Tony Markham
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
National Hunt jockey Anthony John Markham was born on September 5, 1942, the younger brother of Ivor Markham (born 1938) and numbered some valuable handicap hurdles among his 26-winner tally.
National Hunt jockey Anthony John Markham was born on September 5, 1942, the younger brother of Ivor Markham (born 1938) and numbered some valuable handicap hurdles among his 26-winner tally.
Tony was apprenticed to Colin Laidler at Malpas, in Cheshire, and then rode mainly for Oswestry trainer Arthur Jones. He rode his first winner on the Arthur Jones-trained Man Of The East in the valuable Christmas Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on December 27, 1963, beating David Nicholson on the favourite Tobago by four lengths. That three-mile contest was worth £1,278 2s 6d, a pretty decent sum in those days when a £1,000 prize was still something of a rarity for hurdle races. For example, his second winner, Arthur Jones’ Krakawin in the Nottingham Handicap Hurdle on March 23, 1964, was worth just £276 – and that was the most valuable race of the day – while his third, Sword Dance at Uttoxeter’s Easter meeting earned his owners the princely sum of £172 10s!
Tony was apprenticed to Colin Laidler at Malpas, in Cheshire, and then rode mainly for Oswestry trainer Arthur Jones. He rode his first winner on the Arthur Jones-trained Man Of The East in the valuable Christmas Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on December 27, 1963, beating David Nicholson on the favourite Tobago by four lengths. That three-mile contest was worth £1,278 2s 6d, a pretty decent sum in those days when a £1,000 prize was still something of a rarity for hurdle races. For example, his second winner, Arthur Jones’ Krakawin in the Nottingham Handicap Hurdle on March 23, 1964, was worth just £276 – and that was the most valuable race of the day – while his third, Sword Dance at Uttoxeter’s Easter meeting earned his owners the princely sum of £172 10s!
Tony rode what was to be a career-best total of eleven winners in 1964/65. Sword Dance provided three during the autumn, at Uttoxeter (twice) and Ludlow. Then he rode Arthur Jones’ Silver Line to win another £1,000 prize, the Esher Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, followed seven days later by victory on Man Of The East in the Bob Wigney Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. Silver Line returned to Sandown to win the Winter Handicap Hurdle, this being Tony’s tenth winner, resulting in his allowance being cut from 7lb to 5lb. A double over Easter included one at Uttoxeter on Arthur Jones’ Tor House, who then won again at Stratford on the penultimate day of the season to give Tony his fifteenth winner and reduce his claim further to 3lb.
Tony rode what was to be a career-best total of eleven winners in 1964/65. Sword Dance provided three during the autumn, at Uttoxeter (twice) and Ludlow. Then he rode Arthur Jones’ Silver Line to win another £1,000 prize, the Esher Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, followed seven days later by victory on Man Of The East in the Bob Wigney Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. Silver Line returned to Sandown to win the Winter Handicap Hurdle, this being Tony’s tenth winner, resulting in his allowance being cut from 7lb to 5lb. A double over Easter included one at Uttoxeter on Arthur Jones’ Tor House, who then won again at Stratford on the penultimate day of the season to give Tony his fifteenth winner and reduce his claim further to 3lb.
Tony rode just three winners during the 1965/66 campaign, all of them on Tamorn, owned and trained by Colin Crossley. Those victories included Liverpool’s November Hurdle (ironically, run in October that year!) and the Esher Handicap Hurdle at Sandown for a second successive year. Tony also rode Tamorn in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, finishing fourth behind George Milburn on the Ken Oliver-trained Roaring Twenties.
Tony rode just three winners during the 1965/66 campaign, all of them on Tamorn, owned and trained by Colin Crossley. Those victories included Liverpool’s November Hurdle (ironically, run in October that year!) and the Esher Handicap Hurdle at Sandown for a second successive year. Tony also rode Tamorn in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, finishing fourth behind George Milburn on the Ken Oliver-trained Roaring Twenties.
Disappointingly, Tony rode just one winner in 1966/67, that being all the way up at Newcastle on Arthur Jones’ novice hurdler Nearly Missed. Again, there was only one winner in 67/68, on selling hurdler Lioncello at Sedgefield on Saturday, November 25, 1967 – the last day’s racing before the foot and mouth epidemic forced the cancellation of all racing in Britain and Ireland until January 5, 1968.
Disappointingly, Tony rode just one winner in 1966/67, that being all the way up at Newcastle on Arthur Jones’ novice hurdler Nearly Missed. Again, there was only one winner in 67/68, on selling hurdler Lioncello at Sedgefield on Saturday, November 25, 1967 – the last day’s racing before the foot and mouth epidemic forced the cancellation of all racing in Britain and Ireland until January 5, 1968.
Colin Crossley’s selling hurdler Gay Past provided Tony with both his wins in 1968/69, while a trio of Crossley’s three-year-old hurdlers were responsible for Tony’s four winners the following season. Bergarun started the ball rolling with victory at Uttoxeter on October 30, 1969, then two days later Tony rode the only double of his career, winning both divisions of Market Rasen’s juvenile hurdle on Scoria and Sundicos. Bergarun obliged again at Wetherby on November 19, giving Tony what would be the final winner of his career because, surprisingly, none of those three horses won again during the remainder of the season, although Scoria would progress to win the following year’s Cesarewitch.
Colin Crossley’s selling hurdler Gay Past provided Tony with both his wins in 1968/69, while a trio of Crossley’s three-year-old hurdlers were responsible for Tony’s four winners the following season. Bergarun started the ball rolling with victory at Uttoxeter on October 30, 1969, then two days later Tony rode the only double of his career, winning both divisions of Market Rasen’s juvenile hurdle on Scoria and Sundicos. Bergarun obliged again at Wetherby on November 19, giving Tony what would be the final winner of his career because, surprisingly, none of those three horses won again during the remainder of the season, although Scoria would progress to win the following year’s Cesarewitch.
Tony handed in his licence at the end of the 1970/71 campaign. He resumed riding for one further season in 1974/75 but had no more winners. Afterwards he remained with Arthur Jones and subsequently started his own plastering and decorating business. He is now retired and lives in Oswestry.
Tony handed in his licence at the end of the 1970/71 campaign. He resumed riding for one further season in 1974/75 but had no more winners. Afterwards he remained with Arthur Jones and subsequently started his own plastering and decorating business. He is now retired and lives in Oswestry.
Tony Markham rode 26 winners. These were, in chronological order:
Tony Markham rode 26 winners. These were, in chronological order:
1. Man Of The East, Kempton Park, December 27, 1963
1. Man Of The East, Kempton Park, December 27, 1963
2. Krakawin, Nottingham, March 23, 1964
2. Krakawin, Nottingham, March 23, 1964
3. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, March 31, 1964
3. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, March 31, 1964
4. Donvada, Cheltenham, April 10, 1964
4. Donvada, Cheltenham, April 10, 1964
5. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, September 3, 1964
5. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, September 3, 1964
6. Sword Dance, Ludlow, September 17, 1964
6. Sword Dance, Ludlow, September 17, 1964
7. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, October 8, 1964
7. Sword Dance, Uttoxeter, October 8, 1964
8. Silver Line, Sandown Park, November 7, 1964
8. Silver Line, Sandown Park, November 7, 1964
9. Man Of The East, Cheltenham, November 14, 1964
9. Man Of The East, Cheltenham, November 14, 1964
10. Silver Line, Sandown Park, December 12, 1964
10. Silver Line, Sandown Park, December 12, 1964
11. Della Wood, Uttoxeter, December 19, 1964
11. Della Wood, Uttoxeter, December 19, 1964
12. Fall Of France, Warwick, December 31, 1964
12. Fall Of France, Warwick, December 31, 1964
13. Algeciras, Huntingdon, April 19, 1965
13. Algeciras, Huntingdon, April 19, 1965
14. Tor House, Uttoxeter, April 20, 1965
14. Tor House, Uttoxeter, April 20, 1965
15. Tor House, Stratford-on-Avon, June 11, 1965
15. Tor House, Stratford-on-Avon, June 11, 1965
16. Tamorn, Newbury, October 21, 1965
16. Tamorn, Newbury, October 21, 1965
17. Tamorn Liverpool, October 29, 1965
17. Tamorn Liverpool, October 29, 1965
18. Tamorn, Sandown Park, November 6, 1965
18. Tamorn, Sandown Park, November 6, 1965
19. Nearly Missed, Newcastle, May 13, 1967
19. Nearly Missed, Newcastle, May 13, 1967
20. Lioncello, Sedgefield, November 25, 1967
20. Lioncello, Sedgefield, November 25, 1967
21. Gay Past Uttoxeter, March 22, 1969
21. Gay Past Uttoxeter, March 22, 1969
22. Gay Past, Market Rasen, May 20, 1969
22. Gay Past, Market Rasen, May 20, 1969
23. Bergarun, Uttoxeter, October 30, 1969
23. Bergarun, Uttoxeter, October 30, 1969
24. Scoria, Market Rasen, November 1, 1969
24. Scoria, Market Rasen, November 1, 1969
25. Sundicos, Market Rasen, November 1, 1969
25. Sundicos, Market Rasen, November 1, 1969
26. Bergarun, Wetherby, November 19, 1969
26. Bergarun, Wetherby, November 19, 1969