Paul Stone

Paul Stone

Article by Alan Trout

Paul Charles Stone had some success over jumps in the early 1980s, riding five winners. He was a conditional jockey with Cheltenham-based trainer Owen O’Neill and had his first ride at Newton Abbot on October 14, 1980 when Warwick Flyer was unplaced in the Fluder Hill Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle. 

It was not until the meeting at Folkestone on March 8, 1983 that he rode a winner when Hulda, trained by Owen O’Neill, led at the second last and came home ten lengths clear in the Winchelsea Novices’ Selling Chase (Division 1). They had been beaten a neck in a selling hurdle at Leicester on their previous start together. 

Hulda changed stables following that Folkestone success and Paul had no more chances on him, but he did have a second victory that season when Dundrum Bay, trained by Arthur Barrow, led all the way and landed the Buttercross Novices’ Chase at Ludlow on May 12, scoring by six lengths. He kept the ride on Dundrum Bay and they won again at Worcester on September 1 when beating two rivals in the Redditch Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase by a distance. 

Dundrum Bay failed to finish in his next three races, all with Paul aboard, but the jockey had his second success of the season when Gypsy Lane got up in the last few strides to take the Novices’ Hurdle at Wincanton on November 10 by a short head.

Then it was back to Newton Abbot, the scene of his first ride, for a fifth and final win when Violino Fandango, trained by Mrs Betty Kennard, held the challenge of Il Pontevecchio to take the Haytor Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2) by three-quarters of a length on February 14, 1984.

Although Paul finished second on at least two more occasions, a sixth win eluded him. He had his final ride when pulling up Gypsey Lea in the Kenton Handicap Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on December 7, 1984.

Paul Stone’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Hulda, Folkestone, March 8, 1983

2. Dundrum Bay, Ludlow, May 12, 1983

3. Dundrum Bay, Worcester, September 1, 1983

4. Gypsy Lane, Wincanton, November 10, 1983

5. Violino Fandango, Newton Abbot, February 14, 1984