Simon Whitworth
The son of a solicitor, Simon John Whitworth, born in Rochdale on January 3, 1962. He learned to ride and competed in gymkhanas around the Rochdale area before joining Willie Stephenson, aged 16, at Royston. He had his first rides in 1979 but no winners.
The son of a solicitor, Simon John Whitworth, born in Rochdale on January 3, 1962. He learned to ride and competed in gymkhanas around the Rochdale area before joining Willie Stephenson, aged 16, at Royston. He had his first rides in 1979 but no winners.
Having decided he’d prefer to continue his apprenticeship at Newmarket, Simon joined Michael Stoute’s yard. He rode out some top-class horses there, none more so than Shergar, in the early part of his two-year-old career in 1980.
Having decided he’d prefer to continue his apprenticeship at Newmarket, Simon joined Michael Stoute’s yard. He rode out some top-class horses there, none more so than Shergar, in the early part of his two-year-old career in 1980.
He had his first ride for Stoute in an apprentices’ race at Newmarket in 1980 but shortly afterwards broke his leg while playing football against Gavin Pritchard-Gordon’s team. When the leg eventually mended, he accepted the offer of a job with Denys Smith at Bishop Auckland. However, he didn’t get any rides there and soon became disillusioned, so he left racing for a year, selling kitchens in Manchester.
He had his first ride for Stoute in an apprentices’ race at Newmarket in 1980 but shortly afterwards broke his leg while playing football against Gavin Pritchard-Gordon’s team. When the leg eventually mended, he accepted the offer of a job with Denys Smith at Bishop Auckland. However, he didn’t get any rides there and soon became disillusioned, so he left racing for a year, selling kitchens in Manchester.
He returned to racing and rode his first winner on Byroc Boy, left, trained by David Jermy, at Warwick on May 3, 1982. He subsequently joined Alan Bailey and then Rod Simpson, for whom he rode Falcon Flight over hurdles at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, 1991.
He returned to racing and rode his first winner on Byroc Boy, left, trained by David Jermy, at Warwick on May 3, 1982. He subsequently joined Alan Bailey and then Rod Simpson, for whom he rode Falcon Flight over hurdles at Sedgefield on Boxing Day, 1991.
Though neither a top-class rider nor a prolific winner, he nonetheless rode the winners of several good races, including the 1985 Henry II at Sandown, May 27, on Destroyer, the 1986 Northumberland Plate on Sneak Preview, the 2002 Lincoln Handicap on Zucchero, plus Haydock’s Sandy Lane Stakes and the Queen’s Prize at Kempton.
Though neither a top-class rider nor a prolific winner, he nonetheless rode the winners of several good races, including the 1985 Henry II at Sandown, May 27, on Destroyer, the 1986 Northumberland Plate on Sneak Preview, the 2002 Lincoln Handicap on Zucchero, plus Haydock’s Sandy Lane Stakes and the Queen’s Prize at Kempton.
His best season numerically came in 1984 with 47 wins. He relinquished his riding licence in April 2008, then made a brief comeback and finally retired in 2010.
His best season numerically came in 1984 with 47 wins. He relinquished his riding licence in April 2008, then made a brief comeback and finally retired in 2010.
Simon was a heavy smoker, 'eating' - as a fellow jockey described it - his cigarettes.
Simon was a heavy smoker, 'eating' - as a fellow jockey described it - his cigarettes.
In 2014, both he and Nicky Connorton were riding work for John Hills in Lambourn.
In 2014, both he and Nicky Connorton were riding work for John Hills in Lambourn.
Big winners:
Big winners:
1985: Henry II Stakes – Destroyer
1985: Henry II Stakes – Destroyer
1986: Northumberland Plate – Sneak Preview
1986: Northumberland Plate – Sneak Preview
2002: Lincoln Handicap – Zucchero
2002: Lincoln Handicap – Zucchero
WANTED posters featuring Simon Whitworth appeared in Lambourn at the weekend after clerk of the scales Jane Kugele alleged the former jockey had stolen her car.
WANTED posters featuring Simon Whitworth appeared in Lambourn at the weekend after clerk of the scales Jane Kugele alleged the former jockey had stolen her car.
The couple’s relationship ended last Thursday when Kugele returned from working at Towcester to discover that Whitworth, who had been sharing her home at Wescot, near Wantage, had left and that an Audi A3, which she says is hers and she had allowed him to drive, had disappeared. She says she had earlier asked him to leave.
The couple’s relationship ended last Thursday when Kugele returned from working at Towcester to discover that Whitworth, who had been sharing her home at Wescot, near Wantage, had left and that an Audi A3, which she says is hers and she had allowed him to drive, had disappeared. She says she had earlier asked him to leave.
Whitworth, who relinquished his riding licence in April, is this morning due to enroll on a trainer’s course at the British Racing School and Kugele, frustrated at being unable to contact him over the missing vehicle, plans to journey to Newmarket to see if he turns up.
Whitworth, who relinquished his riding licence in April, is this morning due to enroll on a trainer’s course at the British Racing School and Kugele, frustrated at being unable to contact him over the missing vehicle, plans to journey to Newmarket to see if he turns up.
"I just can’t track the guy down, but most of his contacts are in the Lambourn area, which is why I put up seven or eight posters around the place," she said.
"I just can’t track the guy down, but most of his contacts are in the Lambourn area, which is why I put up seven or eight posters around the place," she said.
They show a picture of Whitworth, and read ‘Have you seen this man? He has stolen my car’. Kugele has included her mobile number.
They show a picture of Whitworth, and read ‘Have you seen this man? He has stolen my car’. Kugele has included her mobile number.
"I am prepared to do anything to get my car back, and hopefully the posters will help me find him," she said.
"I am prepared to do anything to get my car back, and hopefully the posters will help me find him," she said.
Efforts by the Racing Post to obtain a comment from Whitworth failed yesterday, but his father Eric, a solicitor, said his son’s name is registered in the car’s log-book, and that he considered the posters to be "highly defamatory".
Efforts by the Racing Post to obtain a comment from Whitworth failed yesterday, but his father Eric, a solicitor, said his son’s name is registered in the car’s log-book, and that he considered the posters to be "highly defamatory".
Kugele, who is consulting a solicitor and today starts a fortnight’s holiday she intends devoting to the hunt, went on: "I went to the police, who said it’s a civil matter at the moment because he has had permission to use the car, but what I have to do is find him and then serve him with a notice requesting that he returns my possessions within seven days.
Kugele, who is consulting a solicitor and today starts a fortnight’s holiday she intends devoting to the hunt, went on: "I went to the police, who said it’s a civil matter at the moment because he has had permission to use the car, but what I have to do is find him and then serve him with a notice requesting that he returns my possessions within seven days.
"If I can get that witnessed, the police can then, after the week, put the car on the stolen-vehicles register."
"If I can get that witnessed, the police can then, after the week, put the car on the stolen-vehicles register."
Kugele will not be inconvenienced in terms of attending race meetings if the dark-blue Audi – registration Y566 LGU – has not been returned by the time she is due to return to work, as the Horseracing Regulatory Authority provides her with a company car. But she will not rest until getting it back.
Kugele will not be inconvenienced in terms of attending race meetings if the dark-blue Audi – registration Y566 LGU – has not been returned by the time she is due to return to work, as the Horseracing Regulatory Authority provides her with a company car. But she will not rest until getting it back.
"I wouldn’t say it’s worth a lot – probably about £4,500 – because it’s done a lot of miles, but to me that’s quite a lot of money. It would certainly take me a while to earn that, and I’m determined to get a resolution to it."
"I wouldn’t say it’s worth a lot – probably about £4,500 – because it’s done a lot of miles, but to me that’s quite a lot of money. It would certainly take me a while to earn that, and I’m determined to get a resolution to it."
