Frank Usher
1902 -1954
1902 -1954
Born on December 26, 1902, amateur rider Frank Simeon Caverhill Usher rode 38 winners under National Hunt rules including one at Cheltenham’s National Hunt Meeting.
Born on December 26, 1902, amateur rider Frank Simeon Caverhill Usher rode 38 winners under National Hunt rules including one at Cheltenham’s National Hunt Meeting.
He made his debut under NH rules at Gatwick on January 6, 1926, finishing fourth on Time Enough in the Clayton Selling Handicap Chase. The following month, Time Enough gave him his first success when winning the Burston Selling Chase, also at Gatwick, by eight lengths on February 3, 1926.
He made his debut under NH rules at Gatwick on January 6, 1926, finishing fourth on Time Enough in the Clayton Selling Handicap Chase. The following month, Time Enough gave him his first success when winning the Burston Selling Chase, also at Gatwick, by eight lengths on February 3, 1926.
Frank linked up with Scottish Borders trainer Stewart Wight and enjoyed his most successful season in 1932/33 with ten wins, six of them courtesy of the Wight-trained Sobrino, most notably when landing the Stayers’ Selling Hurdle at Cheltenham’s 1933 National Hunt Meeting. Sobrino also formed the second leg of a double for Frank at Kelso on May 3, 1933, winning the Berrymoss Corinthian Handicap Hurdle on Gowan Lodge and the Kelso Handicap Hurdle on Sobrino, both of them trained by Wight. His ten wins placed him joint-fourth in that season’s amateur riders’ table.
Frank linked up with Scottish Borders trainer Stewart Wight and enjoyed his most successful season in 1932/33 with ten wins, six of them courtesy of the Wight-trained Sobrino, most notably when landing the Stayers’ Selling Hurdle at Cheltenham’s 1933 National Hunt Meeting. Sobrino also formed the second leg of a double for Frank at Kelso on May 3, 1933, winning the Berrymoss Corinthian Handicap Hurdle on Gowan Lodge and the Kelso Handicap Hurdle on Sobrino, both of them trained by Wight. His ten wins placed him joint-fourth in that season’s amateur riders’ table.
He relinquished his amateur rider’s lucence in October 1936 and did not ride under National Hunt rules again until after the war. He rode three winners in 1945/46 and one each in both 1946/47 and 1947/48, all of them being gained on his own horse Tardy Book, again trained by Stewart Wight. They comprised Frank’s last five wins under NH rules.
He relinquished his amateur rider’s lucence in October 1936 and did not ride under National Hunt rules again until after the war. He rode three winners in 1945/46 and one each in both 1946/47 and 1947/48, all of them being gained on his own horse Tardy Book, again trained by Stewart Wight. They comprised Frank’s last five wins under NH rules.
His five wins on Tardy Book (including three in a row, two of them on both days of Carlisle’s 1946 Easter meeting) were:
His five wins on Tardy Book (including three in a row, two of them on both days of Carlisle’s 1946 Easter meeting) were:
April 20, 1946, Carlisle: Warwick Novices’ Hurdle, 2m.
April 20, 1946, Carlisle: Warwick Novices’ Hurdle, 2m.
April 22, 1946, Carlisle: Durdar Handicap Hurdle, 3m 100yds.
April 22, 1946, Carlisle: Durdar Handicap Hurdle, 3m 100yds.
June 8, 1946, Hexham: Target Handicap Hurdle, 2m 4f.
June 8, 1946, Hexham: Target Handicap Hurdle, 2m 4f.
October 25, 1946, Carlisle: Shap Handicap Hurdle, 3m 110yds.
October 25, 1946, Carlisle: Shap Handicap Hurdle, 3m 110yds.
October 24, 1947, Kelso: Caverton Handicap Hurdle, 2m 4f.
October 24, 1947, Kelso: Caverton Handicap Hurdle, 2m 4f.
He rode for the last time under NH rules wh4en finishing fifth on Allegory in the Sunlaws (4&5yo) Hurdle at Kelso on May 5, 1948.
He rode for the last time under NH rules wh4en finishing fifth on Allegory in the Sunlaws (4&5yo) Hurdle at Kelso on May 5, 1948.
Frank Usher died on October 23, 1954, aged 51.
Frank Usher died on October 23, 1954, aged 51.
