Ernie Johnson (jockey) 1979, 49 in 1980, 29 in 1981, 46 in 1982, to 27 in 1983. In the 1980 Epsom Oaks, Johnson rode The Dancer, on whom he had won a race at Newbury as a 2 year old, for Major Dick Hern. Hern's stable jockey, Willie Carson, also had the choice of Cheshire Oaks winner Shoot A Line and Musidora Stakes winner Bireme. He elected to ride Bireme, who won by 2 lengths from Vielle, with The Dancer in 3rd. Johnson made much of the running until two furlongs out and was possibly a shade unlucky - The Dancer was partially
John Watts (jockey) old. His funeral on 2 August was attended by "almost the entire town" of Newmarket. Jack Watts was married twice and started a dynasty of trainers. His son John Evelyn Watts trained the 1927 Derby winner Call Boy, and his grandson John Frederick Watts became private trainer to Lord Derby and won the St Leger with Indiana in 1964. Jack Watts' great-grandson, John William “Bill” Watts trained Waterloo to win the 1000 Guineas in 1972 and Teleprompter to win the 1985 Arlington Million. John Watts (jockey) John "Jack" Watts was a British flat-race jockey. In a career that lasted from