John Rushby
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
John Frederick Rushby was apprenticed to Stan Palmer, who trained a small string at Westhorpe, near Southwell. Listed in Horses in Training as Palmer’s National Hunt jockey, he held a licence for four seasons, 1959/60 to 1962/63, but rode just two winners during that time, both of them trained by Palmer.
John Frederick Rushby was apprenticed to Stan Palmer, who trained a small string at Westhorpe, near Southwell. Listed in Horses in Training as Palmer’s National Hunt jockey, he held a licence for four seasons, 1959/60 to 1962/63, but rode just two winners during that time, both of them trained by Palmer.
He had his first ride in public on Sahagun, finishing a close up last of four in a handicap hurdle at Wetherby on October 10, 1959. He had to wait two years before riding his first winner, Tangent, in an eventful running of the Bulwell Chase at Nottingham on October 23, 1961, when four of the six runners fell, one of them being remounted by his 7lb claiming jockey Jack Berry to claim a distant third place.
He had his first ride in public on Sahagun, finishing a close up last of four in a handicap hurdle at Wetherby on October 10, 1959. He had to wait two years before riding his first winner, Tangent, in an eventful running of the Bulwell Chase at Nottingham on October 23, 1961, when four of the six runners fell, one of them being remounted by his 7lb claiming jockey Jack Berry to claim a distant third place.
Sahagun provided John with his only other success when scraping home by a head from Roy Edwards’ mount Guinea Hunter in a handicap hurdle at Southwell on April 21, 1962.
Sahagun provided John with his only other success when scraping home by a head from Roy Edwards’ mount Guinea Hunter in a handicap hurdle at Southwell on April 21, 1962.
Those two winners came from a total of 36 mounts in that 1961/62 campaign. Among the others, he was in the frame twice in September 1961 on juvenile hurdler Take Off, placing second at Southwell and third at Market Rasen, only to fall next time out back at Southwell. He rode Take Off in five more races that season, the last occasion being at Market Rasen on Easter Monday, finishing fifth of fourteen.
Those two winners came from a total of 36 mounts in that 1961/62 campaign. Among the others, he was in the frame twice in September 1961 on juvenile hurdler Take Off, placing second at Southwell and third at Market Rasen, only to fall next time out back at Southwell. He rode Take Off in five more races that season, the last occasion being at Market Rasen on Easter Monday, finishing fifth of fourteen.
Other mounts during that 1961/62 campaign included hurdlers Bardoni and High Finance (rode three times each), Light Dragoon and Flipflap (rode twice each), all of which finished unplaced. His last three mounts of the season were on handicap hurdler Marsh Chestnut, who finished fourth at Southwell on May 14; Gay Madonna, who occupied the same position in a Market Rasen selling hurdle on May 26; and Claylander, last of four runners in the Whitsuntide Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on Whit Monday, June 11, 1962.
Other mounts during that 1961/62 campaign included hurdlers Bardoni and High Finance (rode three times each), Light Dragoon and Flipflap (rode twice each), all of which finished unplaced. His last three mounts of the season were on handicap hurdler Marsh Chestnut, who finished fourth at Southwell on May 14; Gay Madonna, who occupied the same position in a Market Rasen selling hurdle on May 26; and Claylander, last of four runners in the Whitsuntide Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on Whit Monday, June 11, 1962.
They may well have been the last three rides of his career. Although he held a licence for the 1962/63 campaign and is listed in the 1963 edition of Horses in Training as still being Stan Palmer’s stable jockey, he does not appear to have had any rides for Palmer during the course of that season.
They may well have been the last three rides of his career. Although he held a licence for the 1962/63 campaign and is listed in the 1963 edition of Horses in Training as still being Stan Palmer’s stable jockey, he does not appear to have had any rides for Palmer during the course of that season.
John Rushby’s winners were:
John Rushby’s winners were:
1. Tangent, Nottingham, October 23, 1961
1. Tangent, Nottingham, October 23, 1961
2. Sahagun, Southwell, April 19, 1962
2. Sahagun, Southwell, April 19, 1962
Tangent - John's first winner
Tangent - John's first winner
Sahagun - John's second winner
Sahagun - John's second winner