Joe Stevens

Joe Stevens

Article by Alan Trout

Joe Albert Abraham Stevens rode two winners on the Flat in 1938, then returned after World War II to add another 14 over jumps. 

Born in 1921, he was apprenticed to former successful Flat jockey Johnny Dines at Epsom and had his first winner when Knight Of The Garden won the Mayblossom Selling Handicap over the straight six furlongs at Gatwick, beating future hurdle race specialist Harry Sprague on Another Greek by a head. 

Joe retained the ride, finishing second twice in six outings. His other success on the Flat came at Redcar on June 6, and he was certainly mixing with the best that day. Canopsus, his winner of the Cleveland Apprentice Plate, was owned by Marcel Boussac, who, as the ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Flat Racing’ states: “had one of the greatest racing and breeding empires that has ever existed in Europe,” and was trained by multiple champion jockey Steve Donoghue. It was the last time the French-bred Canopsus ran in England, and it would be almost eight years before Joe visited the winner’s enclosure again. 

His first ride under National Hunt rules was an unplaced effort on Hernani in the Southdown Novices’ Hurdle at Plumpton on March 1, 1941, and it was on that same course five years later that he achieved his third success – his first over jumps – when Lochinvar comfortably won the Offham Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2) on March 23, 1946, beating Don Butchers on Foxington by 10 lengths. They teamed up again the following season to win two more races. 

Joe won twice on the hurdler Grateful and also rode him in the 1950 Imperial Cup at Sandown, trailing home last of the 12 finishers.  

His final win was at Kempton Park on November 22, 1951, when Rocamadour finished six lengths ahead of The Miner at the end of the Juvenile Hurdle. However, they made little show in two further starts that season. The same horse provided Joe with his final ride when eighth of nine runners in the Rochester Handicap Hurdle at Wye on May 17, 1954. 

Joe continued to live the rest of his life in Epsom, among his most treasured souvenirs being one of Knight Of The Garden’s racing plates mounted on an inscribed brass plaque to commemorate his first win, along with a photograph of the finish in which he beat (then fellow apprentice) Harry Sprague by a head. 

Joe Stevens’ winners were, in chronological order.

1. Knight Of The Garden, Gatwick, May 14, 1938

2. Canopsus, Redcar, June 6, 1938

3. Lochinvar, Plumpton, March 23, 1946

4. Lochinvar, Wolverhampton, November 18, 1946

5. Charlton Lad, Leicester, January 13 ,1947

6. Prickly, Wye, March 17, 1947 

7. Prickly, Fontwell Park, March 19, 1947

8. Lochinvar, Market Rasen, April 7, 1947

9. Oyster Bar, Buckfastleigh, August 7, 1948

10. Grateful, Sandown Park, December 17, 1949

11. Grateful, Cheltenham, December 29, 1949

12. Funcheon View, Southwell, April 16, 1950

13. Brister’s Buttons, Ayr, November 24, 1950

14. Fair View, Southwell, March 22, 1951

15. Brister’s Buttons, Perth, April 18, 1951

16. Rocamadour, Kempton Park, November 22, 1951