The racing world has paid tribute to Joe Mercer, the jockey who famously partnered the mighty Brigadier Gerard to multiple big race successes, following his death at the age of 86. Mercer enjoyed an illustrious career on the level until his retirement in 1985. He was crowned champion jockey once, won eight British Classics and rode over 2,800 winners during his 37 years in the saddle. He has a riding style like no other, preferring to use the whip unless really necessary and favouring a pumping rhythmic arm action to get the best out of his mounts.
Mercer counted the Dick Hern trained Brigadier Gerard as his most high-profile ride. The duo beat the mighty Mill Reef in a stellar renewal of the 1971 2000 Guineas in 1971 before going on to add the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Eclipse and Champion Stakes. Bustino, also trained by Hern, was another of Mercer’s headline horses. The pair were involved in an epic battle in the 1975 King George, eventually having to settle for second behind Pat Eddery and Grundy after an enthralling ding dong tussle up the Ascot straight which saw the contest get dubbed “The Race of the Century”.
Mercer also won the 1000 Guineas aboard Highclere at Newmarket for the Queen in 1974 and was made an OBE for his services to racing in 1980. Following his retirement, he went on to become racing manager for the late Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum. Former weighing-room colleague Bruce Raymond joining him as assistant in 1994. Raymond said: “It was quite a shock, it was very unexpected. I would speak to him every Saturday and he called me on Sunday to talk about the Lockinge. He was a really nice man – he was the sort of guy who liked people that really shouldn’t have been liked! He never had a bad word to say about anyone.
“He was also the kind of man who was always first. When you were in the changing rooms, we’d be told ‘caps on’ and he’d be the first to be ready, then he’d be first out into the paddock. If you were meeting him at 7pm at a restaurant, he’d be there five minutes early and then tell you you were late! Joe was a good rider, a great stylist and someone everybody could look up to.”
He added: “Obviously Brigadier Gerard was a highlight, but Joe had so many good horses around that time, including Kris for Sir Henry Cecil and Le Moss in the Gold Cup. He was a great jockey, but an even better man. He’s not just a sad loss to racing, but he’s a sad loss to everyone that knew him. He was just a great guy.”
Multiple champion Willie Carson described Mercer as the “ultimate jockey”. He told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s a very, very sad day to lose my great mate Joe, I know he was a fair age but it’s the end of an era. He was a real stylist in the saddle, rode a lot of good horses, was champion jockey. I took his job, unfortunately, from Dick Hern, and he walked into Henry Cecil’s yard and he made him a champion. Although I took his job, we were great friends until today, basically. It’s so sad.
“Of course we’ve got so many great memories of him, especially the one when he won the 2000 Guineas on Brigadier Gerard. That was one of the great races, all the good horses running in that 2000 Guineas, and of course he ended up basically being unbeaten, the Brigadier.
“Joe was the ultimate jockey, he was regarded in my time as the ultimate professional. He was liked by everyone, he wasn’t aggressive in any way. In the weighing room he was everybody’s friend, you could see Joe sitting in the corner with a pipe in his mouth, puffing away at his pipe. He was one of those people that you put on a pedestal and I will miss him tremendously.”
St Mark’s Basilica provided all-conquering trainer Aidan O’Brien with his fifth victory in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp when showing a blistering turn of foot to win in the style of something very special. It is 19 years since the Ballydoyle handler first landed the French 2000 Guineas with Landseer in 2002, subsequently adding to his tally with Aussie Rules (2006), Astronomer Royal (2007) and The Gurkha (2016). Making his first appearance since winning the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October, St Mark’s Basilica was sent off at just over 4/1 for the 12-runner mile contest in the hands of Ioritz Mendizabal.
After settling in midfield, St Mark’s Basilica made stealthy headway rounding the home turn to chase the leaders. Mendizabal then switched him wide to deliver his challenge and the son of Siyouni showed a dazzling turn of foot to charge to the front and be well on top when they hit the line – scoring by a comfortable 1 3/4 lengths over Colosseo.
Jim Bolger’s 2/1 favourite Poetic Flare, who was bidding for a second Classic success following his win in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket a fortnight ago, stayed on to finish sixth. I thought it was a display which oozed class and suggested that St Mark’s Basilica needing keeping firmy onside this season.
He is now a 9/4 chance with Paddy Power to follow-up in next month’s Prix du Jockey-Club over 10 furlongs, but the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot is another option. O’Brien favours the former. He said: “He quickens very well. He has an option to go to Ascot or go back for the French Derby. The original plan was that he would go back for the French Derby.”