Stan Mellor facts for kids

Stanley Thomas Edward Mellor MBE (born 10 April 1937 – died 1 August 2020) was a famous National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was the first jockey to win 1,000 races in jump racing. Stan Mellor was also the Champion Jockey for three years in a row, from 1960 to 1962.

Riding Career

Stan's Riding Style

Stan Mellor was known for being a very smart jockey. He used his brain and skill to win races, rather than just pure strength. He once said that people often noticed strength or style more than cleverness.

He rode at a light weight of about 8 stone and 10 pounds. This is similar to how light some jockeys are in flat racing today.

Beating the Great Arkle

Stan Mellor was one of the few jockeys to beat Arkle. Arkle is often called the greatest racehorse of all time. Stan won against Arkle in the 1966 Hennessy Gold Cup. He was riding a horse named Stalbridge Colonist, who was not expected to win.

In horse racing, a system called handicapping makes races fair. Faster horses carry more weight to give slower horses a chance. Arkle often had to carry a lot of extra weight. Many people thought this was why Arkle lost that day. But Stan Mellor believed his horse, Stalbridge Colonist, won because it was faster at the end.

1,000 Winners!

On 10 December 1971, Stan Mellor won his 999th race at Cheltenham. He tried to get his 1,000th win the next day but couldn't. His wife traveled with him every day, hoping to see the big moment.

Finally, on 18 December 1971, at Nottingham, he made history. He rode a grey horse named Ouzo to victory. This made him the first jump jockey to win 1,000 races! After the race, Stan said it was "a great relief." His wife gave him a special silver plate to celebrate.

Falls and Injuries

During his career, Stan Mellor had many falls. It is thought he fell about 750 times!

One time, he had a bad fall at Cheltenham. His riding cap flew off, and his wife, watching from the stands, was very worried.

His most serious fall happened in 1963. He hurt his face badly. At that time, he was leading the race for his fourth champion jockey title. This injury likely stopped him from winning it that year.

Training and Retirement

When Stan Mellor stopped being a jockey, he received an MBE. This award recognized his amazing achievements.

Stan later became a successful horse trainer. He started his training career in Lambourn. He then bought a much bigger training yard near Swindon. He named it Pollardstown, after one of his winning horses.

As a trainer, Stan won many important races. These included two Whitbread Gold Cups and four races at the Cheltenham Festival. He also helped bring horses from New Zealand to race in Britain. He was known for being very good at picking out talented racehorses.

In 2001, Stan Mellor retired from training. He had trained over 700 winners. He then moved to Ashbury, near Lambourn.

Personal Life

Stan Mellor was married to Elain. They had two daughters, Dana and Linz. All three of them have also ridden winning horses in races.

Stan Mellor passed away on 1 August 2020, when he was 83 years old.

Big Race Wins

As a Jockey

• King George VI Chase
• Whitbread Gold Cup
• Mackeson Gold Cup
• Gloucestershire Hurdle
• Queen Mother Champion Chase
• Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup

As a Trainer

• Triumph Hurdle
• Stayers' Hurdle