Jockeypedia - Bradley Graham

Jockeypedia

Graham Bradley

1960 - 2026

Graham John Bradley first weighed in at 9lb 3oz on Thursday, September 8, 1960, at 38 Second Avenue on the Hallfields Estate on the outskirts of Wetherby.

He was the third child of trainer Norman and Sheila Bradley who had married on February 20, 1954. He had two sisters – Mandy and Jackie – and an older brother, Gary.

He was just nine years old when his mother became desperately ill with ovarian cancer. She died in 1974.

Two years later, Graham began riding work for Tommy Shedden. He was paid £1 for Saturday and 50p for Sunday. In the summer holidays, he rode work for Eric Collingwood at Middleham and Michael Jarvis, who trained a large string at Newmarket.

Graham with his older brother, Gary

Graham aged sixteen. Photo taken June 18, 1977, just before his first ride on Sweet Slievenamon at Redcar.

As his seventeenth birthday approached, and still at school, he had his first ride in public. Trainer Steve Nesbitt had asked Graham’s father to ride in a mile-and-six amateur race at Redcar but his father angled for Graham to be put up instead. Graham and Sweet Slievenamon finished tailed off.

Shortly after, he left school (Wetherby High) and, with the encouragement of Grand National winning jockey Tommy Stack (who had ridden a couple of winners for Graham’s father), joined the northern stables of the redoubtable Arthur Stephenson.

Here, Graham spent the next two years learning the ropes, remaining winnerless but learning fast.

Then it was time to move on, and it was the yard of Tony Dickinson which beckoned.

Dickinson, known to all and sundry as ‘The Boss’, had taken out a licence to train in 1968/69, and had enjoyed remarkable success.

Graham’s first ride for the stable came at Worcester on February 20, 1980. Riding Talon (in place of young jockey Chris Bell whose licence and medical book had failed to arrive), Graham finished a decent third behind Celtic Rambler.

Talon was a slow but massive chestnut with a ton of stamina. On Tuesday, March 11, 1980 Dickinson entered him in the Grove Novices’ Hurdle (worth £504) at Sedgefield.

Graham, once again on board, was instructed to make Talon’s stamina count. He took up the running two out and came home a four-length winner.

Graham, £35.51 better off, was on his way.

Graham's first winner, Talon at Sedgefield.

In this race, Blood Orange came down. His rider Jeff Pearce was taken to hospital with chest and rib injuries.

The combination won again, at Chepstow, the next month. Three Ways, trained by Mick Easterby, was Graham’s first win for an outside stable. Political Pop was his fourth and last winner of the 1979/80 season. Those four wins had come from 15 rides.

The next season yielded 22 winners from 133 rides, after which Graham, at the age of twenty, almost self-destructed.

When the season ended, he and his great friend and fellow jockey Chris Bell flew to Magaluf and enjoyed 14 days of great excess. On his return, he weighed 12st 4lb. His career was in deep trouble.

Wisely, he unburdened himself The Boss’s son Michael, who had given Graham good advice and encouragement since the jockey’s arrival: a meeting was set up with an Irish doctor named Austin Darragh, who had helped other jockeys, including Tony Murray and Walter Swinburn, who had found themselves in a similar plight. From then on, the problem was controlled and contained rather than beaten.

When, before the start of the next season, stable jockey Tommy Carmody announced that he would be returning to his native Ireland, Michael announced that he would be replaced by jockeys who already worked for the stable. These included Robert Earnshaw, Chris Pimlott, Kevin Whyte and Graham.

On January 27, 1982, Graham lost his allowance winning on Manhattan Island for trainer Mick Naughton, but a more significant date had come two months earlier when he partnered the enigmatic Bregawn for the first time. On November 28, 1981, Bregawn and Graham sauntered effortlessly around Market Rasen to win by an easy two and a half lengths.

Despite owner Martin Kennelly’s reservations, Graham kept the ride for that year’s (1982) Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing second to stablemate Silver Buck, the mount of Robert Earnshaw.

With 38 wins from 178 ride, Graham won that season’s conditional jockeys’ title, but the year was to end badly.

The 1982/83 season started well: Righthand Man won the Charlie Hall Memorial Chase at Wetherby before Graham struck twice on Bregawn, taking the Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow and Newbury’s Hennessey Cognac Gold Cup.

Then, disaster.

On November 9, 1992 Graham received a two-month suspension for placing a £50 bet on Cloudwalker at Cartmel ten weeks earlier (August 30). His licence was restored on February 5: his first ride back that day was Righthand Man, who won the Selby Chase at Wetherby.

The year’s highlight came at Cheltenham on March 17, 1983: riding old favourite Bregawn, Graham won the Cheltenham Gold Cup after an exemplary display of front-running, the race in which Dickinson famously saddled the first five home. Graham was crowned leading rider at that year’s meeting.

Another special moment that year was registering his first win at Liverpool, riding Sabin du Loir he took the Fosters’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Graham finished that year with 34 winners, aa fair total considering he had lost two months’ riding due to suspension.

Michael Dickinson announced that he would be leaving at the end of the 1983/84 season to take the job as private trainer to Robert Sangster and that Mrs Monica Dickinson (wife of Tony) would be taking over.

That season, Graham won the Dipper Chase on Lettoch, the Castleford Handicap Chase on Badsworth Boy, followed by the Welsh Grand National on Righthand Man. He won the Castleford Chase again the following year on Ryeman.

He won the King George VI Chase on Wayward Lad in 1985 for Monica Dickinson, while on his first ride in Ireland he steered Rhyme 'N' Reason to victory in the 1985 Irish Grand National.

Graham’s greatest number of winners in a season came in 1986/87 when he was first past the post on 53 occasions. He twice rode a total of 52 winners: 1993/94 and 1995/96, the latter season also providing Champion Hurdle success on Collier Bay in 1996.

In the 1998 he finished runner-up aboard Suny Bay to Earth Summit in the Grand National, the closest he ever came to winning the world’s most famous steeplechase.

He rode for the last time at Haydock on November 13, 1999. His mount, Ontheboil, won by five lengths, prompting to announce his immediate retirement when reaching the winner’s enclosure, bringing to an end a 22-year career in the saddle incorporating 686 winners in Britain. He rode a total of nine Cheltenham Festival winners including the Grand Annual four times.

A year later published his autobiography, ‘The Wayward Lad’, written with Steve Taylor.

His career then took a new direction as he became a bloodstock agent, and among his purchases was the triple Grade 1 winner Well Chief, who won the 2004 Arkle for owner David Johnson. He also bought Seebald for Liverpool soccer stars Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler.

In October 2002, Graham was banned from racing for eight years and fined £2,500 by the Jockey Club after being found to have disclosed privileged information.

A three-day inquiry examined Bradley's links with drug smuggler Brian Wright, who was wanted by police over a major cocaine operation. Bradley admitted that, while a licensed jockey, he had passed privileged racing information to Wright in exchange for favours.

The sentence was reduced to five years on appeal, but Bradley launched a legal challenge in the High Court, claiming the ban would prevent him from continuing his new career as a bloodstock agent. The court ruled against him on Friday, October 1, 2004 and he was prohibited from entering racecourses or training yards until October 2009. A second challenge to the Court of Appeal in July 2005 was also unsuccessful.

He was also prevented from associating with jockeys and trainers on racing matters. That effectively ended his career as a bloodstock agent.

He had a daughter, Georgia May, with his long-term partner Amanda Wilson (known as ‘Bob’) and the family moved to France in 2020. However, soon after the move, he was diagnosed with semantic dementia.

Graham Bradley died on July 1, 2026, aged 65. He passed away peacefully with his beloved wife and daughter by his side. The last words he heard were, “We love you, and it's okay to go now.”

Graham is clear on Bregawn in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup

Graham and Collier Bay winning the 1996 Champion Hurdle

Sabin Du Loir (Graham) wins the 1893 Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle from Dawn Run and West Tip.

Graham and Rhyme 'N' Reason winning the 1985 Irish Grand National

Graham on Wayward Lad (left) inspects the first at Wetherby before winning the 1985 Charlie Hall Chase

Wayward Lard (Graham) winning its third King George V1 at Kempton 1985

Morley Street and Graham beat Granville Again, Flown and Ruling in the 1993 Martell Hurdle

Graham John Bradley first weighed in at 9lb 3oz on Thursday, September 8, 1960, at 38 Second Avenue on the Hallfields Estate on the outskirts of Wetherby.

He was the third child of trainer Norman and Sheila Bradley who had married on February 20, 1954. He had two sisters – Mandy and Jackie – and an older brother, Gary.

He was just nine years old when his mother became desperately ill with ovarian cancer. She died in 1974.

Two years later, Graham began riding work for Tommy Shedden. He was paid £1 for Saturday and 50p for Sunday. In the summer holidays, he rode work for Eric Collingwood at Middleham and Michael Jarvis, who trained a large string at Newmarket.

As his seventeenth birthday approached, and still at school, he had his first ride in public. Trainer Steve Nesbitt had asked Graham’s father to ride in a mile-and-six amateur race at Redcar but his father angled for Graham to be put up instead. Graham and Sweet Slievenamon finished tailed off.

Shortly after, he left school (Wetherby High) and, with the encouragement of Grand National winning jockey Tommy Stack (who had ridden a couple of winners for Graham’s father), joined the northern stables of the redoubtable Arthur Stephenson.

Here, Graham spent the next two years learning the ropes, remaining winnerless but learning fast.

Then it was time to move on, and it was the yard of Tony Dickinson which beckoned.

Dickinson, known to all and sundry as ‘The Boss’, had taken out a licence to train in 1968/69, and had enjoyed remarkable success.

Graham’s first ride for the stable came at Worcester on February 20, 1980. Riding Talon (in place of young jockey Chris Bell whose licence and medical book had failed to arrive), Graham finished a decent third behind Celtic Rambler.

Talon was a slow but massive chestnut with a ton of stamina. On Tuesday, March 11, 1980 Dickinson entered him in the Grove Novices’ Hurdle (worth £504) at Sedgefield.

Graham, once again on board, was instructed to make Talon’s stamina count. He took up the running two out and came home a four-length winner.

Graham, £35.51 better off, was on his way.

The combination won again, at Chepstow, the next month. Three Ways, trained by Mick Easterby, was Graham’s first win for an outside stable. Political Pop was his fourth and last winner of the 1979/80 season. Those four wins had come from 15 rides.

The next season yielded 22 winners from 133 rides, after which Graham, at the age of twenty, almost self-destructed.

When the season ended, he and his great friend and fellow jockey Chris Bell flew to Magaluf and enjoyed 14 days of great excess. On his return, he weighed 12st 4lb. His career was in deep trouble.

When, before the start of the next season, stable jockey Tommy Carmody announced that he would be returning to his native Ireland, Michael announced that he would be replaced by jockeys who already worked for the stable. These included Robert Earnshaw, Chris Pimlott, Kevin Whyte and Graham.

Despite owner Martin Kennelly’s reservations, Graham kept the ride for that year’s (1982) Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing second to stablemate Silver Buck, the mount of Robert Earnshaw.

With 38 wins from 178 ride, Graham won that season’s conditional jockeys’ title, but the year was to end badly.

The 1982/83 season started well: Righthand Man won the Charlie Hall Memorial Chase at Wetherby before Graham struck twice on Bregawn, taking the Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow and Newbury’s Hennessey Cognac Gold Cup.

Then, disaster.

On November 9, 1992 Graham received a two-month suspension for placing a £50 bet on Cloudwalker at Cartmel ten weeks earlier (August 30). His licence was restored on February 5: his first ride back that day was Righthand Man, who won the Selby Chase at Wetherby.

The year’s highlight came at Cheltenham on March 17, 1983: riding old favourite Bregawn, Graham won the Cheltenham Gold Cup after an exemplary display of front-running, the race in which Dickinson famously saddled the first five home. Graham was crowned leading rider at that year’s meeting.

Another special moment that year was registering his first win at Liverpool, riding Sabin du Loir he took the Fosters’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Graham finished that year with 34 winners, aa fair total considering he had lost two months’ riding due to suspension.

Michael Dickinson announced that he would be leaving at the end of the 1983/84 season to take the job as private trainer to Robert Sangster and that Mrs Monica Dickinson (wife of Tony) would be taking over.

That season, Graham won the Dipper Chase on Lettoch, the Castleford Handicap Chase on Badsworth Boy, followed by the Welsh Grand National on Righthand Man. He won the Castleford Chase again the following year on Ryeman.

He won the King George VI Chase on Wayward Lad in 1985 for Monica Dickinson, while on his first ride in Ireland he steered Rhyme 'N' Reason to victory in the 1985 Irish Grand National.

Graham’s greatest number of winners in a season came in 1986/87 when he was first past the post on 53 occasions. He twice rode a total of 52 winners: 1993/94 and 1995/96, the latter season also providing Champion Hurdle success on Collier Bay in 1996.

In the 1998 he finished runner-up aboard Suny Bay to Earth Summit in the Grand National, the closest he ever came to winning the world’s most famous steeplechase.

A year later published his autobiography, ‘The Wayward Lad’, written with Steve Taylor.

His career then took a new direction as he became a bloodstock agent, and among his purchases was the triple Grade 1 winner Well Chief, who won the 2004 Arkle for owner David Johnson. He also bought Seebald for Liverpool soccer stars Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler.

In October 2002, Graham was banned from racing for eight years and fined £2,500 by the Jockey Club after being found to have disclosed privileged information.

A three-day inquiry examined Bradley's links with drug smuggler Brian Wright, who was wanted by police over a major cocaine operation. Bradley admitted that, while a licensed jockey, he had passed privileged racing information to Wright in exchange for favours.

He was also prevented from associating with jockeys and trainers on racing matters. That effectively ended his career as a bloodstock agent.

He had a daughter, Georgia May, with his long-term partner Amanda Wilson (known as ‘Bob’) and the family moved to France in 2020. However, soon after the move, he was diagnosed with semantic dementia.

Graham Bradley died on July 1, 2026, aged 65. He passed away peacefully with his beloved wife and daughter by his side. The last words he heard were, “We love you, and it's okay to go now.”

Sabin Du Loir (Graham) wins the 1893 Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle from Dawn Run and West Tip.

1997 Tripleprint Gold Cup – Senor El Betrutti & Graham sprint clear over the last.

1998 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – French Ballerina & Graham winning at Cheltenham

Major wins

1983: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Bregawn

1996: Champion Hurdle - Collier Bay

Other big winners:

1982: Charlie Hall Chase – Righthand Man

1982: Hennessy Gold Cup – Bregawn

1983: Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle – Sabin Du Loir

1983: Aintree Hurdle – Morley Street

1983: Castleford Chase – Badsworth Boy

1984: Welsh Grand National – Righthand Man

1984: Castleford Chase – Ryeman

1985: Irish Grand National – Rhyme ‘N’ Reason

1985: Charlie Hall Chase – Wayward Lad

1985: King George VI Chase – Wayward Lad

1986: Grand Annual Chase – Pearlyman

1986: Welsh Grand National – Stearsby

1987: Sun Alliance Chase – Kildimo

1990: Long Walk Hurdle – Floyd

1991: Corsa Siepi di Milano – Bokaro

1991: Charlie Hall Chase – Celtic Shot

1992: Grand Annual Chase – My Young Man

1993: Martell (now Aintree) Hurdle – Morley Street

1993: Punchestown Gold Cup – Fissure Seal

1995: Grand Annual Chase – Sound Reveille

1995: Martell Cup (now Aintree Bowl) – Merry Gale

1997: Murphy’s Gold Cup – Senor El Betrutti

1997: Tripleprint Gold Cup – Senor El Betrutti

1998: Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – French Ballerina

1997: Grand Annual Chase – Uncle Ernie

1997: Hennessy Gold Cup – Suny Bay