Jockey Maxwell’s amateur dramatics
BY MELISSA JONES FOR many, champion amateur jockey David Maxwell is a have-a-go hero for middle-aged men dying to release the daredevil within.
And for a man whose nine-to-five revolves around investments, Maxwell is the first to admit his hobby was not the wisest move.
The property magnate has amassed a 20-strong string of racehorses, some worth six figures, and his growing collection has pitted the enthusiastic amateur against the professionals at many of the UK’s best tracks.
Racing’s version of a non-league footballer taking on Liverpool with his team-mates even conquered Cheltenham this season, the top of the National Hunt Premier League, when he rode Jatiluwuh to victory at the November Meeting. “It was a huge thrill,” says Maxwell. “Any winner at Cheltenham is huge, especially in front of a big crowd. There’s an atmosphere at that place like nowhere else.
“It is such a privilege as an amateur to go out in front of 50,000 people and a knowledgeable crowd.”
Whizzing over obstacles on a half-a-tonne animal might not be fun for your average 41-year-old, but the amateur jockeys’ champion was never going to be a mere spectator.
“It’s a habit of middle-aged men to get a pastime and then go nuts at it, ride the fastest bike they can and wear the most lycra. This is my version at fast racing pace!”
Not everything goes smoothly. Maxwell’s impressive 31 per cent strike rate this season has been marred by two unfortunate incidents. In January at Taunton, he fell off Zizaneur when six lengths in front. And two weeks later, a severe bout of cramp forced the plucky jockey to quit on the hard-pulling Bob and Co in a hunter chase at Warwick. That is not all. “I fell off Cat Tiger before he won at Auteuil last season,” he recalls.
“It happened when we went down to the start to jump the practice fence.
“The French were all laughing at this stupid Englishman. Thankfully, I caught him, got back on and he won a Grade Three, winning about a third of his purchase price in the process.”
Jockey-coach David Crosse has been one of the figures instrumental behind Maxwell (below), who says: “I will be forever grateful to David.
“He has made the biggest difference to my riding – what I should do, where I should be in a race and my fitness. But the basic rule is to try and not make a fool of myself, or mess it up.
“There is literally nothing better, or more terrifying than lining up at the start of a two-mile chase.
“It’s a life-affirming moment where it can go very badly wrong quite quickly, but at the same time with nice horses it’s unbelievable fun. I love every second of it.” His highlight this week will be Friday’s Foxhunter Chase with Maxwell likely to choose Shantou Flyer, on whom he finished second last year, ahead of Bob And Co.
“I’ll probably choose the wrong one!” Maxwell adds. “I’m good at that!”