Bleasdale, Jimmy

Jimmy Bleasdale was born in Heywood, Peston, on May 11, 1957.

The son of Manchester publican Frank Bleasdale who ran the Summit pub, Bleasdale joined trainer Sam Hall's stables at Spigot Lodge, Middleham, as an apprentice and returned Hall's faith in him when winning on his first ride - Croisette at Redcar on April 24, 1975.

Two years later in 1977, he was champion apprentice with 67 wins; consequently, many lucrative offers were made to him by leading Southern trainers. That he turned down all such offers said much for his loyalty to Spigot Lodge, but it was to be fatal to his long term career.

Sam Hall died in 1977, and Chris Thornton took over the stable.

Bleasdale had won the Ebor Handicap in 1977 (Move Off) and great things were forecast for him but the winners quickly dried up as the yard was hit with a virus and Bleasdale took a few bad falls, including one at Haydock in 1981. He was catapulted headfirst into a concrete post as his filly, Maple Queen, came down. The horse was killed. Bleasdale was out of action for four months.

He carried on riding for another ten years and did well abroad, particularly in Singapore when he won their Derby and finished up leading rider.

In 1991, he began suffering epileptic fits which doctors told him was the result of the damage to his brain sustained in the Haydock Park fall.

His career was over.

Desperate to retain a connection with racing, he spent three years in Qatar teaching apprentices, then rode out for David Barker and Ferdy Murphy.

He finished up running a bed and breakfast establishment with his wife Denise. Called Tatton Lodge, it is in the North Yorkshire village of Londonderry, just south of Catterick.

It is a matter of conjecture how his career might have fared had he accepted an offer to go south when the leading apprentice.

Jimmy Bleasdale rode a total of 414 winners

As an apprentice he showed his competitive nature in the ring, winning the apprentice jockeys' championship.