Stephen Ross
Durham-born James Stephen Ross – he was always known by his second Christian name – was leading jockey for the first half an hour of the 1964 Flat racing year. He won the opening race of the season, a victory which, ironically, proved to be his sole success on the Flat.
Durham-born James Stephen Ross – he was always known by his second Christian name – was leading jockey for the first half an hour of the 1964 Flat racing year. He won the opening race of the season, a victory which, ironically, proved to be his sole success on the Flat.
Born on November 9 1946, he had become apprenticed to Malton trainer Pat Rohan at the age of 16 in 1962. At Lincoln on Monday, March 16, 1964, on just his second ride in public, 18-year-old Stephen won the 27-runner Billy Butlin Apprentice Handicap on Dorando. He lost his cap during the race but did not lose his composure, sailing home by three lengths from Eyes Down, who beat Garnett Boy by two lengths for second place.
Born on November 9 1946, he had become apprenticed to Malton trainer Pat Rohan at the age of 16 in 1962. At Lincoln on Monday, March 16, 1964, on just his second ride in public, 18-year-old Stephen won the 27-runner Billy Butlin Apprentice Handicap on Dorando. He lost his cap during the race but did not lose his composure, sailing home by three lengths from Eyes Down, who beat Garnett Boy by two lengths for second place.
Dorando was owned and trained by Rohan, having been bought for him by the Newmarket Bloodstock Agency for 250gns at the Newmarket Sales in October 1963. Rohan had been trying to sell the horse all winter. He thought he’d found a buyer at 600gns the week before the race but the deal fell through. That was Rohan’s good fortune as he picked up £1,116 for winning the race.
Dorando was owned and trained by Rohan, having been bought for him by the Newmarket Bloodstock Agency for 250gns at the Newmarket Sales in October 1963. Rohan had been trying to sell the horse all winter. He thought he’d found a buyer at 600gns the week before the race but the deal fell through. That was Rohan’s good fortune as he picked up £1,116 for winning the race.
That was the last time Lincoln ushered in the Flat racing year, for the course would be axed from the fixture list just a few months later.
That was the last time Lincoln ushered in the Flat racing year, for the course would be axed from the fixture list just a few months later.
Rising weight eventually forced Stephen to switch to riding under National Hunt rules. He held a jump jockey’s licence between 1968 and 1975 and rode four winners in that sphere. The first of those was on Chief Inspector, owned and trained by Norman Chamberlain at West Auckland, County Durham, in a novice riders’ selling handicap hurdle at Catterick on January 18, 1969.
Rising weight eventually forced Stephen to switch to riding under National Hunt rules. He held a jump jockey’s licence between 1968 and 1975 and rode four winners in that sphere. The first of those was on Chief Inspector, owned and trained by Norman Chamberlain at West Auckland, County Durham, in a novice riders’ selling handicap hurdle at Catterick on January 18, 1969.
Stephen rode two winners the following season, handicap chaser Sea Dreamer for Frank Carr at Southwell in December 1969, and Roy Whiston’s selling hurdler Gelegnite at Haydock in January 1970.
Stephen rode two winners the following season, handicap chaser Sea Dreamer for Frank Carr at Southwell in December 1969, and Roy Whiston’s selling hurdler Gelegnite at Haydock in January 1970.
He had just one more visit to the winner’s enclosure, that being on Spey Catch for Colin Tinkler in the Lord Lovetin Novices’ Selling Hurdle at Teesside Park (Stockton) on February 25, 1972. He continued to hold a licence for three further seasons but rode no more winners.
He had just one more visit to the winner’s enclosure, that being on Spey Catch for Colin Tinkler in the Lord Lovetin Novices’ Selling Hurdle at Teesside Park (Stockton) on February 25, 1972. He continued to hold a licence for three further seasons but rode no more winners.
Steven Ross’s winners were, in chronological order:
Steven Ross’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Dorando, Lincoln, March 16, 1964
1. Dorando, Lincoln, March 16, 1964
2. Chief Inspector, Catterick Bridge, January 18, 1969
2. Chief Inspector, Catterick Bridge, January 18, 1969
3. Sea Dreamer, Southwell, December 8, 1969
3. Sea Dreamer, Southwell, December 8, 1969
4. Gelegnite, Haydock Park, January 3, 1970
4. Gelegnite, Haydock Park, January 3, 1970
5. Spey Catch, Teesside Park, February 25, 1972
5. Spey Catch, Teesside Park, February 25, 1972