Samuel Chifney
| Samuel Chifney | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | 1753 Northwold, Norfolk |
| Died | 8 September 1807 London |
| Major racing wins | |
|
British Classic Race wins: (1789) Epsom Oaks (1782, 1783, 1789, 1790) |
|
| Significant horses | |
| Skyscraper, Ceres, Hippolyta, Maid of the Oaks, Tag, Escape | |
British Classic Race wins:
Samuel "Sam" Chifney (c. 1753 – 8 January 1807), also known as Sam Chifney Sr., Sam Chifney the Elder or Old Sam Chifney to distinguish him from his son, was an English jockey. He was a pioneer of professional race-riding, developing a trademark late finishing style, known as the 'Chifney rush' and was the retained jockey of the Prince of Wales. He became the leading horseman of his day, winning four runnings of the Oaks and one of the Derby, but his career ended in after a scandal around a ride on the Prince of Wales's horse, Escape. Despite inventing a bit for horses that is still in use today, he died in debtors' prison in London.
Chifney was born in Northwold, Norfolk around 1753 and, entering Foxe's stables at Newmarket Racecourse in 1770, soon learned the rudiments of horse racing. He said of himself, "In 1773 I could ride horses in a better manner in a race to beat others than any other person ever known in my time, and in 1775 I could train horses for running better than any person I ever yet saw. Riding I learnt myself and training I learnt from Mr. Richard Prince, training groom to Lord Foley". In 1787 he rode for the Duke of Bedford, and two years later won the Epsom Derby on Skyscraper for the Duke. For Lord Grosvenor he won the Epsom Oaks on Ceres in 1782, and on Maid of the Oaks in 1783.
In 1789 Chifney rode the winners of both the Derby and the Oaks, riding Skyscraper to victory in the Derby for the Duke of Bedford and Tagg for Lord Egremont in the Oaks, becoming the first man to ride the double. The next year he won the Oaks again, riding Hypolita for the Duke of Bedford.
Few people liked Chifney, many regarding him as an "arrogant little upstart" from Norfolk. He was also known to be something of a dandy, to an extent that bordered on the effeminate, with hair flowing out from the front of his cap, ruffs and frills on his clothing and bunches of ribbons on his boots. This self-confidence and attitude distinguished him as "the first professional jockey as we understand the term", although added to this, he had a reputation for dishonesty – "he dressed like a mannequin, nurtured an ego the size of a house and was as bent as a paper clip."
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