David Taylor.

David Taylor

Born in 1951, David Taylor had 14 winners over jumps in the early 1970s, including victory in one of the north’s most prestigious races, the Rowland Meyrick Chase.  

Associated with leading Towton-based jumps trainer Charlie Hall, he had his first ride when unseated from the 13-year-old Barleycroft in the Clifford Selling Chase at Wetherby on November 9, 1968. Barleycroft had been competing in races for ten years by then and had won the Metropolitan Hurdle at Sandown back in 1960 when trained by Bob Turnell. He had been Phil Harvey’s mount in the 1965 Grand National, when brought down at Becher’s first time round. 

More than two years elapsed before David rode his first winner but it finally arrived at Catterick on January 18, 1971, when his mount, the five-year-old Goliath, trained by Charlie Hall, dead-heated with Nether Edge at the end of the Manfield Handicap Hurdle. Ironically, Nether Edge’s rider, Pat McCarron, was Charlie Hall’s stable jockey at the time. 

David had three more winners before the season ended, including two more on Goliath, then fared ever better in 1971/72 with six wins from just 25 rides. They included by far his biggest success when Great Noise defeated six rivals to take the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby’s on December 27 (Boxing Day having fallen on a Sunday that year). 

Despite the drizzle, more than 6,500 racegoers gathered at Wetherby that year for the course’s Christmas highlight, some 2,200 more than in 1970. They witnessed Great Noise, owned by Clifford Nicholson and trained by Charlie Hall, win in fine style. Absent for the whole of the previous season with leg trouble, the rejuvenated seven-year-old finished two lengths ahead of Irish Rain with Princess Camilla third.

It was the only occasion David rode Great Noise that season. He was usually partnered by Pat McCarron, who was in action at the same meeting but he struggled to ride at under 10st 5lb, whereas Great Noise was set to carry 10st, David’s 7lb claim reducing his weight to just 9st 7lb. David had no further opportunities on Great Noise, his final race being when completing the course 13th of 17 finishers in the 1973 Grand National.  

Less than a year after his greatest success, David returned to Wetherby on November 18, 1972, for what would prove to be his final win when Clear Cut, also trained by Charlie Hall, led all the way to land the Crimple Handicap Chase by six lengths. Six days later came his last ride when Fugal Deal fell at the first flight in the Jackdaw Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle. 

Whether that fall was directly responsible for ending what looked like a promising career is not known, but he relinquished his licence on January 18, 1973, bringing it to an abrupt close. Prior to that, he had ridden 14 winners at a highly respectable strike rate of 28%.

David Taylor’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Goliath, Catterick Bridge, January 18, 1971 (dead heat)

2. Goliath, Wetherby, January 26, 1971

3. Wind And Water, Doncaster, March 1, 1971

4. Goliath, Nottingham, March 23, 1971

5. Marie Denise, Market Rasen, November 12, 1971

6. Carnival Time, Southwell, December 6, 1971

7. Marie Denise, Nottingham, December 18, 1971

8. Great Noise, Wetherby, December 27, 1971

9. Irish Cloud, Haydock Park, January 8, 1972

10. Usyins, Ayr, March 13, 1972

11. Broughty Castle, Market Rasen, September 30, 1972

12. Broughty Castle, Market Rasen, October 27, 1972

13. Fugal Deal, Wetherby, November 17, 1972

14. Clear Cut, Wetherby, November 18, 1972

Thanks to Alan Trout for providing much of this article including the full list of winners. Additional information courtesy of The Complete Record issue no. 44, ‘The Rowland Meyrick Chase 1957-2005’ by Paul Davies.