Crack Australian Jockey: Success Has Crowned Career of Frank Bullock, Now One of Englands Leading Riders, Daily Racing Form, 1920-12-20

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CRACK AUSTRALIAN JOCKEY Success Has Crowned Career of Frank Bullock, Now One of Englands Leading Riders. Surprise is occasionally expressed that nearly every American and Australian Jockey that has come to England has speedily shown marked ability and found that lie had little or no trouble in securing plenty of mounts. This, however, is easily explained by the fact that few have ever cared to seek the suffrages of English owners and trainers until they have "made good" iu their native land. Frank Bullock, however, is one of the few exceptions to the rule. He was born at Melbourne 011 June 25. 18S5, and at fourteen years of age entered the racing stables of John Hayes. The Ind. who had his first mount in public onlv three months after joining Mr. Hayes stable, onlv lemained witli that gentleman for eighteen months, and then was apprenticed to Brewer, who was subsequently well-known as a trainer in England. His first winner was .1 horse named Cicero no connection, it is needless to say, of Ird Rosebervs Derby winner of 1S05, but he did not meet with much success, and, at the end of two years. Brewer consented to cancel his indentures, and give him the chance of starting as a free lance. He began to go the round of what are called bush meetings, which somewhat resembled our "flapping" fixtures, except that the prizes were small indeed. 0 being considered quite a respectable stake, while half that amount was by no means despised. If be diil not make much money, lie gained a great deal of valuable experience. Directly he had made up a little purse he would return to civilization and ride at the registered meetings, but always arrived at the end of his resources before he had really made his mark, so had to return to "busliranging. Brewer left Australia for England in 1903 and soon afterward wrote to Bullock asking him to come to join him I here, and to take charge of ,1 mare named Kate Carew on the voyage over. Aon fortunately, as things turned out. this suited the lad --he was then nineteen and he remained with Brewer until the York meeting or 1005. During that period he rode a fair number or winners, the most important races he secured being the Queens Prize at Kempton Park 011 Glenamov, the Manchester Cup 011 Airship and the Stewards Cup at Goodwood on Xeny. Duliock returned to Australia in October, 3905, and, only a fortnight after landing, won the Melbourne. Cup on Blue Spec. This sealed his reputation, which was hall-marked "made iu England." and he has never looked back since. His stay in the commonwealth an this occasion was- quite" a long one. for it was not until 1907 that he came back to England to ride for Brewers stable again. This arrangement, however, only lasted for one season, as the following year found him in Germany, where he was first Jockey for the Graditz stable, which was then under the charge of R. Day, for six vears. To show how wonderfully successful he was "it is only necessary to record that he headed the list of winning jockeys in five of those six years. His good luck stuck witli him iu more wavs than one. for he returned to England at the "end of 1913 and thus escaped the internment which was suffered by W. Warne and a good nianv others connected with racing. He made full use of the limited opportunities which were afforded to jeekeys during the war. riding a fair proportion of winners and making hosts of friends. These gathered iu great force at the farewell dinner, which was given in bis honor at the Newmarket Subscription Club, when he returned to Australia in 1917. The chair was taken on that occasion by Mr. R. S. Sievier. who begged us not to break up the pleasant function earlier than necessary. I am afraid that I did not comply with his "request to the extent I should have liked to have done, for the calls of duty compelled me to get home in time for a bath and change of clothes on the following morning, but two or three of the guests were still in evening dress twenty-four hours after we had sat down to that memorable dihner. The following is a list of the principal races that have fallen to horses ridden by Bullock: Australia Melbourne Cup. Caulfiehl Cup twice. Adelaide Cup. Perth Derby twice, Perth Cup twice. Kalgoolje Cup, Hobart Cup. . Germany Practically every important race, including the Derby twice. England Queens Prize. "Jubilee" Handicap, Manchester Cup, Eclipse Stakes. Stewards Cup. Goodwood Cup. Doncaster "up, Cesarewiteh. Middle Park Plate twice. Derby Cup. Bullock is in the prime of life and can go t.o scale at 111 pounds comparatively comfortably. His list of successes gives ample proof of Ins ability in his profession, and his name has never been tarnished by a breath of suspicion. During the present year, up to November 22. he had ridden !l winners in 450 races. This works out at an average of 19.!5 per cent. Thus he is easily second to Donoghue as regards the number of winners ridden, but both of them are headed by Carsiake in the matter of percentages. As Donoghue can weigh out at 105 pounds, he naturally possesses a great advantage over Bullock, and a much greater one over Carsiake, in the unmix?! of mounts he can secure. It. is never for the good of any sport, that the chief lienor in it should remain too long in the same hands, and if Frank Bullock can manage to finish next year at the top of the tree his success will lie wonderfully popular. Sydenham Dixon, in Dailys Magazine. 0


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800