Terry Marshall
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Flat jockey Edward Terence Marshall was known by all in racing as ‘Whacker’ Marshall, not, I hasten to add, because of his overuse of the whip, but because he was born and raised in Liverpool, where ‘Whack’ or ‘Whacker’ is a term of friendship in the same way as ‘mate’ or ‘chum’ in other places, hence the nickname which stuck during his racing career.
Flat jockey Edward Terence Marshall was known by all in racing as ‘Whacker’ Marshall, not, I hasten to add, because of his overuse of the whip, but because he was born and raised in Liverpool, where ‘Whack’ or ‘Whacker’ is a term of friendship in the same way as ‘mate’ or ‘chum’ in other places, hence the nickname which stuck during his racing career.
Away from horses, ‘Whacker’ lived up to his nickname in other ways by being pretty good with his fists. In 1969 he won his division of the stable lads’ boxing final at London’s Hilton Hotel.
Away from horses, ‘Whacker’ lived up to his nickname in other ways by being pretty good with his fists. In 1969 he won his division of the stable lads’ boxing final at London’s Hilton Hotel.
He was born on January 2, 1951 and served his apprenticeship with Sam Hall at Spigot Lodge, Middleham, starting in August 1966. He rode his first winner on the seven-year-old mare named Pensar, trained by Malton-based Harry Sawyer, in the Cleghorn Apprentices’ Handicap at Lanark on Thursday, July 18, 1968. He followed that by riding Pensar to victory in the Champion Apprentice Handicap at Carlisle on August 30.
He was born on January 2, 1951 and served his apprenticeship with Sam Hall at Spigot Lodge, Middleham, starting in August 1966. He rode his first winner on the seven-year-old mare named Pensar, trained by Malton-based Harry Sawyer, in the Cleghorn Apprentices’ Handicap at Lanark on Thursday, July 18, 1968. He followed that by riding Pensar to victory in the Champion Apprentice Handicap at Carlisle on August 30.
Those were his only two winners in 1968 but he increased his score to five in 1969. They included Katie Goldmine for Melton Mowbray trainer George Wallace at Edinburgh on July 14, a double on Sam Hall’s Broughty Castle and Harry Blackshaw’s Combine Star at Lanark on August 2, and a second victory on Broughty Castle, this time in a Haydock apprentices’ race on August 23.
Those were his only two winners in 1968 but he increased his score to five in 1969. They included Katie Goldmine for Melton Mowbray trainer George Wallace at Edinburgh on July 14, a double on Sam Hall’s Broughty Castle and Harry Blackshaw’s Combine Star at Lanark on August 2, and a second victory on Broughty Castle, this time in a Haydock apprentices’ race on August 23.
He went one better with six wins from 112 rides in 1970, including two on successive days, Norton Hall at Hamilton on May 11 and Captain Scarlet at Edinburgh on May 12, plus a big race success on Tim Molony’s Tim’s Victory in the Edinburgh Gold Cup on September 21, beating South African jockey John Gorton on Trumpeter by two lengths.
He went one better with six wins from 112 rides in 1970, including two on successive days, Norton Hall at Hamilton on May 11 and Captain Scarlet at Edinburgh on May 12, plus a big race success on Tim Molony’s Tim’s Victory in the Edinburgh Gold Cup on September 21, beating South African jockey John Gorton on Trumpeter by two lengths.
There were only three winners to show for 1971 but he bounced back with a career-best 12 in 1972. He kicked the year off by winning on Cockermouth owner-trainer Tom Stamper’s Cagey Boy at Edinburgh on April 17, returned there on May 8 to win another race on Tim’s Victory, and landed a Catterick maiden on Sam Hall’s Pendula on May 17. He rode the second double of his career at Redcar on July 12, aboard Sam Hall’s Red Herring in a mile-and-quarter maiden and Herbert Clarkson’s Pall Nan in a five furlong handicap.
There were only three winners to show for 1971 but he bounced back with a career-best 12 in 1972. He kicked the year off by winning on Cockermouth owner-trainer Tom Stamper’s Cagey Boy at Edinburgh on April 17, returned there on May 8 to win another race on Tim’s Victory, and landed a Catterick maiden on Sam Hall’s Pendula on May 17. He rode the second double of his career at Redcar on July 12, aboard Sam Hall’s Red Herring in a mile-and-quarter maiden and Herbert Clarkson’s Pall Nan in a five furlong handicap.
But what he later rated the highlight of his career occurred when winning a six furlong two-year-old race at Pontefract Tim Molony’s 33/1 rank outsider Get Yourself There on July 10, 1972, beating Willie Carson on La Brigitte by a short-head, with Lester Piggott on the odds-on favourite Romany Moon hot on their heels in third.
But what he later rated the highlight of his career occurred when winning a six furlong two-year-old race at Pontefract Tim Molony’s 33/1 rank outsider Get Yourself There on July 10, 1972, beating Willie Carson on La Brigitte by a short-head, with Lester Piggott on the odds-on favourite Romany Moon hot on their heels in third.
Asked to nominate the best horse he rode, he plumped for that tough as teak grey miler Remraf – Farmer spelt backwards – who seemed to run almost every week during the late ’60s and early ’70s.
Asked to nominate the best horse he rode, he plumped for that tough as teak grey miler Remraf – Farmer spelt backwards – who seemed to run almost every week during the late ’60s and early ’70s.
Terry rode Remraf a total of eight times, never coming closer to winning than on the very first occasion, when beaten a neck by Tony Murray’s mount Mark Royal in the valuable Doncaster Handicap at the 1969 St Leger meeting. Thereafter, Terry rode him in several prestigious handicaps, five of them at Ayr, including when finishing third in the Wills Silver Goblets, fifth in the Souter Johnnie Handicap, and unplaced in two renewals of the Usher Vaux Brewery Gold Tankard. They finished fifth in the 1970 Thirsk Hunt Cup, and Terry also had the experience of riding him at his home racecourse of Liverpool on Grand National day 1971, Aintree still being a mixed meeting at that time.
Terry rode Remraf a total of eight times, never coming closer to winning than on the very first occasion, when beaten a neck by Tony Murray’s mount Mark Royal in the valuable Doncaster Handicap at the 1969 St Leger meeting. Thereafter, Terry rode him in several prestigious handicaps, five of them at Ayr, including when finishing third in the Wills Silver Goblets, fifth in the Souter Johnnie Handicap, and unplaced in two renewals of the Usher Vaux Brewery Gold Tankard. They finished fifth in the 1970 Thirsk Hunt Cup, and Terry also had the experience of riding him at his home racecourse of Liverpool on Grand National day 1971, Aintree still being a mixed meeting at that time.
He rode two winners from 46 mounts in his final year as an apprentice with Sam Hall, in 1973. Able to ride as low as 7st 2lb, he then rode for Ken Payne in Middleham, Tim Molony and Jack Hanson.
He rode two winners from 46 mounts in his final year as an apprentice with Sam Hall, in 1973. Able to ride as low as 7st 2lb, he then rode for Ken Payne in Middleham, Tim Molony and Jack Hanson.
However, he found life tough after losing his claim and was perhaps unlucky in that, as well as having to compete for rides with the likes of more experienced jockeys such as Ernie Johnson and Walter Bentley, he also had to contend with the burgeoning talent of apprentice Jimmy Bleasdale and ended up losing many of the rides that would otherwise have been his. Eventually, fellow jockey Terry McKeown got him in a job riding in India. He also rode in Germany and Italy.
However, he found life tough after losing his claim and was perhaps unlucky in that, as well as having to compete for rides with the likes of more experienced jockeys such as Ernie Johnson and Walter Bentley, he also had to contend with the burgeoning talent of apprentice Jimmy Bleasdale and ended up losing many of the rides that would otherwise have been his. Eventually, fellow jockey Terry McKeown got him in a job riding in India. He also rode in Germany and Italy.
His last season with a British jockey’s licence was in 1980, by which time he was based in Newmarket and working for Sir Michael Stoute. One morning in 1981 he was going to ride the lead horse for Shergar’s first piece of serious work as a three-year-old over a mile on Warren Hill. Walter Swinburn was due to ride Shergar but was late, so Stoute put Terry on Shergar. He worked so well that day that his odds for the Epsom Derby tumbled from 10 to 1 to 3 to 1.
His last season with a British jockey’s licence was in 1980, by which time he was based in Newmarket and working for Sir Michael Stoute. One morning in 1981 he was going to ride the lead horse for Shergar’s first piece of serious work as a three-year-old over a mile on Warren Hill. Walter Swinburn was due to ride Shergar but was late, so Stoute put Terry on Shergar. He worked so well that day that his odds for the Epsom Derby tumbled from 10 to 1 to 3 to 1.
He spent eight years with Stoute before leaving Britain in 1986 for a new life in America, where he now lives with his Venezuelan wife.
He spent eight years with Stoute before leaving Britain in 1986 for a new life in America, where he now lives with his Venezuelan wife.