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Photo courtesy Chris Pitt
1911-1989
Kenneth Alfred Gethin, born in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, was born on May 2, 1911, and - apprenticed to Stanley Wootton at Epsom -gained his first big win on Blue Vision in the 1931 Northumberland Plate (whilst riding for Ivor Anthony's stable). He further emphasized his talent with a win on Venturer in the next year's Great Jubilee Handicap at Kempton.
After the war, Gethin rode Petition to victory in the Eclipse Stakes and Victoria Cup, both in 1948.
He had his best run of winners in the latter part of his career.
His sole classic win came aboard Zabara in the 1952 One Thousand Guineas.
In the same year he won the Cambridgeshire on Richer, trained by Staff Ingham for whom he also won the 1953 Cesarewitch on the heavily-backed Chantry.
Other notable wins included the 1953 Dewhurst Stakes (Infatuation) and the 1953 Victoria Cup (Orgoglio). His best season, numerically, came in 1947 with 81 winners.
He married 'Boo',the daughter of Epsom trainer Peter Thrale and retired from the saddle in 1960.
His last big race success was on Operatic Society in the Manchester November Handicap of 1959.
He then took up training, with moderate success.
Ken broke his back while serving with the Army during World War Two. He was knocked down by a service lorry and was so seriously injured that he was advised that he may not be able to ride again. However, a brilliant bone-grafting operation proved completely successful.
Ken died at Ashstead Hospital on Saturday, 7 October, 1989. He was 78.
His funeral took place on Thursday, 12 October, 1989, at Randall's Park Crematorium, Leatherhead, at 2.30 pm.
Ken's son, Peter, became a racing driver and, 1971, won the Italian Grand Prix at the then fastest-ever average speed of 151.634 mph.
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