Henri Segrott

   1879 - 1918

Born in Chantilly in 1879, Henri Segrott rode 26 winners over a period of three seasons at the end of the 19th century, gaining his biggest success in the 1898 Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood. 

He was apprenticed to George Blackwell (1861-1942) who had started training at Newmarket in 1892. During a career lasting over 35 years, Blackwell won every Classic except the Oaks. Among his best horses were the 1903 Triple Crown winner Rock Sand and Sergeant Murphy which won the 1923 Grand National. 

Henri’s first ride was at Newmarket on October 1, 1896 when he finished second on Geordie, owned and trained by Blackwell, in the Apprentices’ Plate. The race was won by Tinsley, ridden by Colledge Leader, also destined to become a Classic-winning trainer.

Henri’s first win did not come until July 1, 1897 when he rode Lord Cadogan’s three-year-old colt Windham to win the Apprentices’ Selling Plate at Newmarket by a neck. A fortnight later he rode the same horse to win another Apprentices’ Selling Plate at Newmarket by an even closer winning margin of a head. He ended the season with five victories.  

The year of 1898 went even better with 13 wins. They included Goodwood’s Chesterfield Cup on Chaleureux, beating Fred Allsopp’s mount St Cloud II by a length. Chaleureux went on to win that year’s Cesarewitch, ridden on that occasion by Otto Madden.

Apart from the Chesterfield Cup, the highlight was probably riding Thimble to win the Egmont Plate at Epsom on May 24, the first day of Epsom’s summer (Derby) meeting. The jockey who finished second, beaten a head, was again Fred Allsopp.

The last eight winners of Henri’s riding career in Britain came in 1899, the final one being on Royal Offspring, who took the Camp Selling Handicap at Leicester on October 4. 

He did not ride in England again until the spring of 1902, his final mount being on May 19 aboard Senateur, who finished unplaced in the Ingestre Handicap at Wolverhampton.

Henri Segrott later rode and trained in Ireland. He died in Colchester on August 9,1918, aged 37, and was buried in Newmarket Cemetery. The Irish jockey M. Lynch was also buried that same week at Newmarket Cemetery.

Henri Segrott’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Windham, Newmarket, July 1, 1897

2. Windham, Newmarket, July 15, 1897

3. Angelot, Newmarket, October 12, 1897

4. Devil-a-Saint, Liverpool, November 10, 1897

5. b. f. by Veracity out of Palila, Manchester, November 26, 1897

6. Bunnidale, Sandown Park, April 21, 1898

7. Thimble, Epsom, May 24, 1898

8. Lady Bounce, Brighton, June 7, 1898

9. Chaleureux, Goodwood, July 29, 1898

10. Childrose, Redcar, August 10, 1898

11. Bonnie Chieftain, Wolverhampton, August 16, 1898

12. Galashiels, York, August 24, 1898

13. Spanish Beauty, Sandown Park, September 3, 1898 (walked over)

14. Compton Miss, Hurst Park, September 24, 1898

15. Debrett, Nottingham, October 4, 1898

16. St. Moritz, Hurst Park, October 29, 1898

17. Sherburn, Gatwick, November 5, 1898

18. b. g. by Marden out of Shewbread, Derby, November 17, 1898

19. Lord Earnest, Nottingham, March 28, 1899

20. Robbie Burns, Birmingham, April 3, 1899

21. London, Newmarket, April 28, 1899

22. Ameer, Doncaster, May 18, 1899

23. Lord Earnest, Newcastle, June 21, 1899

24. Blue Minting, Redcar, August 9, 1899

25. b. f. by Juggler out of Adele, Manchester, September 23, 1899

26. Royal Offspring, Leicester, October 4, 1899