2002-2005 Geoffrey Harker
Geoffrey Alan Harker, born on 20th January 1966, was a successful jump jockey for a decade between the 1980s and 1990s and celebrated his best season, the jumps season from 1987-88, when he rode 16 winners. He won the 1987 Dick Brewitt Memorial Challenge Cup at Catterick on Candy Cone, owned and trained by Bobby Brewis, later following up in the 1988 Peter Vaux Memorial Trophy Chase. He also partnered Beau Derek to land the Tennent's Novices Chase at Edinburgh. In 1989 he was victorious in the Melleray's Belle Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Ayr riding Bluff Knoll, owned and trained by Bobby Brewis. There is little doubt that he had a rapport with Bluff Knoll, winning on him 7 times, including 4 consecutive wins in 1989 and 1990.
The most prestigious win with Bluff Knoll was the 1990 Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby when he rewarded favourite backers at 2/1. His winners began drying up in 1993 and 1994, and he called it a day on his riding career in June 1994. He applied for a trainer's licence and trained from Bolton Hall stables, in the vicinity of Middleham in 2002 with a string of 11, the best of which was Patriarch Express. He trained 11 horses in 2003, achieving 11 winners, including Enzo De Baune and Atlantic Queen, and although his string grew to 15 in 2004, he only managed 9 winners, including Enzo De Baune. In 2005, with 14 horses in his care, he managed 13 winners, the best of which were Jethro Tull, Enzo De Baune and Rajam, and at the end of the season he left Bolton Hall for Thirsk, training at Stockhill Green on the York Road.
Principal winners as a jockey
1987 Dick Brewitt Memorial Challenge Cup at Catterick CANDY CONE 10/1 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis, ridden by Geoff Harker
1988 Peter Vaux Memorial Trophy Chase CANDY CONE 2/1 fav owned and trained by Bobby Brewis, ridden by Geoff Harker
1987 Tennent's Novices Chase at Edinburgh BEAU DEREK 4/1 owned by W Spink, trained by T Barron and ridden by Geoff Harker
1988 Smallholm Novices Hurdle at Kelso BLUFF KNOLL 5/1 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1989 Mellerays Belle Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at Ayr BLUFF KNOLL 8/1 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1990 Pat de Clermont Challenge Cup at Kelso BLUFF KNOLL 13/2 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1990 Fusiliers Handicap Chase at Newcastle BLUFF KNOLL 11/8 fav owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1990 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby BLUFF KNOLL 2/1 fav owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1993 Scottish Equitable Handicap Chase at Kelso BLUFF KNOLL 7/1 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
1994 Grouse Handicap Chase at Newcastle BLUFF KNOLL 7/2 owned and trained by Bobby Brewis and ridden by Geoff Harker
Principal winners as a trainer at Bolton Hall
2002 Weatherbys Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Cheltenham PATRIARCH EXPRESS 9/2 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by N Hannity
2002 GG Media classified Hurdle at Sedgefield BROOKSBY WHORLTON 25/1 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by N Hannity
2003 Kirkandrens Novices Handicap Chase at Carlisle ENZO DE BAUNE 11/4 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by W B Orde-Powlett
2003 Autumn Handicap at Redcar ATLANTIC QUEEN 10/1 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by Tony Cullhane
2003 R P Adam Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Kelso THE MASARETI KID 7/2 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by N Hannity
2003 Fixed Brush National Hunt Novices Hurdle at Haydock PATRIARCH EXPRESS 2/1 fav trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by N Hannity
2004 Manny Bernstein Handicap Chase at Leicester ENZO DE BAUNE 6/1 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by W B Orde-Powlett
2004 McEwans Handicap Chase at Musselburgh ENZO DE BAUNE 2/1 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by W B Orde-Powlett
2004 Green Tree Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Kelso FAIRY SKIN MAKER 13/2 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by N Hannity
2005 Marne Handicap Chase at Catterick ENZO DE BAUNE 11/2 trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by W B Orde-Powlett
2005 Totesport Handicap Hurdle at Perth FARNE ISLE 100/30 fav trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by William Kennedy
2005 SIS Handicap Hurdle at Perth RAJAM 9/4 fav trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by William Kennedy
2005 Anderson & Brown Handicap Hurdle at Perth TOP STYLE 3/1 fav trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by William Kennedy
2005 Betfred Poker Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield JETHRO TULL 7/2 fav trained by Geoff Harker and ridden by William Kennedy
