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The years rolled back on Sunday at Cotley in Somerset when Sarah and Phillip Hobbs’ yellow and white colours were seen back in the point-to-point winners enclosure.
Hobb’s daughters Katherine and Diana won many races in the family colours during the early 2000’s until 2012 on horses such as Saint Romble, Double Honour and Croix de Guerre. I certainly remember following the girls around on numerous occasions and it was wonderful to see the colours return to the winners enclosure.
16 year-old Stanley Dixon was wearing them this time, aboard his boss’s Tiny Tetley.
Dixon, who works for Hobbs and Johnson White joined the team full-time having left school last summer. Growing up locally in Somerset Mum, Mel and Dad, Ben had point-to-pointers and brother Tom had a few rides. Dixon tells me: “My brother had one winner at Holnicite but he got too tall and heavy! By the time I was old enough to ride Mum and Dad no longer had the pointers.”
Having grown up riding and involved in the racing world Dixon always had dreams of being a jockey. He spent time riding out at licensed trainer David Pipe’s and point-to-point trainer Les Jefford from the age of 14 and now working full-time at Sandhill has grasped the opportunity with both hands.
Reflecting on Sunday’s win he says: “I just wanted to get round. I had no expectations but he travelled well and although we were a bit outpaced on the second circuit he locked on and went nearer home!”
A first completed ride resulting in a win is always a very special moment but even more so on this occasion and Dixon continues: “I fell off him at the first fence on my first ride at Cothelstone recently, it all went very quickly! We were well prepared but it was just one of those things.”
Fascinated by how Tiny Tetley, a decent hurdler and only eight-years-old came to be his first ride he tells me: “He has been a good horse his whole career, he went chasing, he wasn’t the bravest over a big fence and made a bad mistake one day and lost his confidence. So very luckily for me Sarah and Phillip decided to send him pointing in a hope to re-build his confidence. The smaller fences definitely helped and the whole day was made more special because Sarah and Phillip were able to be there too.”
Johnson White, who jointly holds the license with Hobbs proudly says: “Tiny Tetley has been a superstar for us over hurdles gaining a rating of 129. He is well-named because he isn’t very big and has probably reached his level over hurdles. His jumping of a chase fence has been a little bit sketchy so point-to-pointing with smaller fences was a sensible option. He may very well go over fences again at some stage but for now he is giving Stanley a super education from a jockey’s point of view which is so important.”
Dixon is great friends with another young jockey, Jack Stenhouse who is making a name for himself and he tells me: “Jack and I ride out for various local people who bring their pointers to Sandhill here at lunchtimes to use the facilities. Theresa Clark, Louise Kittow and Claire Hitch come regularly and it is brilliant for me, gaining experience riding for them.”
Dixon is clear about his ambitions to one-day turn conditional but like so many realises the benefits of learning within the grassroots sport. He says: “I am enjoying the pointing and would love to gain more rides. I look up to people like Ben Jones and Sean Houlihan who both started pointing.”
Houlihan, of course rode the winner of the Scottish Grand National at Ayr last weekend on Kap Vert for Hobbs and White and Dixon laughs telling me: “That started off a winning weekend well! We all went out to celebrate at the local pub, The White Horse. It was a wonderful weekend.”
Dixon is understandably hopeful Tiny Tetley will run again this season and suggests Bratton Down as an option. He also adds: “He is a dude of a horse, winning on him was an indescribable feeling, it was very special.”
In a season where we have had more young jockeys than ever starting within the sport and riding winners add Stanley Dixon to the list of ones to watch.
