Londoner Kenneth Roy Butler was born on June 26, 1936 and lived at 19, North Drive, Littleton, Winchester. He went straight into racing after leaving school, joining John and Michael Beary at East Hendred.
He rode his first winner at Windsor on the appropriately named Windsor Telegram on June 10, 1954.
Ken rode seven more winners as an apprentice, including four in 1958, but then had to wait ten years before gaining his first success as a fully fledged jockey. By that time he had joined Winchester trainer Les Hall, with whom he would stay for 18 years.
He married Avril Elaine Smith on January 24, 1968; she gave him one son, Julian Hasler, and one daughter, Susan Jane.
Ken was a highly valued work rider but rode in races only occasionally and winners were few and far between. On Thursday, October 24, 1974, Ken rode his first – and only – winner of the year, getting Indian Sol, home by a neck at Wolverhampton just three weeks of the season remaining. He had ridden just one winner in each of the preceding seasons.
When Les Hall retired in 1980, Ken joined Bill Wightman, who provided him with his first winner for six and a half years when 20-1 shot The Goldstone won the Welford Handicap Stakes at Leicester on March 30, 1981.
He left Wightman soon afterwards and joined Guy Harwood’s stable as a work rider with just the occasional ride in public. He was having just his fifth mount of the season when springing a 33-1 surprise on Magic Rarity at Sandown on October 19, 1982.
Ken enjoyed golf and gardening.
The best horse he rode was Loppylugs.
