Born on February 28, 1943, in Co Limerick, Ron started as a 6st 8lb apprentice with Mrs Anne Biddle, the licence being officially held by Tommy Shaw. He served a five-year apprenticeship with Shaw and rode his first winner on a six-year-old mare named Lluvia in a one-mile handicap at Gowran Park on May 18, 1961.
He crossed the Irish Sea in 1964 to ride for the small Haddington, East Lothian stable of Wilfred Crawford
(a former Scottish rugby union international) and had his first British winner on novice hurdler Final Approach at Ayr on October 19, 1964, following up with another victory at Kelso five days later. Crawford’s chaser Away For Slates gave him one of his first wins over fences when scoring at Catterick on January 16, 1965. Ron was quickly into his stride, losing his 7lb, 5lb and 3lb allowances all on the same horse, Prince Blarney.
He became acquainted with top trainer Gordon Richards who, in 1967, offered him the ride on Playlord. Ron went on to win eight races on Playlord, including the Great Yorkshire Chase and the Scottish Grand National, both in 1969.
Known as ‘Big Ron’, he gained his greatest success in 1973, when winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup on The Dikler, trained by Fulke Walwyn, despite having broken his collarbone just ten days earlier. In a desperate finish, Ron prevailed on The Dikler, beating Pendil by a short head.
Ron became Champion Jockey for the first time in 1972/73 with 125 winners (then a record). He retained his title the following season with 94 wins.
The Whitbread Gold Cup, later known as the Bet365 Gold Cup, was a lucky race for Ron: he won it three times, on Titus Oates (1971), Charlie Potheen (1973) and The Dikler (1974).
Having ridden as a freelance for a short while – when his wins included the 1976 Schweppes Gold Trophy on Irish Fashion – he rejoined Richards, winning the 1979 Mackeson Gold Cup for him on Man Alive.
In 1978 he was offered the ride on Lucius after Richards’ stable jockey David Goulding was ruled out with an injury. Ron had, however, already agreed to ride Forest King for trainer Ken Hogg, and declined the winning ride.
Aged 40, Ron bowed out after winning the Glentrool Handicap Chase on Final Argument at Ayr on October 31, 1983, the 823rd and last winner of his outstanding career. It was fitting that ‘Big Ron’ should announce his retirement after winning at Ayr, as it was there that it had all begun when he rode his first British winner on Final Approach. It was also appropriate that it was one of Gordon Richards’ horses that gave him his final winner because it was for Richards’ Greystoke stable that Ron had ridden the majority of his winners.
A remarkable feature of Ron’s career is that although he had almost 5,000 mounts, he was only once in trouble with the stewards, when he was fined £15 for a minor infringement. A tribute to his physical toughness is that, despite having had many crashing falls and broken bones, he only spent one night in hospital during his entire career, and that was because his wife took his clothes away to prevent him discharging himself!
Having retired, he lived at Pooley Bridge near Ullswater in the Lake District. He ran his own company building timber-framed boxes and horse shelters. Eventually, he became an Inspector of Courses for the Jockey Club. He retired from that role in 2006, having served 19 years.
In contrast to the Whitbread Gold Cup, the Grand National was never Ron’s lucky race. His first ride was the mare Sandy Sprite, on whom he led over the last fence, only for his mount to break down on the run-in and finish fifth.
Ron Barry rode in seven Grand Nationals altogether, his record being:
Sandy Sprite (1971) 5th
Gyleburn (1972) fell at first
Princess Camilla (1973) refused
Straight Vulgan (1974) fell
The Dikler (1975) 5th
The Dikler (1976) 6th
Coolishall (1982) fell
Ron Barry
Cheltenham Gold Cup winner: The Dikler (1973)
Other big winners:
1969: Scottish Grand National – Playlord
1969: Massey-Ferguson Gold Cup – Titus Oates
1970: Charlie Hall Chase – Kildrummy
1971: Whitbread Gold Cup – Titus Oates
1973: John Player Hurdle Final – Dark Sultan
1973: Whitbread Gold Cup – Charlie Potheen
1974: Whitbread Gold Cup – The Dikler
1975: Benson & Hedges Gold Cup – Easby Abbey
1975: Massey-Ferguson Gold Cup – Easby Abbey
1976: Mildmay-Cazalet Memorial Chase – Money Market
1976: Whitbread Trophy – Forest King
1976: Schweppes Gold Trophy – Irish Fashion
1976: Colonial Cup – Grand Canyon
1976: Castleford Handicap Chase – Skyrne
1977: Mildmay-Cazalet Memorial Chase – Zeta’s Son
1977: Embassy Premier Chase – Border Incident
1978: Colonial Cup – Grand Canyon
1978: S.G.B. Handicap Chase – Grand Canyon
1978: Castleford Handicap Chase – Lord Greystoke
1982: Castleford Handicap Chase – Little Bay
