Born on September 27, 1949, Philip Blacker was educated in Dorset. He lived at one time at Mount Pleasant, Charney Bassett, Wantage.
He rode as an amateur and, aged 19, won his first race on his father's Aberdonian, at Windsor on 16 November 1968. He got home by a short head.
He turned professional at the start of the 1969/1970 season and remained a jockey for 13 years during which time he rode 340 winners.
Good races won included 1981 Welsh Champion Hurdle Pollardsrown 1980 Aintree Hurdle (Pollardstown) and the 1980 Whitbread Gold Cup (Royal Mail).
Philip won two races at the Cheltenham Festival; 1979 Stayers' Hurdle (Lighter) and the 1979 Triumph Hurdle (Pollardstown).
After nine unsuccessful attempts to win the Grand National, he was injured on the eve of the 1982 race which contributed to his retirement.
Philip's first National ride had come in 1971. He finished seventh on 100/1 shot Vichyssoise.
He had a better chance in 1973 aboard Edward Courage's 16/1 shot Spanish Steps, but was no match for the mighty Red Rum, eventually finishing fourth.
Philip was seventh again in 1977 on Happy Ranger and fourth on Royal Stuart in 1980.
Then along came Royal Mail, winner of the New Zealand Champion Hurdle.
Royal Mail was entered for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, yet Philip had misgivings about the horse's ability to stay that distance in such a quality race. Trainer Stand Mellor, for whom Philip was then stable jockey, disagreed.
Royal Mail finished second to Alverton (but was a bit lucky as Tied Cottage had come down at the last when well in contention).
The next year at Cheltenham, Royal Mail crashed out when looking all over the winner: he fractured the lower part of his jaw. Remarkably, just six weeks later, having been kept fit by working in a head collar, Royal Mail gave Philip what the jockey later described as 'the best ride I ever had on any horse'. Together they won the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown.
Then the horse was aimed at the Grand National.
It was a race that would live with Philip for all the wrong reasons.
Approaching the second last, Bob Champion & Aldaniti were in front. Aldaniti, consistently jumping to the left, cleared the fence okay, but not before unsettling Royal Mail with his erratic jumping.
Philip's horse made a bad error, then so did he.
'I should have given the horse time to recover; instead, I picked him up and chased him back up which was a mistake.' Philip recalled. 'But for his error at the second last, I do think we would have won. I felt pretty sick after the race. I knew I had missed the one and only chance I was going to have of winning the National.'
Royal Mail was passed on the run-in by Spartan Missile, another horse who would have won the race had the owner, John Thorne, not insisted upon riding it himself instead of putting up John Francome.
In the event, the press still got a good story as ex-invalid Aldaniti and cancer-sufferer Bob Champion, held on to win.
Philip's intention was to retire at the end of that season, but, with Royal Mail made favourite to win the next year's running, Philip postponed his plans. To no avail.
Riding at Ludlow the day before the big race, he came down at the last hurdle, cracking a shoulder blade.
He was livid with himself: he had planned not to take 'any dodgy rides' so close to the National, yet had done so at the trainer's insistence.
Bob Davies came in for the ride, only to fall at Becher's.
In 1973, Philip was driving to Devon & Exeter racecourse in the company of racehorse owner and sculptor Margot Dent.
He expressed an interest in her work: she invited him down to her studio.
From there he went to the Royal Veterinary College for lectures on anatomy.
Eventually, he won his first commission: John Hughes offered him the job of designing the 1986 Grand National trophy.
Philip reflects on a successful life saying; 'I'm so glad I got through life without ever having to get a proper job. Being a jockey was fun, and this is fun. I'm chuffed to be able to make a living out of it.'
Royal Mail died of a heart attack aged 18. Philip, who had been given the horse after its retirement, aged 13, found him dead in a field.
Unlike many jockeys, Philip had another talent up his sleeve. He became a sculptor, and his lifesize bronze of Red Rum (unveiled in 1988) stands in the old parade ring at Aintree. He also crafted the statues of Persian Punch at Newmarket, Desert Orchard at Kempton & Best Mate at Cheltenham.
Ever since riding his first pony, he was always going to be a jockey.
Philip Blacker
Big winners:
1979: Triumph Hurdle – Pollardstown
1979: Waterford Crystal Stayers’ Hurdle – Lighter
1980: Whitbread Gold Cup – Royal Mail
