Seventy years ago, at Glorious Goodwood jockey Willie Snaith enjoyed probably his finest day in racing, when he rode Landau to win the Sussex Stakes for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Willie, one of the leading lightweight jockeys at the time, only got the ride on the Noel Murless trained colt because the three year old’s regular jockey Sir Gordon Richards, was injured. Sir Gordon had suffered what was to prove a career ending injury at Sandown on 10th July.
Ironically, an earlier injury to Sir Gordon at Salisbury in May 1954, had led to Willie riding Landau in the Derby, where the pair finished 8th. A day at Epsom made famous by an 18 year old jockey Lester Piggott, who rode Never Say Die to victory.
In between the Derby and the Sussex Stakes, the well bred Landau, his sire was the 1945 Derby winner Dante and his dam Sun Chariot a war time triple crown winner, had won at Royal Ascot and finished 3rd in the Eclipse Stakes.
The weather on 28th July was less than glorious, as the newspapers reported a particularly windy day on the Sussex downs, but the weather did not deter the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, who were both there to see the Royal runner. A trio of three year olds lined up against Landau, the filly Festoon, Orthopaedic and Big Berry. The Sussex Stake over 1 mile was first run in 1878 and was only opened to four-year-olds in 1960 and to horses aged five or older in 1975.
Landau’s main rival was the 1954 1000 Guineas winner Festoon. The filly had followed up her success at Newmarket in the fillies classic, with a three length win at Royal Ascot in the prestigious Coronation Stakes.
Landau, who had also won at Royal Ascot over a mile, was sent off as the 6/4 favourite followed by Festoon at 2/1, Orthopaedic 7/2 and big Berry 6/1.
The race could not have gone any smoother for Willie and Landau, who led from start to finish. Newspaper reports state that halfway up the straight Festoon, ridden by Australian jockey Scobie Bresley, almost joined the Royal runner but following a quick shake of the reins, Willie was away and clear to win by a comfortable five lengths. Orthopaedic ridden by Joe Mercer, finished 2nd, half a length clear of Festoon.
Willie’s win was his first in the Royal colours and there can have been no prouder man that day, than the Pocket Hercules as he was known from Gateshead. The late Queen Elizabeth II’s win was her 14th of the 1954 flat season, a year when she went on to be the Champion owner.
Fifty years later Willie met The Queen once more when he received the MBE for services to horseracing and to the community in Newmarket. No doubt on that day, the two of them recalled Wednesday 28 July and Willie’s finest day in racing.
Stephen Wallis – The Paddock and The Pavilion
