The Steve Smith-Eccles Column

Starting Friday 9th October the former top National Hunt Jockey Steve Smith-Eccles will start his exclusive no holds barred weekly column reviewing the world of Horse Racing. Known for his no nonsense approach, Steve will pull no punches with his take on the week's events.

Ex jockey Steve Smith-Eccles knows racing inside out having ridden 800+ winners over the jumps and living in Newmarket, the centre of the flat racing World for most of his adult life. Highly regarded by the racing industry (Steve coaches young jockeys in an official capacity and still schools most of the Newmarket jumpers), his contact list is a veritable "Who's Who" of the racing World, and precious little goes on he doesn't know about.

His racing career started with a five year apprenticeship with Harry Thomson-Jones from 1970 to 1975 riding his first winner on November 28th 1973 at Market Rasen on Ballysilly. Steve went on to ride over 900 winners worldwide with 876 in the UK. He won America's premier steeplechase "The Colonial Cup" on Declare Your Wish in1993. His association with "See You Then" is what Steve is most remembered for in racing. He rode three consecutive Champion Hurdles (1985, 86, 87) on the horse and rode nine Cheltenham Festival winners in all during his colourful career. He was placed in the top five jockey's list for ten consecutive years.