Tommy Nevin
Tommy Nevin
Tommy Nevin
National Hunt jockey Thomas Gerard Nevin rode four winners in his native Ireland before crossing the Irish Sea. His first win was gained on Irish Coffee in the Windsor Lad Cup Handicap Chase at Killarney on July 18, 1957. The same horse provided him with victory in the Feltrim Handicap Hurdle, the highlight of Baldoyle’s traditional New Year’s Day card in 1958, and later over the same course and distance in the Balbriggan Handicap Hurdle in April the following year.
National Hunt jockey Thomas Gerard Nevin rode four winners in his native Ireland before crossing the Irish Sea. His first win was gained on Irish Coffee in the Windsor Lad Cup Handicap Chase at Killarney on July 18, 1957. The same horse provided him with victory in the Feltrim Handicap Hurdle, the highlight of Baldoyle’s traditional New Year’s Day card in 1958, and later over the same course and distance in the Balbriggan Handicap Hurdle in April the following year.
Early in 1960 he joined Bishop Auckland trainer Arthur Stephenson and scored his first British success in April of that year on Beignet in a selling hurdle at Carlisle’s Easter fixture. His second winner came on novice hurdler Grand Crop at Sedgefield the following month.
Early in 1960 he joined Bishop Auckland trainer Arthur Stephenson and scored his first British success in April of that year on Beignet in a selling hurdle at Carlisle’s Easter fixture. His second winner came on novice hurdler Grand Crop at Sedgefield the following month.
He rode six winners the following season, starting with a double on two Stephenson-trained horses, Well-Bred and Colinden, at Wetherby on November 12, 1960. He won on Colinden again at Newcastle seven days later. His victory on Stephenson’s Rathy’s Image in Doncaster’s Mansion House Chase in February 1961 resulted in his claim being cut to 5lb. A winner on both days of Cartmel’s annual Whitsun meeting, again for Stephenson, completed his season’s haul.
He rode six winners the following season, starting with a double on two Stephenson-trained horses, Well-Bred and Colinden, at Wetherby on November 12, 1960. He won on Colinden again at Newcastle seven days later. His victory on Stephenson’s Rathy’s Image in Doncaster’s Mansion House Chase in February 1961 resulted in his claim being cut to 5lb. A winner on both days of Cartmel’s annual Whitsun meeting, again for Stephenson, completed his season’s haul.
Following a couple of blank campaigns, Tommy joined fellow Bishop Auckland trainer Denys Smith and won a Sedgefield novices’ chase for him on Linda’s Son in February 1964. He rode another winner for him at Carlisle Easter fixture.
Following a couple of blank campaigns, Tommy joined fellow Bishop Auckland trainer Denys Smith and won a Sedgefield novices’ chase for him on Linda’s Son in February 1964. He rode another winner for him at Carlisle Easter fixture.
He stayed with Denys Smith for the remainder of his career and became an important member of the stable staff. He continued to ride in races and had three more winners, the last being on novice chaser Andy Crawford at Perth on April 27, 1966. His final mount in public was novice hurdler Newsells, who finished fifth at Hexham on April 18, 1970. He’d finished second on that horse at Catterick a fortnight earlier.
He stayed with Denys Smith for the remainder of his career and became an important member of the stable staff. He continued to ride in races and had three more winners, the last being on novice chaser Andy Crawford at Perth on April 27, 1966. His final mount in public was novice hurdler Newsells, who finished fifth at Hexham on April 18, 1970. He’d finished second on that horse at Catterick a fortnight earlier.
In February 1983, Tommy had a fortunate escape when the horse he was riding at exercise was electrocuted in a freak accident. Tommy was aboard Denys Smith’s The Grey Bomber, unbeaten in five juvenile hurdles and a leading contender for Cheltenham’s Triumph Hurdle, when they came across three electric cables, brought down by a gale. Tommy turned back, but as he swung The Grey Bomber round, the horse dropped dead beneath him. Although three yards away from the cables, he had been standing in slushy snow and water which had been rendered live by the cables. Fortunately, Tommy’s rubber boots saved him from also being electrocuted.
In February 1983, Tommy had a fortunate escape when the horse he was riding at exercise was electrocuted in a freak accident. Tommy was aboard Denys Smith’s The Grey Bomber, unbeaten in five juvenile hurdles and a leading contender for Cheltenham’s Triumph Hurdle, when they came across three electric cables, brought down by a gale. Tommy turned back, but as he swung The Grey Bomber round, the horse dropped dead beneath him. Although three yards away from the cables, he had been standing in slushy snow and water which had been rendered live by the cables. Fortunately, Tommy’s rubber boots saved him from also being electrocuted.
Tommy Nevin’s winners were, in chronological order:
Tommy Nevin’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Irish Coffee, Killarney, July 18, 1957
1. Irish Coffee, Killarney, July 18, 1957
2. Ennis Boy, Thurles, November 14, 1957
2. Ennis Boy, Thurles, November 14, 1957
3. Irish Coffee, Baldoyle, January 1, 1958
3. Irish Coffee, Baldoyle, January 1, 1958
4. Irish Coffee, Baldoyle, April 13, 1959
4. Irish Coffee, Baldoyle, April 13, 1959
5. Beignet, Carlisle, April 16, 1960
5. Beignet, Carlisle, April 16, 1960
6. Grand Crop, Sedgefield, May 21, 1960
6. Grand Crop, Sedgefield, May 21, 1960
7. Well-Bred, Wetherby, November 12, 1960
7. Well-Bred, Wetherby, November 12, 1960
8. Colinden, Wetherby, November 12, 1960
8. Colinden, Wetherby, November 12, 1960
9. Colinden, Newcastle, November 19, 1960
9. Colinden, Newcastle, November 19, 1960
10. Rathy’s Image, Doncaster, February 4, 1961
10. Rathy’s Image, Doncaster, February 4, 1961
11. Sea View, Cartmel, May 20, 1961
11. Sea View, Cartmel, May 20, 1961
12. Grand Crop, Cartmel, May 22, 1961
12. Grand Crop, Cartmel, May 22, 1961
13. Linda’s Son, Sedgefield, February 1, 1964
13. Linda’s Son, Sedgefield, February 1, 1964
14. Hard Going, Carlisle, March 28, 1964
14. Hard Going, Carlisle, March 28, 1964
15. Danger Time, Sedgefield, August 22, 1964
15. Danger Time, Sedgefield, August 22, 1964
16. Paracot, Sedgefield, November 21, 1964
16. Paracot, Sedgefield, November 21, 1964
17. Andy Crawford, Perth, April 27, 1966
17. Andy Crawford, Perth, April 27, 1966
