Cathy Bramhall

Cathy Bramhall

Article by Alan Trout

Jump jockey Catherine Mary Bramhall won on one of her first rides in public but was unable to build on that initial success over the next two seasons. 

A conditional with Somerset trainer Les Kennard, she finished fourth on her debut aboard Swallow Hill in the Whitestone Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on August 20, 1981, a race that Migrator won by 20 lengths. 

It was at Worcester on September 2, 1981 that she had her sole victory when the nine-year-old Gently Does It, the 9-2 on favourite, beat three rivals to land the Hartlebury Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. She may have been slightly fortunate as High Lee slipped up when in front approaching the third last flight. 

Gently Does It had already proved instrumental in the early career of another lady jockey, Lorna Vincent. She had ridden him to three consecutive victories in closing weeks of 1978, culminating in the valuable Buchanan Whisky Hurdle at Ascot. The following season Lorna rode Gently Does It to win three novice chases in a row, her first rides over fences. 

Gently Does It did not run again following that Worcester win and, sadly, Cathy Bramhall failed to emulate Lorna Vincent in carving out a successful career over jumps. She had her final ride when pulling up on Aldington Boy in the Leasowes Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2) at Warwick on January 7, 1984, having to be content with just that one victory.