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Mick Pumfrey, son of a local dairyman and an ex-pupil of Naunton Park School. Leckhampton, Cheltenham Spa (left) was the stable jockey of Phil Doherty who trained 21 horses at his yard in Gambles Lane, Woodmancote.
The best of these horses was undoubtedly Impney who had the distinction, when ridden by Mick, of beating one of the greatest hurdlers of all time - Sir Ken - at Uttoxeter. That afternoon, Sir Ken had started at 7-1 on!
Some years later, riding Anniversary in the last race at Newton Abbot for George Hackling, (2 August, 1959)Â Mick was thrown when the horse came down. He was not injured by the fall but received a kick from a following horse.
This split his crash helmet. Aged 29, he died the following day in Torbay.
Mick, who had been a jockey for eight years, had lived close to the Rising Sun on Cleeve Hill, not far from Emblem Cottage, the home of George Stevens, who rode the winners of five Grand Nationals and who himself had been killed in a (non-racing) fall from a horse.
Mick was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery within sight of George's grave.
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