On Tuesday morning, former two-time champion jockey Hubert Chinna Bartley succumbed to illness which he fought for some time. Tributes for the veteran rider are pouring in as his sudden death has left the entire racing fraternity in mourning. He was 54 years-old.

Bartley began his association with horse racing at Caymanas Park in 1981. At the untimely finish of his career from 3,349 mounts, Bartley rode a total of 751 winners with earnings of $35,118,576, placing him in ninth position on the overall list of winning jockeys in Jamaica. His first winner was aboard Bold Venture and his last was with Hail De King for trainer Dalton Comrie on October 25, 2014.

Bartley, known for riding very flat in the saddle, rode two Derby winners — Poorlittlerichgirl (1991) andMr Lover Lover (1997). In addition, he won six St Leger (the third race in the Triple Crown series), a race he literally made his own.

The Complete Racing Guide sought reactions from racing personalities following Bartley’s passing.

Robert Darby Snr, a veteran in the business, hailed Bartley as a true icon of horse racing and one of the best to take up the reins at Caymanas Park.

“I knew him (Bartley) fairly well as a young rider, as he used to ride a lot for me in my early days as a trainer. In my opinion, one of the reasons why he rose to the successful heights that he did was because of his attitude, mannerism and dedication to work. He was a fairly humble person that didn’t get carried away and his ability to ride was really tremendous.

“He was one that you could really rely on in getting the job done. Bartley could tell you a lot about the horses that he rode and what they might need, or what would help them perform better, and he was usually right.

“He was a strong finisher, especially in the Classic races. He was particularly effective going a distance of ground, especially over nine, 10 furlongs and beyond. He was an excellent judge of pace. He was a top rider; however, weight bothered him a bit in his career, which I thought was one of the reasons for his shortened time in the pigskin,” Darby Snr said.

Racing Secretary Denzil Miller remembered Bartley as an excellent horseman who will be missed by all.

“From the time, I started to work at Caymanas Park, Bartley and I developed an excellent relationship — he was a true professional. His seat in the saddle was something to behold. Bartley was flat in the saddle, very flat, as if one could actually place a glass of water on his back while he was in full drive and it didn’t spill.

“One of things I admired about him was that he really was able to get extra out of a horse in the last 30, 40 yards of a race. He partnered quite a number of outstanding thoroughbreds and, for me, he was the king of the St Leger. I don’t think there is any other jockey that has won the St Leger more times than Bartley.

“He rode for some of the best trainers as well, Kenneth Mattis, Philip Feanny, Allan “Billy” Williams and even Vin Edwards — in his heydays. Bartley rode a lot of winners and his performances on

Khadullah were something to behold.

“It is a very sad time for us to have lost him and although he was inactive, he was still highly respected. He had weight issues over the last part of his career. Condolences to the family,” said Miller.

Trainer Stanley Findlay described Bartley as a respectable rider who did a lot for the racing industry.

“I knew him well and he is a very decent fellow who rode a lot of winners for me. Bartley was a very intelligent fellow; he was quiet and hard-working.

“Bartley was a decent and a respectable person and I admired him as a jockey coming up. I was always encouraging him to stay atop his profession. Weight problems derailed his career, but he was a true horseman.

“He will be missed daily from the racing fraternity,” said Findlay.

Although he did not know Bartley personally, trainer Ian Parsard also shared his thoughts on the jockey.

“I can’t really tell you much from a personal standpoint, but certainly I have heard about his reputation as jockey. Bartley seemed to be a very special rider, and the little that I know of him is that he had a very quiet disposition and was not one of those guys that was rowdy or loud; he was quite a gentleman. But certainly, the thing that stood out was his reputation of being a very special rider,” Parsard said.