Jonathan Sampson

Jonathan Sampson

Article by Alan Trout

Jonathan Kenneth Sampson rode one winner over jumps in three consecutive seasons in the early 1980s. He started out as a conditional jockey with Peter Cundell and finished third of four on his first ride in public aboard Vulabaloo in the Round Oak Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on November 24, 1978.

Although he finished second, albeit beaten ten lengths, at least once the following season, it was not until March 20, 1982 that he celebrated a winner, that moment coming at Uttoxeter where Weston Bay narrowly got the better of a prolonged battle with Be Friendly Too to land the Potters Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle by a neck. The five-year-old was owned and trained by Martin Pipe, and Jonathan was riding him for the first time. 

He had his second win just over a year later when Gilded Crescent landed the Hawkins Conditional Jockeys’ Selling Handicap Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on April 8, 1983, beating Tacova buy a length and a half. He regularly rode the five-year-old, and it was the only time she was placed in six starts that season.

He made a good start to the 1983/84 campaign, winning the Avon Selling Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot on August 11, his mount being the seven-year-old Misty Fantan, again trained by Martin Pipe, for whom Joanathan was by then riding as a conditional. It was only in the last few strides that Misty Fantan got the better of Singing Fool, the mount of Peter Scudamore.

Jonathan had three more starts on Misty Fantan and was placed twice. However. He had few other opportunities and did not renew his licence the following season.