David Wilding

David Wilding

Article by Alan Trout

David Alan Wilding had three wins under National Hunt rules in the mid-1950s. His first ride, Miss Max, finished unplaced in the Merton Selling Handicap Hurdle at Hurst Park on January 15, 1953. 

Ten months later, David enjoyed his first win when April View beat 21 rivals to claim the Ripley Selling Handicap Hurdle at Sandown Park on January 16, 1954. It was a race for novice jockeys, others riding in the race included Bill Rees, Dick Broadway and Edgar Springate. The winner was a five-year-old, owned and trained by Harold Wallington at Epsom, and had shown little in three previous races that season, the most recent of which had been at Hurst Park two days earlier with David on board for the second time. 

The mare never ran again and David had to wait until March 11, 1955 for a second success. It came at Hurst Park where, despite making mistakes, Two Royals, also trained by Harold Wallington, came home a comfortable winner of the Southborough Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) by eight lengths. Next time, at Plumpton on Easter Monday, April 11, the partnership was again victorious, winning the Southover Hurdle by three lengths.

David only managed one second place on Two Royals from six starts spread over the next two seasons. Their final outing together was when finishing fifth of eight in the Lime Handicap Hurdle at Sandown Park’s Grand Military meeting on March 23, 1957. That was also David’s last ride