David Yates
1943 - 2013
1943 - 2013
Born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, on May 27, 1943, David Ian Yates became the champion apprentice in 1963.
Born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, on May 27, 1943, David Ian Yates became the champion apprentice in 1963.
David’s parents, Philip (born 1920) and Mary Stoke (born 1923), took their son to Spain for four years between the ages of eight and twelve. That is where young David learned to ride.
David’s parents, Philip (born 1920) and Mary Stoke (born 1923), took their son to Spain for four years between the ages of eight and twelve. That is where young David learned to ride.
He started his racing life with Fulke Walwyn, but Walwyn trained mainly jumpers and, weighing only 5st 9lb, David joined Doug Marks in search of better opportunities.
He started his racing life with Fulke Walwyn, but Walwyn trained mainly jumpers and, weighing only 5st 9lb, David joined Doug Marks in search of better opportunities.
When David put his helmet on, his ears “used to stick out terrible”, causing David Elsworth, who was stable jockey for Marks at the time, to start calling him ‘Flapper, a nickname that would stick throughout his career.
When David put his helmet on, his ears “used to stick out terrible”, causing David Elsworth, who was stable jockey for Marks at the time, to start calling him ‘Flapper, a nickname that would stick throughout his career.
He rode his first winner on Golden Fire in the Cotterstock Three-Year-Old Handicap at Manchester on April 13, 1961, getting the better of a three-way finish by beating Edward Hide’s mount Memento by a head, with Brian Henry on the favourite Eastern Tenerani a neck further away in third.
He rode his first winner on Golden Fire in the Cotterstock Three-Year-Old Handicap at Manchester on April 13, 1961, getting the better of a three-way finish by beating Edward Hide’s mount Memento by a head, with Brian Henry on the favourite Eastern Tenerani a neck further away in third.
Golden Fire was the horse that launched David’s career. In 1962 he won the Chester Cup, Goodwood Stakes and Cesarewitch on him. Golden Fire actually finished a neck second in the Cesarewitch but got the race on an objection, with first past the post Orchardist, the mount of Bill Williamson, being deemed to have interfered with the runner-up.
Golden Fire was the horse that launched David’s career. In 1962 he won the Chester Cup, Goodwood Stakes and Cesarewitch on him. Golden Fire actually finished a neck second in the Cesarewitch but got the race on an objection, with first past the post Orchardist, the mount of Bill Williamson, being deemed to have interfered with the runner-up.
He said at the time; “Doug Marks, the trainer, thought I was mad, but I got on well with Lester Piggott and he lent me the £20 to lodge the objection. It was a lot of money in those days. He soon asked for it back, mind!”
He said at the time; “Doug Marks, the trainer, thought I was mad, but I got on well with Lester Piggott and he lent me the £20 to lodge the objection. It was a lot of money in those days. He soon asked for it back, mind!”
David finished runner-up to Bruce Raymond in that year’s apprentices’ table but went one better in 1963, being crowned champion apprentice with 24 winners. He rode 26 winners the following year but finished a distant third behind Pail Cook and Taffy Thomas in the apprentices’ table.
David finished runner-up to Bruce Raymond in that year’s apprentices’ table but went one better in 1963, being crowned champion apprentice with 24 winners. He rode 26 winners the following year but finished a distant third behind Pail Cook and Taffy Thomas in the apprentices’ table.
Devoid of his claim, his tally of winners quickly fell to single figures. He even took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence for the 1966/67 campaign, riding one winner – Exonerated at Cheltenham on November 11, 1966 – along with a second and a third from 14 rides. When opportunities diminished in Britain, David rode abroad.
Devoid of his claim, his tally of winners quickly fell to single figures. He even took out a National Hunt jockey’s licence for the 1966/67 campaign, riding one winner – Exonerated at Cheltenham on November 11, 1966 – along with a second and a third from 14 rides. When opportunities diminished in Britain, David rode abroad.
He rode in Sweden, India and Hong Kong, trained and rode in Kenya, and rode in Iran before the Islamic revolution in 1979. It was in Kenya that David married in 1985. He had two children during his marriage.
He rode in Sweden, India and Hong Kong, trained and rode in Kenya, and rode in Iran before the Islamic revolution in 1979. It was in Kenya that David married in 1985. He had two children during his marriage.
One of his most frightening assignments was riding in Iran during the outbreak of the Islamic revolution.
One of his most frightening assignments was riding in Iran during the outbreak of the Islamic revolution.
“They were trying to promote racing and built a beautiful racecourse in the mountains on the outskirts of Tehran,” he recalled. “But when the revolution happened, we all had to get out very quickly.”
“They were trying to promote racing and built a beautiful racecourse in the mountains on the outskirts of Tehran,” he recalled. “But when the revolution happened, we all had to get out very quickly.”
On hanging up his saddle after breaking his leg in the mid-eighties riding work for Fulke Johnson Houghton, David became a driver for the Racing Post’s publishers, Trinity Mirror.
On hanging up his saddle after breaking his leg in the mid-eighties riding work for Fulke Johnson Houghton, David became a driver for the Racing Post’s publishers, Trinity Mirror.
Charlie Wilson, then the editor of The Sporting Life, rang the Injured Jockeys Fund asking if they had any jockeys who wanted to drive. They put David up for the job.
Charlie Wilson, then the editor of The Sporting Life, rang the Injured Jockeys Fund asking if they had any jockeys who wanted to drive. They put David up for the job.
David and Doug Marks maintained their racing link and remained great friends.
David and Doug Marks maintained their racing link and remained great friends.
David Yates died in Thatcham, Berkshire, on 8 May, 2013, just a few days short of his 70th birthday. Fellow jockey John Reid said: “He was a lovely man who never said a bad word about anyone.”
David Yates died in Thatcham, Berkshire, on 8 May, 2013, just a few days short of his 70th birthday. Fellow jockey John Reid said: “He was a lovely man who never said a bad word about anyone.”
Big winners:
Big winners:
1962: Chester Cup – Golden Fire
1962: Chester Cup – Golden Fire
1962: Goodwood Stakes – Golden Fire
1962: Goodwood Stakes – Golden Fire
1962: Cesarewitch Handicap – Golden Fire
1962: Cesarewitch Handicap – Golden Fire
1963: Chester Cup – Narratus
1963: Chester Cup – Narratus
1963: Great Jubilee Handicap – Water Skier
1963: Great Jubilee Handicap – Water Skier
1963: City of Birmingham Cup – Saltarello
1963: City of Birmingham Cup – Saltarello
1963: Goodwood Stakes – Golden Fire
1963: Goodwood Stakes – Golden Fire
1963: News of the World Stakes – Fraxinus
1963: News of the World Stakes – Fraxinus
1965: Doncaster Cup – Prince Hansel
1965: Doncaster Cup – Prince Hansel
1969: Queen Elizabeth Cup – Heathfield
1969: Queen Elizabeth Cup – Heathfield
