JERRY M

Copyright Valerie Martin 2002

Bob Gore's first principal winning race was in 1910 with  Jerry M in the Grand Steeplechase de Paris   This was the start of something big with the horse that had been foaled in 1903.

The Gore's home was at Downs House, a fine old flint-built house standing on the summit of the downland keeping watch over the sleepy racing village of Findon.  The large bay windows of of the property looked out over a tree-fringed trim lawn.  In later years these trees would offer some defiance to the south-west gales sweeping up the Findon valley from the coastline.

I have discovered that there were two events which happened in 1912 which were to affect Findon in the future.  Firstly, it was the year that Ryan Price was born.  He was to become  Captain Ryan Price the racehorse trainer who succeeded Bob Gore at Downs House.

Secondly, in 1912, a horse named Jerry M who was owned by Sir Charles Assheton-Smith and trained in Findon by Bob Gore, won the Grand National.  He carried a top weight of 12 stone 7 lb and was ridden by Lester Piggot’s grandfather, Ernie.  These were the great days of racing in Findon. Many of you will recognise the above photograph showing Jerry M against the backcloth of the familiar Downs Stable yard.

Here's a little story about Jerry M's owner.   Charles Duff was born in 1851 and he took the name of his maternal grandmother (Assheton-Smith) in the expectancy of a baronetcy.   

He was extremely rich (and fortunate) and was married three times.   He employed literally thousands of men in slate quarries and received his title of Sir Charles Assheton-Smith in 1911.     Apart from owning expensive racehorses, he had to say the least an enormous yacht and this he decorated with portraits of his winners.     Sir Charles did not live to see the First World War, he died in 1914.

The early part of the 20th century was an era when stable lads had to look the part and be well dressed.  At the end of Hermit Terrace lived the Mills family who were the local tailors making breeches and jackets for the stable lads.  The three Findon trainers — Bob Gore (Stable Lane),  Alex Law (Nepcote Lodge Stables) and Cecil Young (The Vale) were all very strict with the lads who had to be dressed smart in those days.

The horses and their riders took the practice jumps on the Downs during training in preparation for their long trip to Aintree and a much more more treacherous journey.

Jerry M was bought for £1200 as a five-year-old gelding from Ireland.  The vet would not pass him because "he had a thick gullet".  Perhaps this is why he became a roarer towards the end of his life. 

This racehorse had a good record.  He came second in the French Grand Prix in 1909 and won that race in 1910.  He came second in the Grand National in 1910 and eventually won in 1912. 

His stable lad, Frank "Judy" Yule, who lived at 3 Beulah Terrace, said that Jerry M "jumped like a stag".  "Judy" was Jerry M's lad during his racing career and although married he always told his wife straight "that Jerry still comes first". 

This above is a drawing of the time depicting Jerry M winning the Grand National of 1912.  The top picture is the first time round the course when a loose horse and Ballyhackle made the field swing wide.

Below is the second time around when Ballyhackle unseats his jockey.

The bottom picture is at the Canal Turn.

Jerry M is shown jumping in the larger picture on the right — jockey in green colours.

Jerry M won the Grand National ridden by Ernie Piggott.    Ernie's father had farmed, hunted and point-to-pointed and Ernie had ridden races in France and Belgium before settling back in England.  He was Champion National Hunt jockey three times and his very first win was at the now long gone nearby Gatwick racecourse.    He retired from the saddle eventually and took up training with some modest success.     Ernie's son, Keith, became a jockey and trainer also .... and was most famous of all for being the fther of the legendary Lester.

Jerry M won the Grand National for Ernie at 4-1 joint favourite and returned victorious to Findon.  He held the record for a 7-year-old carrying a top weight of 12 st. 7 lb.  He made the record leap at that time of 40 ft when clearing the water jump in the Grand National.

When Jerry M was brought back to Worthing Station he was presented with a laurel wreath around his shoulders and was accompanied to Findon by the local band which comprised mouth organs, concertinas and whistles.  Needless to say there were also stable lads, farm labourers and a crowd of cheering Findonians.

A victory parade was held from Downs House down Stable Lane in Findon on 13th April 1912. 

Jerry M had good straight hocks, good legs, and a fine head.  He also had laryngeal paralysis, known as “whistling” or “roaring”, a condition which is thought to be hereditary and classically found in thoroughbred horses.  It was a fairly common affliction in those days and probably the main scourge of racehorses causing severe breathing problems and ruining their careers.  Laryngeal paralysis was a disorder of the nerve that supplies the left side of the larynx and causes paralysis.  The affected animal makes abnormal sounds (hence the name “roarer”) when being exercised.

Being a gelding, Jerry M was no use for stud purposes and upon his retirement (I believe around ten years old), he went to Sir Charles Assheton-Smith's stables.  He was a very gentle horse and anyone could fondle him in his box. 

This life of luxury lasted for six months before he was sent back to Findon.  Not to his old stable though — he was now turned out in a small paddock with a loose box.  "Judy" Yule said "You wouldna' put a pony in". 

One day, whilst Jerry M rolled in his box, he got trapped against the wall with his flaying legs and badly fractured his thigh.  There was no glory for the Grand National winner, just a shot of lead.   Jerry M is buried in the grounds of the Downs Stables.

In July 2003 I received a contradicting version of the demise of Jerry M from Derek Gay.....

It broke "Judy" Yule's heart.  He always loved his horses and went into the Army in 1915 in the Veterinary Corps in Salonika. 

Some time later, "Judy" was run over by a bicycle and broke his right leg, and from this he never really recovered and always limped.  He left racing and took up the occupation of jobbing gardener after that at the Mill House on the downland above the racing stables.  I have found that he was still living at 3 Beulah Terrace in 1946 and the very last mention I can find of him is below....      

Bob Gore is the only Findon trainer to boast two Grand National winners.  He won the Grand National for the second time the following year in 1913 with Covertcoat owned again by Sir Charles Assheton-Smith.   Bob Gore died at his Findon home, The Downs, in 1941.

Continue in you would like to read about Covertcoat.

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created exclusively for documenting life in Findon.