RaceHorseHeroes

jejquade · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: Jimmy Power RIP

By Graham Green2.28PM 18 APR 2009

JIMMY POWER, the most senior member of that select club of jockeys to have ridden the winners of the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup, has died at his home in North Yorkshire at the age of 86.

Power was forced to give up riding after a 25-year career in 1964 due to a failing memory that could be traced back to having previously fractured his skull in a fall.

Instead of joining the training ranks, Power subsequently turned his attention to farming, but continued to ride-out for Pat Rohan in Malton.

Like many leading jump jockeys, Power began life on the Flat, but grew too heavy.

After the war, he took the advice of Tim Molony and came to Britain to join Stewart Wright in Scotland before two years later moving to Bobby Renton in Yorkshire for whom Power won the 1950 Grand National aboard Freebooter, although in recent years he could remember very little about his biggest wins.

However it was an eventful victory as Freebooter stood too far back at the Chair, crashed through it, and catapulted Power between his ears and causing him to lose his irons momentarily. Power also had a piece of good fortune when long-time leader Cloncarrig fell at the second last when travelling well, leaving Freebooter to come home clear.

Interviewed in later years, Power said: "Although I can't remember much about it now, it was the highlight of my career. The National is the race every jump jockey wants towin."

Although he also won a Scottish National on the Renton-trained Flagrant Mac in 1952, the second leg of Power's big-chase double, aboard Limber Hill, was for Malton trainer Bill Dutton. In what proved an extremely fruitful 1955/56 season, Limber Hill won both King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup.