Mark Reeves

Mark Reeves

Article by Alan Trout

Mark Reeves was a prominent amateur jockey in the 1970s, amassing a total of 29 wins, most of them gained at the south-west courses, including doubles at Devon & Exeter and Newton Abbot. 

Born on August 22, 1949, he had his first ride under rules at Wincanton on February 4, 1971, when Hewood Lass trailed in a distant sixth of seven finishers in the Blackmoor Vale Hunters’ Chase. The six-year-old may have shown little in that race but he certainly made up for it in the following three seasons when he and Mark won seven races together. 

The first of those was the Charmouth Chase at Devon & Exeter on October 16, 1971, with Hewood Lad having six lengths to spare over his two rivals. He went on to score at Taunton and Wincanton but was pulled up in the Totalisator Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March. Trained first by Ted Swaffield and then by former top amateur rider George Small, Hewood Lad won four more races with Mark in the saddle. 

Other trainers were also using the talented young amateur including Les Cottrell and Toby Balding, whose chaser Crumlin had three victories with Mark aboard. He recorded an Easter Monday double in 1974 for Tim Handel and Oliver Carter. 

Probably the best horse he rode was Royal Toss, whose 13 victories included the 1970 Whitbread Gold Cup, 1971 Welsh Grand National, 1972 Mandarin Chase and the 1972 Mildmay Memorial Chase, besides coming within three-quarters of a length of beating Glencaraig Lady in the 1972 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Mark rode Royal Toss in the twilight of his career but he was still good enough to land the Cirencester Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on October 10, 1974, coming with a strong late challenge to overhaul Fort Lodge, the mount of Nigel Wakley Ironically, it was Nigel Wakley who had ridden Royal Toss to his Welsh National, Mandarin and Mildmay Memorial triumphs and also when runner-up in that 1972 Gold Cup.  

Mark had his final victory at Devon & Exeter nearly ten years after registering his first success there, when The Polcher, making his debut over jumps, proved too good for 15 rivals in the Balfour Three-Year-Old Novices’ Hurdle, scoring by three lengths. 

Mark Reeves’ winners were, in chronological order:

1. Hewood Lad, Devon & Exeter, October 16, 1971

2. Hewood Lad, Taunton, November 11, 1971

3. Hewood Lad, Wincanton, January 13, 1972

4. Hewood Lad, Warwick, November 9, 1972

5. Summer’s Dream, Cheltenham, April 12, 1973

6. Sprinkhal, Wincanton, April 23, 1973

7. Hewood Lad, Wincanton, September 20, 1973

8. Hewood Lad, Devon & Exeter, September 26, 1973

9. Quartz, Devon & Exeter, September 26, 1973

10. Hewood Lad, Wincanton, October 5, 1973

11. Spring Day, Warwick, December 29, 1973

12. Maniwaki, Wincanton, March 7, 1974

13. Action Replay, Newton Abbot, April 15, 1974

14. Jolly Music, Newton Abbot, April 15, 1974

15. Vicky Volatile, Devon & Exeter, May 27, 1974

16. Royal Toss, Cheltenham, October 10, 1974

17. Sweet Orchid, Newton Abbot, December 2, 1974

18. Power Point, Devon & Exeter, August 20, 1975

19. Crumlin, Fontwell Park, November 10, 1975

20. Malford, Ascot, November 26, 1975

21. Crumlin, Fakenham, December 20, 1975

22. Crumlin, Taunton, December 27, 1975

23. The Jeanstan, Ascot, February 18, 1976

24. Nerwyn, Chepstow, October 2, 1976

25. Kent’s Mill, Taunton, May 6, 1977

26. Kent’s Mill, Devon & Exeter, May 11, 1977

27. Monkstown, Devon & Exeter, April 8, 1978

28. Uther Pendragon, Newton Abbot, May 3, 1978

29. The Polcher, Devon & Exeter, September 24, 1981