last war, registering 39 winners under National Hunt rules.
Robin Wedgewood Megginson was the son of Thirsk trainer Herbert Megginson, who had been a successful amateur rider between 1923 and 1935 prior to taking out a trainer’s licence in 1936.
Robin Wedgewood Megginson was the son of Thirsk trainer Herbert Megginson, who had been a successful amateur rider between 1923 and 1935 prior to taking out a trainer’s licence in 1936.
Robin rode his first winner on Dastula, owned and trained by his father, in the Wilstrop Maiden Hurdle for amateur riders at Wetherby on Easter Monday, April 22, 1946. He then won three hunter chases within the space of a month on Brettony, firstly at Market Rasen and then twice at Southwell. Brettony fell when tried in handicap company at Hexham on Whit Monday but Robin gained consolation by winning the last race on the card on Dastula, making it five wins for the season.
Robin rode his first winner on Dastula, owned and trained by his father, in the Wilstrop Maiden Hurdle for amateur riders at Wetherby on Easter Monday, April 22, 1946. He then won three hunter chases within the space of a month on Brettony, firstly at Market Rasen and then twice at Southwell. Brettony fell when tried in handicap company at Hexham on Whit Monday but Robin gained consolation by winning the last race on the card on Dastula, making it five wins for the season.
Five more followed in the 1946/47 campaign, beginning with Persuasion in a maiden chase at Carlisle’s Easter meeting. He then won a Market Rasen maiden hurdle on War Savings, surviving an objection on the grounds that War Savings had run at an unrecognised meeting two years earlier.
Five more followed in the 1946/47 campaign, beginning with Persuasion in a maiden chase at Carlisle’s Easter meeting. He then won a Market Rasen maiden hurdle on War Savings, surviving an objection on the grounds that War Savings had run at an unrecognised meeting two years earlier.
Back in those days, bona fide meetings still formed part of the National Hunt calendar. They were basically point-to-points except that, unlike point-to-points at that time, a charge could be made for admission. Robin won the Nomination Chase at the Percy, West Percy & Lt. Col. Milvain’s Hunt fixture held at Rothbury racecourse on April 30, 1947, aboard the six-year-old Fledgeling, who defied a welter burden of 13st 3lb to beat Arthur Stephenson’s mount Little Early by a length and a half. Ten days later, on the Saturday of the 1947 Whitsun bank holiday weekend, they teamed up again in the Heart of All England Hunt Cup at Hexham, a long-established hunter chase still held today and one with a great local tradition in the North-East and Borders hunting country, conferring much prestige on the winner. Taking the lead on the run-in, Robin and Fledgeling battled on to win the ‘Heart’ by half a length. Then, on Whit Monday, Robin won Hexham’s Queen Margaret Handicap Chase on Juladin, trained, like Fledgeling, by his father. It was some bank holiday weekend for the Megginsons.
Back in those days, bona fide meetings still formed part of the National Hunt calendar. They were basically point-to-points except that, unlike point-to-points at that time, a charge could be made for admission. Robin won the Nomination Chase at the Percy, West Percy & Lt. Col. Milvain’s Hunt fixture held at Rothbury racecourse on April 30, 1947, aboard the six-year-old Fledgeling, who defied a welter burden of 13st 3lb to beat Arthur Stephenson’s mount Little Early by a length and a half. Ten days later, on the Saturday of the 1947 Whitsun bank holiday weekend, they teamed up again in the Heart of All England Hunt Cup at Hexham, a long-established hunter chase still held today and one with a great local tradition in the North-East and Borders hunting country, conferring much prestige on the winner. Taking the lead on the run-in, Robin and Fledgeling battled on to win the ‘Heart’ by half a length. Then, on Whit Monday, Robin won Hexham’s Queen Margaret Handicap Chase on Juladin, trained, like Fledgeling, by his father. It was some bank holiday weekend for the Megginsons.
From the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, Robin consistently rode a couple of winners a season. Both his wins for 1949/50 were gained on a 12-year-old chaser named Masco, at Perth and Carlisle in the autumn of 1949. Similarly, both successes the next season were on Guy Cunard’s veteran chaser Grandace, at Perth and Hexham in September 1950. The best of his two the following campaign was Herbert Clarkson’s chaser Queen’s Taste, on whom he won at Hexham on October 1, 1951. Queen’s Taste would go on to win the Scottish Grand National three times (1953, 1954 and 1956).
From the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, Robin consistently rode a couple of winners a season. Both his wins for 1949/50 were gained on a 12-year-old chaser named Masco, at Perth and Carlisle in the autumn of 1949. Similarly, both successes the next season were on Guy Cunard’s veteran chaser Grandace, at Perth and Hexham in September 1950. The best of his two the following campaign was Herbert Clarkson’s chaser Queen’s Taste, on whom he won at Hexham on October 1, 1951. Queen’s Taste would go on to win the Scottish Grand National three times (1953, 1954 and 1956).
Herbert Megginson’s hunter chaser Coup de Wit provided Robin with both of victories in 1955, winning at Wetherby at Easter and following up in the Rothbury Cup. But a far better hunter chaser would soon emerge. That was Albert Sanderson’s Jumna, trained by Jack Calvert at Hambleton. In the spring of 1957 Jumna and Robin Megginson were a well-nigh unbeatable combination. They began by winning the Rothbury Cup on April 13, then added the Igmanthorpe Hunters’ Chase at Wetherby on April 23, the United Border Hunt Chase at Kelso on May 2, Sedgefield’s South Durham Open Hunters’ Perpetual Challenge Cup on May 18, and lastly, the Final Champion Hunters’ Chase at Stratford on June 1, beating the odds-on Happy Morn II, who had won his last five races and was among the top-rated hunter chasers in the country.
Herbert Megginson’s hunter chaser Coup de Wit provided Robin with both of victories in 1955, winning at Wetherby at Easter and following up in the Rothbury Cup. But a far better hunter chaser would soon emerge. That was Albert Sanderson’s Jumna, trained by Jack Calvert at Hambleton. In the spring of 1957 Jumna and Robin Megginson were a well-nigh unbeatable combination. They began by winning the Rothbury Cup on April 13, then added the Igmanthorpe Hunters’ Chase at Wetherby on April 23, the United Border Hunt Chase at Kelso on May 2, Sedgefield’s South Durham Open Hunters’ Perpetual Challenge Cup on May 18, and lastly, the Final Champion Hunters’ Chase at Stratford on June 1, beating the odds-on Happy Morn II, who had won his last five races and was among the top-rated hunter chasers in the country.
Jumna reappeared at Leicester in February 1958 and was leading the field when falling four out. Sadly, he was pulled up with a career-ending injury on his next outing at Catterick.
Jumna reappeared at Leicester in February 1958 and was leading the field when falling four out. Sadly, he was pulled up with a career-ending injury on his next outing at Catterick.
Robin went on to win the Heart of All England Hunt Cup for a second time in 1961, on a horse named Trossachs, owned and trained by Roy Smith at Lower Wick, Worcestershire – most definitely not a local success that year.
Robin went on to win the Heart of All England Hunt Cup for a second time in 1961, on a horse named Trossachs, owned and trained by Roy Smith at Lower Wick, Worcestershire – most definitely not a local success that year.
Robin’s three wins from 16 rides in the 1963/64 campaign were all achieved in chases against professional jockeys. They
Robin’s three wins from 16 rides in the 1963/64 campaign were all achieved in chases against professional jockeys. They
included Lucky Domino at Catterick on New Year’s Day 1964 for owner-trainer George Waring, a Middlesbrough solicitor by profession with a farm near Stokesley, Yorkshire. Another was the high-class Piperton at Wetherby’s Easter fixture for permit holder Archie Thomlinson. In 1962 Piperton had won the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham, ridden that day by Dave Dick.
included Lucky Domino at Catterick on New Year’s Day 1964 for owner-trainer George Waring, a Middlesbrough solicitor by profession with a farm near Stokesley, Yorkshire. Another was the high-class Piperton at Wetherby’s Easter fixture for permit holder Archie Thomlinson. In 1962 Piperton had won the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham, ridden that day by Dave Dick.
Robin restricted himself to just six rides in what was to be his final season in the saddle but he finished on a high note, his last winner being his third Heart of All England Hunt Cup on April 24, 1965, this time on Minto Burn. He also had his last ride on Minto Burn on May 15 when finishing sixth behind Baulking Green in the Usher-Vaux Scottish Champion Hunters Chase.
Robin restricted himself to just six rides in what was to be his final season in the saddle but he finished on a high note, his last winner being his third Heart of All England Hunt Cup on April 24, 1965, this time on Minto Burn. He also had his last ride on Minto Burn on May 15 when finishing sixth behind Baulking Green in the Usher-Vaux Scottish Champion Hunters Chase.
Robin Megginson died on February 2 2002, aged 93.
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