Evening star., 1938-05-29
CLASSIC ESCAPES
GORDONR|CHARDS
Wins Riding Title II Years
Out of 13-His Earnings
$150,OOO Annually.
By JAMES B. RESTON

SIoU,UUU Annually.
By JAMES B. RESTON,
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
EPSON. England, May 28.-Hopes
Of thousands of racegoers hung on
Gordon "Moppy" Richards busted toe
today
Englands man of next week broke
his toe when thrown from his horse at
Birmingham Tuesday, and since then
the derby favorite's hackers have been
hanging breathlessly on to every word
from the doctors.
The latest bulletin. however, said
''Moppy" expects to be back in the
saddle Tuesday. one day before he
throws leg over H. E. Morriss' Pasch
in the big race. At the same time
1t was learned Richards brother,
Colin, had been badly hurt in a fail
at Oslo.
The racing fans state of suspense is
Just another proof "Moppy" is about
the most important figure in this cor
ner of the sports world.
Is the Ace Jockey.
Little "Moppy" is more than a
jockey-he's THE jockey. He's Puck
ish little man with laugh like a
schoolboy. He can walk under good
sized horse without ducking his head.
When he whispers wild horses eat out
of his hand, and when he tWirlS his
whip sad-eyed old horses take wings.
But there's one funny thing about
"Moppy'-he hasn't won the Derby.
In the last 13 years he's been cham
pion jockey IL times. He holds the
British record of 259 winners in one
season 1933). He has won the st.
Leger 1880, the Oaks Q930), the st.
Leger again Q93O and the 1000
Guineas this year. It's not unsual for
him to ride four or even five winners
In a single day.
Rides Six Winners in Day.
He even rode six winners one day
October 4. 1888, at Chepstow). But
always on Derby day his magic has
vanished.
Superstitious bettors say there's
something fantastic about his luck.
They remind you of his two airplane
crashes in which people were killed
and he wasn't scratched. But they
can't explain his Derby jinX.
In 1886. for example, the Aga Khan
asked him to choose his Derby mount.
The favorite was Tai Akbar, at 6l.
In the same stable was Mahmoud,
1908 "Moppy" chose Tai Akbar.
Mahmoud won and set up record for
the new Derby course.
Now the theory is that his Derby
luck will change. He'll ride Hugh
Morriss' Pasch, the favorite, on We'd
nesday, and there isn't bookie in
Britain who's willing to bet much
against this pair
Pasch has run only two races in his
life-at Kempton in the spring and
in the classic 1000 Guineas against all
the best horses in Wednesdays classic.
Richards brought him home first on
both occasions.
In the 'Guineas, Pasch was drawn
on the extreme outside of the track,
the worst possible position on the
Newmarket course. But "Moppy" got
him away first, crossed over to the in
side and won in a canter.
Has Distinctive Style.
Richards style is the subject of
eternal controversy. Steve Donoghue
taught him to ride, but he resembles
the great Steve in no material way
Critics agree on one thing-that he
wins because of his perfect balance.
He rides with loose rein, seldom ever
uses the whip. but sits up straight ana
keeps the whip twirling as he goes.
Little "Moppy" is "a years old
He is the son of miner and would
have been a pit-boy if he hadn't seen
an advertisement for apprentice
jockeys in his hometown paper. That
was in 1919. He made his debut on
a horse called Clockwork at Lingfield,
in October. 1920. Within four years
he had won the championship.
"Moppy" now has reached the stage
where owners fight for him., In 1884,
the Aga Kahn offered him a fiat
salary Of s35 900 year and 10 per cent
of all the stakes he won. He turned
1t down and stayed on with the Beck
hampton Stable, which has had first
claim on his services since 1881.
There are now five different owners
who retain him, and he can just about
choose his own mount. 1t is estimated
he makes s150,00O a year.
He's good for several years yet, and
he hopes before retiring to have his
son Peter ready for the saddle.
'Moppy" also has 3-year-old daugh-
ter. They live in $4,000 house in
the English countryside and when he
retires he hopes to buy a professional
soccer football team.
But before that he has vowed to
win the Derby-and he can't think of
. better time to do it than Wednesday.
Here's the little fellows record: