Pavlova and black armband
December 27th 2008 01:22
Jockey Peter Mertens carried an addition to racebook colours when steering home South Australian mare Miss Pavlova for an impressive win at Caulfield on Boxing Day. Mertens wore a black armband as a mark of respect for the passing of champion jockey John Stocker, who died one day earlier on Christmas Day.
At Randwick on the same day jockeys riding in the first race of the day wore black armbands for Stocker.
Miss Pavlova is trained by Stocker’s brother-in-law, the successful Morphettville trainer Bill Smart.
The death was not unexpected as Stocker has been ill for a long time as he struggled with cancer. He was 63 when he died peacefully in his sleep.
John Stocker rode for 24 years and rode 1855 winners. He was a teenager of nineteen when he won the 1964 Melbourne Cup on front-running stayer Yangtze. He would repeat his Caulfield Cup success in 1976 when he won the Caulfield Cup on How Now for Colin Hayes. It was a masterful ride that day to get How How across from her outside draw - and regarded as one of the best rides ever in a Caulfield Cup. Stocker was first apprenticed to, then later the number one stable rider for Colin Hayes.
"When I rode Guillotine and he drew an outside barrier in this year's Caulfield Cup I was told to look at John Stocker's ride on How Now to get some pointers." Craig Williams.
But without a doubt the best horse John Stocker would ever ride was the brilliant champion Tobin Bronze. Stocker was also one of three jockeys (Gary Willetts, Roy Higgins, John Stocker) to be successful when riding champion sprinter Manikato - while Taras Bulba and Maybe Mahal were other racing stars he rode during his career.
Stocker was inducted into the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame in August 2006 for a career that lasted 24 years and included winners in five different countries.
Master trainer Colin Hayes had a long association with John Stocker
At Randwick on the same day jockeys riding in the first race of the day wore black armbands for Stocker.
Miss Pavlova is trained by Stocker’s brother-in-law, the successful Morphettville trainer Bill Smart.
The death was not unexpected as Stocker has been ill for a long time as he struggled with cancer. He was 63 when he died peacefully in his sleep.
John Stocker rode for 24 years and rode 1855 winners. He was a teenager of nineteen when he won the 1964 Melbourne Cup on front-running stayer Yangtze. He would repeat his Caulfield Cup success in 1976 when he won the Caulfield Cup on How Now for Colin Hayes. It was a masterful ride that day to get How How across from her outside draw - and regarded as one of the best rides ever in a Caulfield Cup. Stocker was first apprenticed to, then later the number one stable rider for Colin Hayes.
"When I rode Guillotine and he drew an outside barrier in this year's Caulfield Cup I was told to look at John Stocker's ride on How Now to get some pointers." Craig Williams.
But without a doubt the best horse John Stocker would ever ride was the brilliant champion Tobin Bronze. Stocker was also one of three jockeys (Gary Willetts, Roy Higgins, John Stocker) to be successful when riding champion sprinter Manikato - while Taras Bulba and Maybe Mahal were other racing stars he rode during his career.
Stocker was inducted into the South Australian Racing Hall of Fame in August 2006 for a career that lasted 24 years and included winners in five different countries.
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