Shaun Salmon
Standing just 4ft. 8ins., Shaun Edward William Salmon was born in Grimsby on January 9, 1956, the son of a scaffolder. He exploded onto the racing season in 1974 when riding 37 winners in his first season.
Standing just 4ft. 8ins., Shaun Edward William Salmon was born in Grimsby on January 9, 1956, the son of a scaffolder. He exploded onto the racing season in 1974 when riding 37 winners in his first season.
Apprenticed to Bill Elsey at Malton, Shaun was soon off the mark, riding his first winner on Elsey's three-year-old Sunlit Spar at Beverley on Saturday, April 6, 1974. He won again on Sunlit Spar at Ripon later that month and for a third time when taking the Roodeye Handicap at Chester’s May Meeting. Just five days before that Chester victory, Shaun had scored on Elsey’s filly Misnomer in the Turn of the Lands Handicap at Newmarket’s Guineas Meeting, and he rode her to victory again at Redcar in June.
Apprenticed to Bill Elsey at Malton, Shaun was soon off the mark, riding his first winner on Elsey's three-year-old Sunlit Spar at Beverley on Saturday, April 6, 1974. He won again on Sunlit Spar at Ripon later that month and for a third time when taking the Roodeye Handicap at Chester’s May Meeting. Just five days before that Chester victory, Shaun had scored on Elsey’s filly Misnomer in the Turn of the Lands Handicap at Newmarket’s Guineas Meeting, and he rode her to victory again at Redcar in June.
Shaun also won four races on Elsey’s chestnut colt Mark Henry, including the Michael Sobell Handicap at York’s Timeform Charity Day on June 15. In September he rode winners on consecutive days at Ayr’s Western Meeting, landing the Ladbroke Dragonara Hotels Handicap on Tommy Shedden’s Two And A Quarter and the Firth of Clyde Stakes on juvenile filly Vanda Diana.
Shaun also won four races on Elsey’s chestnut colt Mark Henry, including the Michael Sobell Handicap at York’s Timeform Charity Day on June 15. In September he rode winners on consecutive days at Ayr’s Western Meeting, landing the Ladbroke Dragonara Hotels Handicap on Tommy Shedden’s Two And A Quarter and the Firth of Clyde Stakes on juvenile filly Vanda Diana.
The following year, 1975, promised much and Shaun duly delivered with 35 winners. Riding Bill Elsey’s filly Dance All Night (left) he won the Thirsk Hunt Cup in May, the Ladbrokes Holidays Handicap at Ayr in September (the first leg of a double on the opening day of the Western Meeting) and went agonisingly close on her to winning that year’s Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, being beaten just a neck by 33-1 shot Lottogift. Other big race wins that season included Redcar’s Northern Sprint Handicap on Joe Mulhall’s Anton Lad and Ayr’s William Hill Handicap on Mark Henry.
The following year, 1975, promised much and Shaun duly delivered with 35 winners. Riding Bill Elsey’s filly Dance All Night (left) he won the Thirsk Hunt Cup in May, the Ladbrokes Holidays Handicap at Ayr in September (the first leg of a double on the opening day of the Western Meeting) and went agonisingly close on her to winning that year’s Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, being beaten just a neck by 33-1 shot Lottogift. Other big race wins that season included Redcar’s Northern Sprint Handicap on Joe Mulhall’s Anton Lad and Ayr’s William Hill Handicap on Mark Henry.
However, the best horse he rode that season was the Mick Easterby-trained Lochnager, on whom he won the Bass Apprentices’ Handicap in June. The following year saw Lochnager plunder four of the top sprint contests: the Temple Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, July Cup, and William Hill Sprint Championship (now the Nunthorpe Stakes), all in the hands of leading northern jockey Edward Hide.
However, the best horse he rode that season was the Mick Easterby-trained Lochnager, on whom he won the Bass Apprentices’ Handicap in June. The following year saw Lochnager plunder four of the top sprint contests: the Temple Stakes, King’s Stand Stakes, July Cup, and William Hill Sprint Championship (now the Nunthorpe Stakes), all in the hands of leading northern jockey Edward Hide.
Having ridden out his claim in just two seasons, Shaun was taking on the senior jockeys on level terms in 1976. He did quite well, amassing 22 winners, including a second Thirsk Hunt Cup on Peter Easterby’s Affirmative, a second Northern Sprint Handicap on Algora, Redcar’s John Player Handicap on Hot Bird and Haydock’s Buggins Farm Nursery on Eminence, the latter trio all being trained by Mick Easterby. Shaun also won Newcastle’s valuable Northern Goldsmiths’ Handicap on Bill Haigh’s filly Lyncathal and continued his successful association with Ayr’s Western Meeting by winning the Ladbrokes Leisure Nursery on another Mick Easterby-trained juvenile, Broon’s Secret.
Having ridden out his claim in just two seasons, Shaun was taking on the senior jockeys on level terms in 1976. He did quite well, amassing 22 winners, including a second Thirsk Hunt Cup on Peter Easterby’s Affirmative, a second Northern Sprint Handicap on Algora, Redcar’s John Player Handicap on Hot Bird and Haydock’s Buggins Farm Nursery on Eminence, the latter trio all being trained by Mick Easterby. Shaun also won Newcastle’s valuable Northern Goldsmiths’ Handicap on Bill Haigh’s filly Lyncathal and continued his successful association with Ayr’s Western Meeting by winning the Ladbrokes Leisure Nursery on another Mick Easterby-trained juvenile, Broon’s Secret.
Shaun’s score dropped to 12 in 1977, the highlights being doubles at Thirsk in May and Beverley in July, plus winning the Ripon City Handicap on Mick Easterby’s three-year-old Jason.
Shaun’s score dropped to 12 in 1977, the highlights being doubles at Thirsk in May and Beverley in July, plus winning the Ripon City Handicap on Mick Easterby’s three-year-old Jason.
He moved south in 1978 and joined Ryan Price’s Findon stable. He rode ten winners that year, including Warwick’s Shiny Tenth Trophy on Paul Kelleway’s mare Touch Of Spring. He also maintained his good record at Ayr’s Western Meeting when winning a second successive Ladbrokes Leisure Nursery, this time on Ryan Price’s Paul Stuart. He finished second on Kelleway’s filly Swiss Maid – along with Lochnager, the best he rode – in the Lupe Stakes at Goodwood in May.
He moved south in 1978 and joined Ryan Price’s Findon stable. He rode ten winners that year, including Warwick’s Shiny Tenth Trophy on Paul Kelleway’s mare Touch Of Spring. He also maintained his good record at Ayr’s Western Meeting when winning a second successive Ladbrokes Leisure Nursery, this time on Ryan Price’s Paul Stuart. He finished second on Kelleway’s filly Swiss Maid – along with Lochnager, the best he rode – in the Lupe Stakes at Goodwood in May.
However, his tally fell dramatically to just two wins in 1979, by which time he’d returned north and linked up with Pat Rohan’s yard. The first of those was on Star Kid for owner-trainer Vic Mitchell at Carlisle in May, the second being Beverley’s Charles Elsey Memorial Challenge Trophy in July on Peter Easterby’s No Bombs, the horse who would subsequently gain notoriety for being disqualified after winning a race when traces of caffeine were found in his urine sample, the result of his having chewed on his stable lad’s Mars bar.
However, his tally fell dramatically to just two wins in 1979, by which time he’d returned north and linked up with Pat Rohan’s yard. The first of those was on Star Kid for owner-trainer Vic Mitchell at Carlisle in May, the second being Beverley’s Charles Elsey Memorial Challenge Trophy in July on Peter Easterby’s No Bombs, the horse who would subsequently gain notoriety for being disqualified after winning a race when traces of caffeine were found in his urine sample, the result of his having chewed on his stable lad’s Mars bar.
Although struggling for rides, Shaun did manage to record the biggest victory of his career in 1980 when winning the Northumberland Plate aboard 40-1 outsider Mons Beau.
Although struggling for rides, Shaun did manage to record the biggest victory of his career in 1980 when winning the Northumberland Plate aboard 40-1 outsider Mons Beau.
In search of greater opportunities, Shaun headed for Zimbabwe, riding at Harare’s Borrowdale Park racecourse alongside former Ian Balding apprentice Alan Freeman. He did well in the African sun before returning to Britain in the late 1980s to try his luck again, riding for Yorkshire trainer Charlie Booth. His last year with a British jockey’s licence was in 1988 when he rode two winners, both for Booth, from 49 mounts. The first of these was Boulevard Girl at Haydock on October 1, the second being on juvenile filly Bursana in the Tattersalls Auction Stakes at Redcar on Wednesday, October 19, 1988.
In search of greater opportunities, Shaun headed for Zimbabwe, riding at Harare’s Borrowdale Park racecourse alongside former Ian Balding apprentice Alan Freeman. He did well in the African sun before returning to Britain in the late 1980s to try his luck again, riding for Yorkshire trainer Charlie Booth. His last year with a British jockey’s licence was in 1988 when he rode two winners, both for Booth, from 49 mounts. The first of these was Boulevard Girl at Haydock on October 1, the second being on juvenile filly Bursana in the Tattersalls Auction Stakes at Redcar on Wednesday, October 19, 1988.
Big winners:
Big winners:
1975: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Dance All Night
1975: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Dance All Night
1976: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Affirmative
1976: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Affirmative
1976: Northern Goldsmith’s Handicap – Lyncathal
1976: Northern Goldsmith’s Handicap – Lyncathal
1980: Northumberland Plate – Mons Beau
1980: Northumberland Plate – Mons Beau