Richard's love of racing came from his parents; they had met at trainer Roy Whiston's stables in Hodnet, Shropshire, back in the late fifties, where they made friends with the likes of Mick Langford and Joe Comeford (and with whom they are still in touch). His father also rode for Tommy Shone though was never lucky enough to ride a winner.
Richard was born on May 28 1968; in March 1983, then aged fourteen, his parents took him to Ian Balding's Open Day in March 1983 where, that day, John Francome and Peter Scudamore were schooling the yard's hunter-chasers over fences. After the work-out, the jockeys came over to talk to the visitors, and Richard told John Francome of his desire to become a jockey and asked him whose yard he should go to gain some work experience. Francome suggested David Nicholson or Josh Gifford and advised Richard to write to them and see what happens.
Young Richard sent David Nicholson a letter the next day; he received a postcard in reply asking him to attend an interview at nine the following Saturday morning. His parents drove him down. Disappointingly, the first thing Nicholson said was, ' You won't make a jockey - your hands are too big.' However, he added. 'you can come down for a fortnight in the summer and have some work experience. You will live in the hostel, and when I say a fortnight you will stay a fortnight. No going home early!'
In early August, Richard returned to the yard and, at the end of his two weeks, Nicholson said, 'You can have a job. Go home this weekend and come back on Monday morning to start work!' Richard explained that he couldn't. 'I've still got another year at school.'
'Okay,' said the trainer. 'Start next year. Keep in touch.'
Determined, meanwhile, not to let the grass grow under his feet, Richard spent some time in 1983 working for Paul Felgate and Jack Berry, learning stable routine.
Richard started working full-time for The Duke (as Nicholson was familiarly known) on September 10, 1984. The very first horse he rode out for him was Broadheath, who two years later won the Hennessy Gold Cup for David Barons. Other horses he looked after included Charter Party (from 1985 to 1987) which won the Ritz Club Handicap Chase and the Golden Miller Chase; Silver Wisp (1993 to 1995), the Jockey Club Stakes winner and Viking Flagship (1994 to 1995), successful in the Tingle Creek Chase, the Castleford Stakes and the Queen Mother Champion Stakes.
Richard's first National Hunt winner came on Midlands Grand National Day at Uttoxeter in 1987 riding Crowecopper. Interestingly, this horse was the last winner ridden by Roy (R. F.) Davies who, that day, was Starter's Assistant at the course. Roy checked the girths down at the start. To this day, Richard and Roy, who lives close by, remain good friends.
Other winners he rode - over fences - included Baluchi, Roy Prince and Anna Ra whilst over hurdles he won on Hill Beagle, Sayant and Aceface.
Richard's last National Hunt winner was in 1990 on Ardent Spy at Uttoxeter in the Freddy Dixon Memorial Handicap Chase.
It was at Sandon, Staffordshire, that Richard had ridden his first point-to-point winner, Rimfire: in 1992, he rode his last, Rouse About at Brampton Bryan. This was the year a new rule was brought out whereby riders who had held a professional licence for less than thirty months could return to amateur status after twelve months away from racing. Richard had held his licence for twenty-nine months so just made the cut.
He then, for one season, trained a couple of point-to-pointers (two places but no winners); he also held a National Hunt Permit for a year. Once again, no winners, but he did have a 66-1 second at Towcester in a handicap hurdle with a horse I'd bought for £1,000 at Malvern Sales. The same horse later came fourth at 50-1 in a novice chase at Fontwell. This was the year of the foot and mouth epidemic, and Richard was obliged to train it in a nine-acre field.
To get his permit, Richard had to attend the Horse Racing training course at the British School of Racing in Newmarket. Here he gained an NVQ Level 3 in Racehorse Management before going on to the Licencing Department interview for the actual permit.
Richard finished his racing career in 1996 and started his own road haulage business with most of his work coming from Vicon, delivering agricultural machinery throughout the British Isles. Since 2001, he has also maintained business interests on the internet including affiliate marketing and selling sportswear on eBay. Another string to his bow was selling domain names (one of which was wembleystadium.com which he sold to Wembley Stadium Ltd.).
These days he is to be found farming sheep and, in the summer, making hay. When not on the farm he enjoys keeping fit by running: his best distance is 5000 metres (3.1 miles) and recently he finished 33rd of 552 runners in 20 minutes and 33 seconds (the quickest in his age group - Veteran Male 50 - 54).
Thanks to his enthusiastic and meticulous father, we have a complete breakdown of Richard's riding career.
Point-to-point:
From 54 rides:
5 winners, including one at Aintree.
6 seconds
7 thirds
4 fourths
Flat amateur
8 unplaced rides
National Hunt amateur
From 84 rides:
5 winners
6 seconds
6 thirds
9 fourths
Conditional jockey
From 272 rides
11 winners
35 seconds
45 thirds
33 fourths
His time in various stables was spent as follows:
David Nicholson (1984 -1987)
Bill Preece (1987 - 1988)
Bill Clay (1988 - 1992)
David Nicholson (1992 - 1995)
Captain Forster (1995 - 1996)
Richard had the majority of his rides for Bill Clay. He would ride the horses at exercise in the morning, then load them onto the horsebox, drive them to the course, ride them in a race, then drive them home again, arriving back late in the evening.
Between racing jobs in 1992, Richard worked in a dairy on the line of the bottling process. He also worked as a labourer in a cardboard box-making factory.
