When did Richard Kingscote leave Tom Dascombe?
A graduate of the British Racing School in Newmarket, Richard Kingscote was apprenticed to Wiltshire trainer Roger Charlton, with 85 winners to his name, when Tom Dascombe came calling. Reflecting on those early days, Kingscote said later, ‘I was a bit dubious when Guy Jewell, my agent, told me Tom wanted me to ride all his horses. That just doesn’t happen, does it?’
Nevertheless, what followed would become one of the most enduring and successful partnerships of recent times. Kingscote is probably still best known for his association with the ill-fated Brown Panther, whom he rode to ten of his eleven career victories, including the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh in 2014. In September, 2019, he and Dascombe reached the career milestone of 500 winners with the victory of the two-year-old filly Brookside Banner at Haydock. At that point, Kingscote said, ‘Tom’s a lovely boss and all credit to him for giving me his support. Long may it continue.’
Despite that assertion, in early 2021, when invited by Sir Michael Stoute to pursue opportunities in Newmarket, Kingscote made the shock decision to relinquish his position as stable jockey to Tom Dascombe. Interviewed in August that year, Dascombe said, ‘He [Kingscote] hasn’t been our stable jockey basically for 2021.’ Kingscote has still ridden more often for Dascombe than any other trainer in 2021. However, his strike rate is a mediocre 7-120 (6%), compared with 19-97 (20%) for Sir Michael Stoute.