John Woodall
1940 - 2001
1940 - 2001
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
John Henry Woodall was born in Birmingham on May 3, 1940. He became apprenticed to John Roberts at Prestbury, Cheltenham, aged 15.
John Henry Woodall was born in Birmingham on May 3, 1940. He became apprenticed to John Roberts at Prestbury, Cheltenham, aged 15.
He first held a jump jockey’s licence in 1959/60 but had to wait until December 11, 1962 for his first winner on Complete Treasure in a three-year-old selling hurdle at Birmingham. He waited even longer for his second winner, until April 4, 1966, when the veteran Prince Seppal obliged in a selling chase at Leicester.
He first held a jump jockey’s licence in 1959/60 but had to wait until December 11, 1962 for his first winner on Complete Treasure in a three-year-old selling hurdle at Birmingham. He waited even longer for his second winner, until April 4, 1966, when the veteran Prince Seppal obliged in a selling chase at Leicester.
But from then on the winners started to come. He had a brief spell with trainer Verly Bewicke and rode a winner for him, Jenin at Newton Abbot, and wound up that season, 1965/66, with a score of five, highlighted by an end of season Taunton double on Prince Seppal and Brean Down.
But from then on the winners started to come. He had a brief spell with trainer Verly Bewicke and rode a winner for him, Jenin at Newton Abbot, and wound up that season, 1965/66, with a score of five, highlighted by an end of season Taunton double on Prince Seppal and Brean Down.
Brean Down, on whom John won five times, nominating him the best horse he rode, was trained by Ted Swaffield at Buckland Ripers, near Weymouth, Dorset. He won three times during the early part of the 1966/67 season, culminating in victory in the Tewkesbury Chase at Cheltenham.
Brean Down, on whom John won five times, nominating him the best horse he rode, was trained by Ted Swaffield at Buckland Ripers, near Weymouth, Dorset. He won three times during the early part of the 1966/67 season, culminating in victory in the Tewkesbury Chase at Cheltenham.
John also enjoyed a long and fruitful association with trainer Owen O’Neill. Six of his seven wins in the 1967/68 campaign were for O’Neill: on juvenile hurdlers King of the Winds (three times) and Nishaan (twice) – they provided John with the second double of his career at Devon & Exeter on September 6 – and once on novice chaser Toorak. His other winner that season, Tasty Son at Worcester, was supplied by Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham trainer Phil Doherty.
John also enjoyed a long and fruitful association with trainer Owen O’Neill. Six of his seven wins in the 1967/68 campaign were for O’Neill: on juvenile hurdlers King of the Winds (three times) and Nishaan (twice) – they provided John with the second double of his career at Devon & Exeter on September 6 – and once on novice chaser Toorak. His other winner that season, Tasty Son at Worcester, was supplied by Cleeve Hill, Cheltenham trainer Phil Doherty.
John got off to a good start to 1968/69 with an early victory on Straight Gina at Hereford on August 31, but that was to be his only winner of the season. He rode three more the next season, the last being achieved on novice hurdler Ward Arms at Hereford on Easter Monday 1970.
John got off to a good start to 1968/69 with an early victory on Straight Gina at Hereford on August 31, but that was to be his only winner of the season. He rode three more the next season, the last being achieved on novice hurdler Ward Arms at Hereford on Easter Monday 1970.
Ward Arms was his last success. He retired aged 32 in 1972, having ridden 22 winners, and established a livery yard, initially in Guiting Power and then at Charlton Abbott.
Ward Arms was his last success. He retired aged 32 in 1972, having ridden 22 winners, and established a livery yard, initially in Guiting Power and then at Charlton Abbott.
He died in Cheltenham General Hospital on May 21, 2001, aged 61.
He died in Cheltenham General Hospital on May 21, 2001, aged 61.
John Woodall’s winners were in chronological order:
John Woodall’s winners were in chronological order:
1. Complete Treasure, Birmingham, December 11, 1962
1. Complete Treasure, Birmingham, December 11, 1962
2. Prince Seppal, Leicester, April 4, 1966
2. Prince Seppal, Leicester, April 4, 1966
3. Jenin, Newton Abbot, May 13, 1966
3. Jenin, Newton Abbot, May 13, 1966
4. Brean Down, Newton Abbot, May 31, 1966
4. Brean Down, Newton Abbot, May 31, 1966
5. Prince Seppal, Taunton, June 4, 1966
5. Prince Seppal, Taunton, June 4, 1966
6. Brean Down, Taunton, June 4, 1966
6. Brean Down, Taunton, June 4, 1966
7. Brean Down, Devon & Exeter, August 18, 1966
7. Brean Down, Devon & Exeter, August 18, 1966
8. Brean Down, Newton Abbot, August 29, 1966
8. Brean Down, Newton Abbot, August 29, 1966
9. Brean Down, Cheltenham, October 12, 1966
9. Brean Down, Cheltenham, October 12, 1966
10. Right Wing, Worcester, October 27, 1966
10. Right Wing, Worcester, October 27, 1966
11. Amontillado, Taunton, February 11, 1967
11. Amontillado, Taunton, February 11, 1967
12. King of the Winds, Newton Abbot, August 5, 1967
12. King of the Winds, Newton Abbot, August 5, 1967
13. Nishaan, Devon & Exeter, September 6, 1967
13. Nishaan, Devon & Exeter, September 6, 1967
14. King of the Winds, Devon & Exeter, September 6, 1967
14. King of the Winds, Devon & Exeter, September 6, 1967
15. King of the Winds, Ludlow, September 21, 1967
15. King of the Winds, Ludlow, September 21, 1967
16. Nishaan, Wye, October 5, 1967
16. Nishaan, Wye, October 5, 1967
17. Toorak, Plumpton, October 17, 1967
17. Toorak, Plumpton, October 17, 1967
18. Tasty Son, Worcester, April 10, 1968
18. Tasty Son, Worcester, April 10, 1968
19. Straight Gina, Hereford, August 31, 1968
19. Straight Gina, Hereford, August 31, 1968
20. Rainbow Royal, Leicester, November 3, 1969
20. Rainbow Royal, Leicester, November 3, 1969
21. Hamewith, Chepstow, February 3, 1970
21. Hamewith, Chepstow, February 3, 1970
22. Ward Arms, Hereford, March 30, 1970
22. Ward Arms, Hereford, March 30, 1970