Richard Ash

Richard Ash

South-west jumps jockey Richard Ash held a licence in the late 1960s and early 70s and rode a total of 17 winners.

Richard William John Ash rode his first two winners in just over an hour at Devon & Exeter on Whit Monday, June 3, 1968. He began with Dianne’s Hope in the Crediton Selling Handicap Hurdle and then completed a double on Cubhunter for David Barons in the Tavistock Novices’ Chase.

He notched five winners at the two Devon tracks within the first month of the 1968/69 season, including the Lady Petersham Trophy Chase at Devon & Exeter on Dianne’s Hope. However, he didn’t ride another winner all season.

Richard rode for Martock, Somerset trainer Toby Cobden during the 1969/70 campaign and won three times on chaser Lean Sport for him in the early part of the season, losing his 7lb claim in the process. He achieved a career highlight when landing a treble at Newton Abbot on Easter Monday 1970 aboard hurdlers Anno Domino and Culagrein, both trained by Mrs Betty Kennard, and novice chaser True Ali for Toby Cobden.

Weight was already proving a problem, however. He had had to put up 11lb overweight to make 10st 7lb when winning on Pom Pom at the start of that season, and 8lb overweight to do 10st 5lb when scoring on Big Gun II in April 1970.

The 1970/71 season was to be his last. He rode his final winner on Toby Cobden’s grey Edelweiss at Hereford on October 28, 1970. He relinquished his licence at the end of that season and became a blacksmith, shoeing horses instead of riding them.

He listed his hobbies as salmon fishing and shooting.

Richard Ash’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Dianne’s Hope, Devon & Exeter, June 3, 1968

2. Cubhunter Devon & Exeter, June 3, 1968

3. Lumin Fair, Devon & Exeter, August 7, 1968

4. His Lordship, Devon & Exeter, August 22, 1968 (walkover)

5. Dianne’s Hope, Newton Abbot, September 3, 1968

6. Dianne’s Hope, Devon & Exeter, September 5, 1968

7. His Lordship, Newton Abbot, September 13, 1968

8. Pom Pom, Newton Abbot, August 27, 1969

9. Lean Sport, Newton Abbot, September 1, 1969

10. Lean Sport, Newton Abbot, September 12, 1969

11. Lean Sport, Plumpton, October 13, 1969

12. Solotown, Wincanton, February 5, 1970

13. Anno Domino, Newton Abbot, March 30, 1970

14. Culagrein, Newton Abbot, March 30, 1970

15. True Ali, Newton Abbot, March 30, 1970

16. Big Gun II, Devon & Exeter, April 4, 1970

17. Edelweiss, Hereford, October 28, 1970