Gordon Cramp

Gordon Frank Cramp's life in the saddle began at the Lewes stables of Bob Maxwell to whom he was apprenticed.

Maxwell retired in 1948 so Gordon moved on to the Compton yard of George Beeby, staying just nine months.

His career was put on hold while he completed his National Service in the King's Troop before returning to Lewes and spending the next 15 years as stable jockey to Tom Gates. It was Gates who provided Gordon with his first win. Gates had originally booked amateur Mr A Kalmason to ride the stable's Sandstorm lV in the Firle Novice Steeplechase at Plumpton on 25 September, 1957, but when that jockey was unable to take the mount, Gordon found himself in the right place at the right time.

Gordon's first ride in the Grand National came in 1962, aboard the mare Melilla, trained by Jim Bowie at Cirencester. Melilla, owned by David Ellison, started at 100-1 and ran accordingly, Gordon pulling her up at the fence before the second Becher's.

The combination tried again the following year, coming down at the ditch.

In 1966 Gordon rode Monarch's Thought, which refused at the Chair and, in 1968, on his fourth and last National ride, he only got as far as the Canal Turn before being baulked by the riderless What A Myth.

His career came to an abrupt end at Plumpton in April, 1969, when his badly broke his hand in a fall.

Gordon turned to training, meeting with some success as he sent out a dozen winners from his stable at Failand in Bristol where he trained for Mrs John Ogden, wife of a local businessman.

In 1974, staying with racing, he became head lad to Roddy Armytage, not leaving until 1988. In that time he was involved with such good horses as dual Scottish Grand National winner Barona, Tuscan Prince and Proud Tarquin.

He lived at 19, Valence Road, Lewes, and - years later, looking back at his career in the saddle which had yielded just 36 winners - he remarked that he had been one of racing's spear carriers but had enjoyed every minute.

During the big freeze-up which halted racing in the early months of 1963, Gordon took up oil painting by way of finding something to do. He turned out to be surprisingly talented and several owners asked him to paint their horses. So good did he become that an exhibition of his works was held.

Gordon's daughter, Belinda (Meade), was left with six young children to bring up on her own when her husband suddenly died. 

Gordon's father worked for G Poole when he trained the Grand National winner of 1921.

The son of a bookmaker, Gordon was born at Lewes on July 15, 1933.

Gordon Cramp died on January 26, 2017, aged 83.

His funeral took place on Wednesday, February 8, at West Berkshire Crematorium.