Ron Singer
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
Horseracing is a precarious sport. It is littered with ‘what ifs’ concerning jockeys who were on the brink of breaking into the big time only for their careers to be cruelly ended by serious injury. Among those so affected is former top apprentice Ron Singer.
Horseracing is a precarious sport. It is littered with ‘what ifs’ concerning jockeys who were on the brink of breaking into the big time only for their careers to be cruelly ended by serious injury. Among those so affected is former top apprentice Ron Singer.
He was born on January 3, 1941 in Bethnall Green, East London. Appropriately for someone named Singer, in his early teens he appeared in the London stage productions of ‘The King and I’ and ‘South Pacific’ before he gave up the footlights to go into racing. A call at the Labour Exchange resulted in him joining the Newmarket stable of Geoff Barling in February 1956. He rode his first winner, aged 16, on Lunar Way in the Yarmouth September Handicap on September 19, 1957. It was his only winner from 15 rides that year.
He was born on January 3, 1941 in Bethnall Green, East London. Appropriately for someone named Singer, in his early teens he appeared in the London stage productions of ‘The King and I’ and ‘South Pacific’ before he gave up the footlights to go into racing. A call at the Labour Exchange resulted in him joining the Newmarket stable of Geoff Barling in February 1956. He rode his first winner, aged 16, on Lunar Way in the Yarmouth September Handicap on September 19, 1957. It was his only winner from 15 rides that year.
He finished third on Beyond the Moss in the 1958 Great Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom. Three winners in the space of four days in August that year, plus doubles at Nottingham and Lingfield, got him noticed and he finished the campaign with a dozen winners from 136 rides. Again appropriately, given his musical background, three of his winning rides were on a horse called Chou Chin Chow.
He finished third on Beyond the Moss in the 1958 Great Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom. Three winners in the space of four days in August that year, plus doubles at Nottingham and Lingfield, got him noticed and he finished the campaign with a dozen winners from 136 rides. Again appropriately, given his musical background, three of his winning rides were on a horse called Chou Chin Chow.
He rode Chou Chin Chow in the 1959 Lincolnshire Handicap, leading the field for the first five furlongs of the race. He ended that day by opening his account for the season on Harvest Song.
He rode Chou Chin Chow in the 1959 Lincolnshire Handicap, leading the field for the first five furlongs of the race. He ended that day by opening his account for the season on Harvest Song.
He finished second in Redcar’s valuable Zetland Gold Cup on Warrior, and third in the Royal Hunt Cup on Small Slam, but high profile successes soon came his way. He rode Fulke Walwyn’s Kadir Cup to victory the Victoria Handicap on Sandown’s Eclipse day card and followed up with a winner at Newmarket’s July Meeting. In September he partnered Small Slam to success in the Doncaster Handicap and Princess Antiope to win the Cleveland Handicap at the St Leger Meeting.
He finished second in Redcar’s valuable Zetland Gold Cup on Warrior, and third in the Royal Hunt Cup on Small Slam, but high profile successes soon came his way. He rode Fulke Walwyn’s Kadir Cup to victory the Victoria Handicap on Sandown’s Eclipse day card and followed up with a winner at Newmarket’s July Meeting. In September he partnered Small Slam to success in the Doncaster Handicap and Princess Antiope to win the Cleveland Handicap at the St Leger Meeting.
He scored a double at Newmarket’s First October Meeting, won Ascot’s Tankerville Nursery on the Jeremy Tree-trained Moneymaker, and rounded off the season by winning the Midland Cesarewitch at Birmingham on Grecian Granite. He ended the 1959 campaign having more than doubled his previous year’s score, riding 25 winners from 260 rides.
He scored a double at Newmarket’s First October Meeting, won Ascot’s Tankerville Nursery on the Jeremy Tree-trained Moneymaker, and rounded off the season by winning the Midland Cesarewitch at Birmingham on Grecian Granite. He ended the 1959 campaign having more than doubled his previous year’s score, riding 25 winners from 260 rides.
The diminutive Ron Singer could go to scale well below 7 stone and had by now acquired a reputation as a highly capable horseman. Cope’s Racegoer’s Encyclopaedia commented “he possesses all the qualities that go to make a top class jockey. He has good hands, good judgement of pace, and the ability to get the most out of his mount in a finish without undue recourse to the whip.”
The diminutive Ron Singer could go to scale well below 7 stone and had by now acquired a reputation as a highly capable horseman. Cope’s Racegoer’s Encyclopaedia commented “he possesses all the qualities that go to make a top class jockey. He has good hands, good judgement of pace, and the ability to get the most out of his mount in a finish without undue recourse to the whip.”
As usual, the 1960 Flat season opened at Lincoln and then moved west to Liverpool for the Grand National meeting, which in those days comprised a mixture of Flat and jumps. Ron Singer had rides on all three days of the Lincoln fixture, including Small Slam, unplaced in the Lincolnshire Handicap, and he rounded off the meeting by winning the Castle (3yo) Plate on Harold Wallington’s Fulshaw Cross.
As usual, the 1960 Flat season opened at Lincoln and then moved west to Liverpool for the Grand National meeting, which in those days comprised a mixture of Flat and jumps. Ron Singer had rides on all three days of the Lincoln fixture, including Small Slam, unplaced in the Lincolnshire Handicap, and he rounded off the meeting by winning the Castle (3yo) Plate on Harold Wallington’s Fulshaw Cross.
He had no rides on Aintree’s first day but on the second day, Friday, March 25, he rode 100-9 chance Cross-Bill in the Liverpool Spring Cup. The 15 runner field had gone less than a furlong when Cross-Bill clipped heels and fell. Singer’s suffered serious head injuries, so bad that it was feared he would never recover. Top brain specialists at the Liverpool Hospital fought to save his life. He lay unconscious for 39 days, and it was another four months before he could recognise his parents.
He had no rides on Aintree’s first day but on the second day, Friday, March 25, he rode 100-9 chance Cross-Bill in the Liverpool Spring Cup. The 15 runner field had gone less than a furlong when Cross-Bill clipped heels and fell. Singer’s suffered serious head injuries, so bad that it was feared he would never recover. Top brain specialists at the Liverpool Hospital fought to save his life. He lay unconscious for 39 days, and it was another four months before he could recognise his parents.
When finally released from hospital, his recovery was slow but determined. Two years after the fall, the Sporting Life reported that he was making daily visits to his local rehabilitation centre at Camden Town, where he underwent exercises to strengthen leg muscles, and physical training to bring him back to fitness. The ability to read and write had eventually came back to him after months of perseverance. He also indulged in carpentry to strengthen his powers of concentration.
When finally released from hospital, his recovery was slow but determined. Two years after the fall, the Sporting Life reported that he was making daily visits to his local rehabilitation centre at Camden Town, where he underwent exercises to strengthen leg muscles, and physical training to bring him back to fitness. The ability to read and write had eventually came back to him after months of perseverance. He also indulged in carpentry to strengthen his powers of concentration.
Singer went back to Newmarket to visit his old “guv’nor” Geoff Barling and the memories rekindled his enthusiasm to ride again, although he acknowledged that the prospects were slim. At the time of his accident he had ridden 39 winners.
Singer went back to Newmarket to visit his old “guv’nor” Geoff Barling and the memories rekindled his enthusiasm to ride again, although he acknowledged that the prospects were slim. At the time of his accident he had ridden 39 winners.
He never came back. His injuries were too severe and, in truth, he has never fully recovered from the effects of the fall. A lively character, he moved back to Newmarket and could often be found in the local Conservative Club, chatting away with racing fans and stable staff. His memory is short term – he’ll tell someone a story, only to repeat it five minutes later. But nonetheless he has recovered sufficiently to enjoy a quality of life that looked at best unlikely – assuming he survived – in the months following his untimely accident.
He never came back. His injuries were too severe and, in truth, he has never fully recovered from the effects of the fall. A lively character, he moved back to Newmarket and could often be found in the local Conservative Club, chatting away with racing fans and stable staff. His memory is short term – he’ll tell someone a story, only to repeat it five minutes later. But nonetheless he has recovered sufficiently to enjoy a quality of life that looked at best unlikely – assuming he survived – in the months following his untimely accident.