Cecil Bloodworth

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1882, Cecil James Bloodworth rode for several years on the Flat at the turn of the 20th century and had one win in 1900. He later rode over jumps and had one success in that sphere also, in 1908. He returned to riding on the Flat just before the outbreak of the First World War. 

He was apprenticed to Tommy Weldon, one of that rare group allowed to both ride and train horses on the Flat at that time. He finished third on his racecourse debut on Bonny Creeper at Leicester on April 2, 1898. The race was the Stand Selling Stakes, won by future leading trainer Bob Colling on Airline. 

It was not until Newcastle’s two-day meeting on April 16/17, 1900, that Cecil had his big moment. On the first day he finished third on Motherland in the Gosforth Park Juvenile Stakes, and on the second day he rode Justice Royal to a half-length victory in the Gosforth Park Spring Handicap. 

He was unable to follow up that success and had to wait eight years for a second win. This came at Derby on March 17, 1908, when he partnered 10-1 chance Water Wag to a two-length success in the Four-Year-Old Handicap Hurdle. 

There were no further wins and Cecil soon relinquished his jumps licence, although he was still riding on the Flat as late as April 14, 1914, when finishing unplaced on Oppidan in the Park Plate at Newcastle. Both Oppidan and Water Wag were owned by Mr James Whipp.