Blackshaw, Harry
1919-1986
Harry Fawcus Blackshaw, born September 4, 1919 in County Durham, always said that the highlight of his jockey years was when he beat Gordon Richards by a short head twice in the same afternoon. Harry was aged 14 at the time.
He served his apprenticeship with Dawson Waugh.
By the age of 16 he had ridden forty winners and had lost his allowance. This total included his first two winners at Goodwood.
He was aboard Lundtofte when that horse won the Derby in both Denmark and
Sweden within the space of a fortnight.
He rode for the trainers Percy Vasey, Mrs F. Senior & E. V. Stephenson.
Harry lived at Micklethwaite House in Wetherby and spent six years during the war with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.
He rode his first winner, Waltrudis, at Sandown in 1935 and continued riding until joining the Army in September 1939.
After the war he rode under both codes: the best horses he rode then included Trimbush, No Orchids & Pappatea. He won the Ascot Stakes, Northumberland Plate & the Newmarket Summer Cup.
It was, however, as a trainer that Harry made his name. He took out a trainer's licence in 1951, and sent out horses from Warwick Lodge stables in Middleham, Yorks.
He sent out his last runner in 1978.
Harry, then of Middleham, North Yorkshire, died in France of cancer on June 8, 1986, leaving estate valued at £111.132 net.
