Robert James SkeltonMBE (28 December 1934 – 19 August 2016) was a New Zealand jockey who competed from the 1950s through the 1980s. Among his many major race wins, Skelton rode Great Sensation to three victories in the Wellington Cup in 1961-63 and won the Auckland Cup on Rose Mellay in 1974 and again in 1977 on Royal Cadenza. In 1976, he rode Van der Hum to victory in Australia's most prestigious race, the Melbourne Cup, and ten years later rode Rising Fear into second place in the 1986 Cup. He was also successful in completing a double in the Perth Cup on Magistrate in 1980 and 1981. Overall winning 20 3200m and two mile races.
In the 1978 Queen's Birthday Honours, Skelton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to horse racing as a jockey.[2] Overall he won 9 New Zealand Riding Premierships. Including the Melbourne & Perth Cups he also won numerous major races in Australia such as the Toorak Handicap, The George Adams, Feehan Stakes, Turnbull Stakes, and Hotham Handicap, Liston Stakes, Duke of Nortfolk Stakes (3200 m), Memsie Stakes, Easter Cup, and Victoria Handicap.
Following his riding career he took up training and was fortunate to train and own with friends a little mare (14.2 hands) called Oregon Seal who won 9 races including the Tesio Stakes. After her racing career she became a broodmare and had 8 foals - 8 winners with 3 stakes winners including Oregon Spirit, Talent Show (Perth Cup), and Oregon's Day (Redoutes Choice Stakes, Alexandra Stakes, Frances Tressady Stakes, and the Hollindale Cup.
Ryan, Dennis. RJ - The Bob Skelton Story (1979) Rugby Press, Auckland ISBN0-9597553-6-5
Profiles of Fame: The stories of New Zealand's Greatest Sporting Achievers by Ron Palenski (2002, New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, Dunedin) p. 42 ISBN0-473-08536-4
This New Zealand horse racing biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
skelton, jockey, robert, james, skelton, december, 1934, august, 2016, zealand, jockey, competed, from, 1950s, through, 1980s, among, many, major, race, wins, skelton, rode, great, sensation, three, victories, wellington, 1961, auckland, rose, mellay, 1974, ag. Robert James Skelton MBE 28 December 1934 19 August 2016 was a New Zealand jockey who competed from the 1950s through the 1980s Among his many major race wins Skelton rode Great Sensation to three victories in the Wellington Cup in 1961 63 and won the Auckland Cup on Rose Mellay in 1974 and again in 1977 on Royal Cadenza In 1976 he rode Van der Hum to victory in Australia s most prestigious race the Melbourne Cup and ten years later rode Rising Fear into second place in the 1986 Cup He was also successful in completing a double in the Perth Cup on Magistrate in 1980 and 1981 Overall winning 20 3200m and two mile races Bob Skelton MBEFull nameRobert James SkeltonOccupationJockeyBorn28 December 1934Cobden New Zealand 1 Died19 August 2016 aged 81 Melbourne Victoria AustraliaCareer wins2230Major racing winsNew Zealand Derby 1957 1961 1974 Wellington Cup 1959 1961 1962 1963 1969 New Zealand Cup 1960 1971 1977 New Zealand St Leger 1963 1974 1976 New Zealand Oaks 1966 Avondale Cup 1967 1975 Railway Handicap 1973 1975 WRC George Adams Handicap 1973 1977 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes 1973 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes 1973 Auckland Cup 1974 1977 Melbourne Cup 1976 Easter Handicap 1977 Toorak Handicap 1979 Perth Cup 1980 1981 HonoursNew Zealand Racing Hall of Fame 2006 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame 1995 MBE 1978 Significant horsesGrey Way Van der Hum Great Sensation Show Gate Star BelleIn the 1978 Queen s Birthday Honours Skelton was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to horse racing as a jockey 2 Overall he won 9 New Zealand Riding Premierships Including the Melbourne amp Perth Cups he also won numerous major races in Australia such as the Toorak Handicap The George Adams Feehan Stakes Turnbull Stakes and Hotham Handicap Liston Stakes Duke of Nortfolk Stakes 3200 m Memsie Stakes Easter Cup and Victoria Handicap Skelton retired in the 1987 88 season He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame in 2006 In 2007 the Auckland Racing Club voted him as their 8th official Legend of Ellerslie where he won nine jockey premierships at Ellerslie Racecourse between 1955 and 1976 Following his riding career he took up training and was fortunate to train and own with friends a little mare 14 2 hands called Oregon Seal who won 9 races including the Tesio Stakes After her racing career she became a broodmare and had 8 foals 8 winners with 3 stakes winners including Oregon Spirit Talent Show Perth Cup and Oregon s Day Redoutes Choice Stakes Alexandra Stakes Frances Tressady Stakes and the Hollindale Cup Skelton died in Melbourne on 19 August 2016 1 His brother Bill Skelton was also a successful jockey See also EditThoroughbred racing in New ZealandReferences Edit a b Ryan Tim 19 August 2016 Bob Skelton a great of the turf passes away in Melbourne Stuff co nz Retrieved 19 August 2016 No 47551 The London Gazette 3rd supplement 3 June 1978 p 6271 Ryan Dennis RJ The Bob Skelton Story 1979 Rugby Press Auckland ISBN 0 9597553 6 5 Profiles of Fame The stories of New Zealand s Greatest Sporting Achievers by Ron Palenski 2002 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame Dunedin p 42 ISBN 0 473 08536 4 Bob Skelton profile at the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame This New Zealand horse racing biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Skelton jockey amp oldid 1129612469, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
