Michael Bloom
1923 - 2016
Michael John Bloom, of Kimberley Home Farm, Wymondham, Norfolk, was born on 13 October, 1923, the son of noted amateur rider Jack Bloom, who had finished seventh on Tonderman, whom he also trained, in the 1949 Grand National.
Michael rode his first winner at his local West Norfolk Hunt (Fakenham) fixture on Starlight VIII in the Raynham Chase on Easter Monday, March 26, 1951. His father rode a double on the same card, winning the Litcham Handicap Hurdle on Dark Summer and the Fakenham Hurdle on César.
At the corresponding fixture twelve months later, Michael won the West Norfolk Plate Hunters’ Chase on Starlight VIII, beating his father’s mount Applepine by a short head.
Michael Bloom went on to become one of the leading post-war amateur riders, amassing 93 winners under National Hunt rules, plus well over 100 in point-to-points. He was crowned champion point-to-point rider in 1969 with 19 winners.
One of the best horses Michael rode was Chambertin, trained by his father. Michael won two novice chases on him during
the 1959/60 season, including the £1,000 New Year Novices’ Chase (l at Windsor on January 2, 1960. The following season, he came within three-quarters of a length of catching 1957 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Linwell at Lingfield. Michael rode Chambertin in the 1961 Cheltenham Gold Cup but pulled up when in arrears.
Another decent horse was Four Elms, on whom Michael won six hurdle races (four at Fakenham) and two novice chases. He also twice over hurdles and six times over fences during the early 1970s on the prolific handicap chaser Soho Sol, trained by his father. Soho Sol won many other races when ridden by professional jockeys such as Ron Barry and Bob Champion when Michael was unable to make the weight.
Among his successes on horses not trained by his father, he won the Norfolk Challenge Cup, an amateur riders’ handicap chase, riding Bermondsey, owned by entertainer Des O’Connor and trained by Denis Rayson, at Fontwell on September 29, 1970.
Probably the best hunter chaser he rode was Skygazer, on whom he won several point-to-points and four hunter chases and twice finished fourth (1971 and 1972) in Cheltenham Foxhunters’ Chase. His best season numerically was 1973/74, during which he rode nine winners.
Michael’s last winner was on Blackthorn Winter in the Queen’s Cup Eastern Counties Hunters’ Chase at Fakenham on Easter Monday, March 31, 1975, the same fixture at which he’d ridden his first winner 24 years earlier.
Having retired from riding, Michael picked up his point-to-point involvement and saddled up three winners at the Easton Harriers meeting in February 1988. The following February, he saddled the first three winners at North Norfolk,
Michael, who listed his recreations as farming, hunting and shooting, had married Jennifer Ann Gosling on June 25, 1960. Their son Nigel, followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps by becoming a successful point-to-point jockey and also rode winners under National rules.
Michael Bloom died on 7 April 2016, aged 82.
