Asa Wingate

Asa Wingate

Article by Alan Trout

Asa Wingate, a conditional jockey with John Jenkins, rode three winners over jumps during the winter of 1991/92.

His first success came at Folkestone on December 28, 1991, when Nicknavar won the ‘Number Engaged’ Challenge Bowl (Division 2), a novice chase, by ten lengths. The six-year-old had been pulled up on his only previous start that season but now jumped better than his main rivals and led from the 11th fence. Asa had one more ride on Nicknavar but was unseated at Fontwell in April 1992 when holding every chance.

In between those Folkestone and Fontwell races Asa had twice been successful in all-weather bumpers, the first being at Lingfield Park on January 16, when Andrews Minstrel had held off the challenge of Mrs Jawleyford by half a length to land the ‘Penny Wise’ N.H. Flat Race.  

Trained by John Jenkins, Andrews Minstrel had been second with Asa on board in a similar contest at the same course ten days earlier, beaten six lengths. Their third start together ended in a similar fashion to the first, finishing second at Lingfield on February 6, this time beaten eight lengths.  

Asa won his third and final race when opposed by only three rivals in the Atlanta N.H. Flat Race, again at Lingfield, on March 5, 1992, when Who’s Next, making his debut under National Hunt rules, took the lead with two furlongs to run and coasted home by seven lengths. Asa had one more ride on the John Jenkins-trained four-year-old and about 20 rides altogether that season, but although he was runner-up on four occasions, there were no more wins.