Jump jockey Nick Bentley was born on December 29, 1972. He spent the first seven years of his life in Bermuda before coming to England with his family. He and his elder brother David went to school in Bristol. The brothers were taken racing at an early age by their father, Geoff, and becoming jump jockeys was always their aim.
Nick joined Middleham trainer George Moore straight after leaving school. He rode his first winner on Applianceofscience in a Catterick novices’ hurdle on February 20, 1991.
He enjoyed what he regards as probably his best day in the saddle when riding a treble in the last three races at Hexham on May 2, 1992 aboard Mick Easterby’s Macarthur in the Tant Pis Handicap Chase, and Walter Bentley’s pair Clovermill in the Devils Water Selling Hurdle and Seon in the Michael Henderson Handicap Hurdle.
In terms of winners, he had his most successful season when riding as a conditional for Moore in the 1992/93 campaign with a score of 25. He was quick off the mark with an August Bank Holiday Monday double at Cartmel on novice hurdler Space Captain and juvenile hurdler Ste-Jen. He won twice on two more of Moore’s hurdlers, Bold Boss and Nouvelle Cuisine, and also rode winners for Howard Johnson, Walter Bentley, Steve Kettlewell and Peter Bevan.
However, by far the best horse he rode that season was Moore’s novice hurdler High Altitude. In November 1992 he won three in a row on him at Carlisle, Haydock and Newcastle, then scored what was to be his most important success when winning the Persian War Premier Hurdle at Chepstow on February 20, 1993.
Nick rode 14 winners in the 1993/94 season, including two apiece on hurdler Raggerty and bumper horse Adib, riding out his 3lb claim when winning on the latter at Hexham in March. The following month he notched a Hexham double on Hypnotist for Bentley and the Moore-trained Fret.
Devoid of a claim, life was never going to be easy. He managed just nine winners in 1994/95 but returned double figure scores for the next three seasons.
Nick rode 3 winners in the 1998-99 season, ending with victory on Marchant Ming in the Graham Building Supplies Handicap Hurdle at Fakenham on 5th April 1999. He rode a total of 120 winners.
In 2015 he qualified as a UKCC Level 3 Jockey Coach and now runs his own academy, based in Lambourn. He is also a work rider for Richard Hughes and Warren Greatrex.
In addition, he is the co-founder of Hospitality Hosts Ltd, which organises expert sporting hosts at events across the UK.
