Flat jockey Kevin Bradshaw was born on August 17, 1964. He was apprenticed to Michael Stoute for four years and rode several winners for him before leaving as a 5lb claimer and transferring his indentures to Wetherby-based trainer Richard Whitaker in 1986. He won two races that year on Whitaker’s chestnut gelding Sharon’s Royale.
Kevin began the 1987 Flat season with victory on 16-1 shot Winnies Luck at Thirsk on April 10. He went on to ride ten winners that year, two of them on Whitaker’s sprinter Joe Sugden, including the Max Jaffa Sprint Handicap at Beverley in August. He also won two more races on Sharon’s Royale, most notably the Holsten Diat Pils Handicap at Ayr’s Western Meeting on September 19.
All seven of Kevin’s successes in 1988 came on Whitaker-trained horses. They included Classy Turn at Catterick in June, Errema at Redcar in July, and Skolern in the Museum of Army Transport Handicap at Beverley in August. However, he lost his 5lb claim with the expiry of his apprenticeship at the end of that month, hence his victory on Nicholas Mark in the 0-75 Skyram Handicap at Catterick on September 17 was his first as a fully-fledged jockey.
He notched an early-season winner at the start of the 1989 campaign on Welsh Column in a 0-75 handicap at Ripon on April 12. However, without that valuable apprentice allowance, he ended the season with a score of just four wins, all of them for Whitaker.
Soon after, he rejoined Sir Michael Stoute, predominantly as a work rider. He still had the occasional mount in public and rode the last two winners of his career in 1996.
Kevin relinquished his licence in 2000 but remains a highly-valued senior work rider for the Stoute stable, partnering many of its brightest stars on the gallops.
