Manny Mercer
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Lionel "Manny" Mercer (1928 - 26 September 1959) was a Thoroughbred horse racing
jockey
who was one of British racing's brightest stars when he died in a racing accident. A brother to jockey Joe Mercer
, he was married to the daughter of trainer
Harry Wragg
. Their daughter, Carolyn, married jockey Pat Eddery
.
A leading jockey throughout most of the 1950s, in 1954 Manny Mercer won eighty-eight races, finishing second in the jockey standings to Doug Smith
. During his shortened career, Mercer won two British Classic Races, capturing the 1953 1,000 Guineas Stakes aboard Happy Laughter, and the 1954 2,000 Guineas Stakes on Darius. In 1952 he gained much media attention in the United States
for his masterful ride on Wilwyn
in winning the inaugural running of the Washington, D.C. International at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland
.
Manny Mercer died on 26 September 1959 when a filly named Priddy Fair threw him before the start of the Red Deer Stakes at Ascot Racecourse
. Mercer was fatally kicked in the head as he fell to the ground. Reporting on his death, The Age newspaper in Melbourne
, Australia
called Mercer "one of Britain's most brillant race riders." http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-K8UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UbsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3186,4657069&dq=manny-mercer&hl=en In a 2009 Racing Post
article by John Cobb marking the fiftieth anniversary of Mercer's death, he was called "one of its [racing's] brightest stars."
Manny Mercer Court in Newmarket is named in his memory. He is buried in Newmarket Cemetery.
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
who was one of British racing's brightest stars when he died in a racing accident. A brother to jockey Joe Mercer
Joe Mercer (jockey)
Joseph Mercer 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 Mercer’s retirement, and subsequently only...
, he was married to the daughter of trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
Harry Wragg
Harry Wragg
Harry Wragg was a British jockey and trainer.Wragg became a jockey in 1920. The Champion Jockey in 1941, he rode 13 winners of British Classic Races, as follows:*1,000 Guineas - Campanula , Herringbone , Sun Stream...
. Their daughter, Carolyn, married jockey Pat Eddery
Pat Eddery
Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...
.
A leading jockey throughout most of the 1950s, in 1954 Manny Mercer won eighty-eight races, finishing second in the jockey standings to Doug Smith
Doug Smith (jockey)
Doug Smith was an English flat racing jockey and trainer. During his career he was champion jockey 5 times finishing second on the rider's list 7 times, riding a total of 3,112 winners...
. During his shortened career, Mercer won two British Classic Races, capturing the 1953 1,000 Guineas Stakes aboard Happy Laughter, and the 1954 2,000 Guineas Stakes on Darius. In 1952 he gained much media attention in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for his masterful ride on Wilwyn
Wilwyn
Wilwyn is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won eleven consecutive races. He was sired by Pink Flower, a son of one of Germany's great runners, Oleander, a three-time winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden and a two-time winner of the Grosser Preis von Berlin...
in winning the inaugural running of the Washington, D.C. International at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
.
Manny Mercer died on 26 September 1959 when a filly named Priddy Fair threw him before the start of the Red Deer Stakes at Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
. Mercer was fatally kicked in the head as he fell to the ground. Reporting on his death, The Age newspaper in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
called Mercer "one of Britain's most brillant race riders." http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-K8UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UbsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3186,4657069&dq=manny-mercer&hl=en In a 2009 Racing Post
Racing Post
The Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper, appearing in print form and online.From 30 May 2011 - 3 July 2011 it had a circulation of 56,507.-History:...
article by John Cobb marking the fiftieth anniversary of Mercer's death, he was called "one of its [racing's] brightest stars."
Manny Mercer Court in Newmarket is named in his memory. He is buried in Newmarket Cemetery.