Hawick jockey Jason Hart not resting on laurels after hitting 1,000-win mark
Hawick jockey Jason Hart isn’t resting on his laurels after hitting the 1,000-win mark earlier this month and has already racked up another four as he sets his sights on another 1,000 firsts.
The 30-year-old’s 1,000th winner was Rock of England, trained by York’s Paul Midgley, at 7-1 over five furlongs at Beverley in East Yorkshire on Thursday, August 14, but he wasted no time heading for the 2,000 mark, taking another first place at the same meeting just over half an hour later on Chillhi at 13-8 over two miles for James Owen’s Suffolk yard, earning top prizes of £4,527 for both.
That milestone result arrived 14 years on from his first win on Spice Bar at Ripon in North Yorkshire in August 2011 for Declan Carroll’s nearby Malton yard.
Since making it into four figures for wins, Hart has claimed further firsts on Bay Dream Believer at Ripon on Saturday, August 16, for another North Yorkshire trainer, Mark Walford, over a mile and almost two furlongs at 9-4; Court Drive for Suffolk’s Gay Kelleway at Pontefract in West Yorkshire over six furlongs at 14-1 the day after; and Highfield Viking at 2-1 over seven furlongs at Chepstow in Monmouthshire for Malton’s John and Sean Quinn last Tuesday.
He also racked up two second places at Ripon on Monday and Tuesday, respectively on Spanish Rising over a mile and nearly two furlongs for Suffolk trainer Ben Brookhouse and Woodstock over six furlongs for North Yorkshire’s Ruth Carr.
His first job after moving south of the border to North Yorkshire 15 years ago was at fellow Scot Mark Johnston’s Middleham yard but it’s Lancashire’s Eric Alston he credits for giving him his big breakthrough on Ridge Ranger, winner of a listed race and a group-three one with the Borderer riding in 2016.
“It’s a nice milestone to get to,” Hart told Racing TV after his 1,000th first-placed finish.
“I started off with Mark Johnston and had a great grounding there, where you had a great work ethic instilled into you, then I moved to Declan Carroll and even more of a work ethic is instilled into you there.
“I’ve had great support from John Quinn and Eric Alston as well. Eric was the one who got me going and put me on a better class of horse.
“My agent said when I get to 100 winners this year it would be 1,000 for Great Britain, but I’d actually had a few abroad, so that was 1000 worldwide. I’ve a few more to go for 1000 in Britain on its own but I’m really happy.”
Hart, now based in Malton, rates the late Highfield Princess as the best horse he’s ever been paired up with, having guided her to 13 wins for the Quinns from 2020 to 2023, including four group-one victories.
“Highfield Princess is the best I’ve ridden,” he said.