Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

It was with great delight that Sideline Sid came across a copy of a book that was written nearly 40 years ago.

Named simply Grenville, it is the story of one of the greatest jockeys in New Zealand to ever ride on the race tracks of our fair country. Written by then racing journalist Jim Knight, it tells the tale of Grenville Hughes, who rode for some 33 years before hanging up his saddle in 1976.

As a keen racegoer since his teens, the now grey haired follower of form ranks Hughes up there as one the best three riders he has been lucky enough to see.

Sid ranks Hughes with English legend Lester Piggott and Australian maestro George Moore, as the best of the best he has seen ride.

Grenville Fredrick Hughes was born in Helensville in 1927, with the family shifting to Auckland when he was five.

As a youngster he was mesmerised by the colours of the jockey's silks and being small in stature, became an apprentice jockey at Ellerslie after leaving school at 13.

In those days, as Grenville said in the book, apprentice jockeys were looked upon as little more than cheap labour who were expected to work from before daylight until dark.

Living in a whare at the stables was extremely spartan, with the floor carpeted with empty chaff sacks. Sheets were cotton horse rugs while a single woolen horse rug sufficed as a blanket.

Grenville went from a little regarded apprentice jockey, to riding winners in front of the Queen and other Heads of State.

GF Hughes finished his career in the saddle with 1278 winners, and while a few other jockeys have ridden more winners, he was always regarded as the people's champion.

Reading the book, Sideline Sid recalled that he was on course at Te Aroha on the 10 December 1966, when Grenville became just the fourth Kiwi jockey to ride 1000 winners in the shaky isles.

The historic milestone came in a lowly hack race, when he kicked home a racehorse named Tina, for the historic milestone.

During his time in the saddle, Grenville was associated with a myriad of champion horses, however he will forever be remembered as the rider of Mainbrace, who was only beaten twice in 25 starts.

The Waikato-trained horse dominated racing headlines in the early 1950s and drew horse fans and punters alike in their thousands, every time he raced.

Reading a four decades-old book, that is written in the now, highlights the massive changes in racing.

Things that we take for granted, like starting stalls and photo finishes were unknown, when Grenville kicked off his fledgling career in the early 1940s.

Fields of up to 32 starters and races of three divisions were common place in the 1950s, with punters hanging from the rafters on days such as the Auckland and Wellington Cups.

The book also looks of other aspects of racing of the time, such as the introduction of drug testing on race day.

There is also the tale about the tragic death of leading apprentice Stephen Ganley at Paeroa in 1964, when officials insisted the meeting continue after several falls in earlier races.

Grenville had a sweet spot for the Gate Pa course in Tauranga, where he rode Kirrama and Pegs Pride to victory, in the Stars Travel Stakes.

When he won on Pegs Pride in 1974, the Bay of Plenty Racing Club feature was worth $30,000, making it the second richest WFA race in Australasia after the Cox Plate. Sadly the Stars Travel Stakes ended after a short decade in the racing spotlight.

Another Tauranga feature that GF Hughes won was the Japan New Zealand Trophy, which still takes centre stage in autumn each year.

Grenville rode that grand mare Battle Eve to win the fourth running of the race in 1974 before retirement beckoned a couple of seasons later.