Description

Signed by Joe Mercer

Joseph “Joe” Mercer, OBE (born 25 October 1934 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England) is a retired English thoroughbred race horse jockey. He was active as a jockey from 1947 to 1985 and rode a total of 2,810 winners in Britain, a figure exceeded only by Sir Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott, and Doug Smith at the time of his retirement, and subsequently only bettered by Pat Eddery (his niece’s ex-husband), Willie Carson and Frankie Dettori.

Major racing wins

British Classic Race wins:

Epsom Oaks (1953)
St. Leger Stakes (1965, 1974, 1980, 1981)
2,000 Guineas Stakes (1971)
1,000 Guineas Stakes (1974, 1979)

Irish Classic Race wins:

Irish 2,000 Guineas (1973)
Irish Derby (1959)
Irish St Leger (1965)

French Classic Race wins:

Prix de Diane (1974)

Racing awards

British flat racing Champion Apprentice (1952, 1953)
British flat racing Champion Jockey (1979)

Honours – OBE

Significant horses ridden

Brigadier Gerard, Bustino, Highclere, Kris, Le Moss