Judy Blakeney

Judy Blakeney

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden one winner as an amateur, Judith Elizabeth Blakeney, known as Judy, turned professional and had three more. 

Born on August 13, 1962, she recorded her first point-to-point success on Dariblaze at Hackwood Park on April 20, 1981. Her initial success under National Hunt rules came at Wolverhampton on May 1, 1985, when Gain The Day, owned and trained by her father Robin at Devizes, Wiltshire, landed the Wombourne Novices’ Chase. The eight-year-old started at 33/1, not surprising as she had failed to finish on her last two starts, unseating Judy at the first fence on her most recent effort at Fontwell Park six days earlier. 

Having turned professional the following season, Judy had her first success in the paid ranks at Wincanton on Easter Monday, March 31, 1986, when Anna’s Mite, again trained by her father, narrowly got the better of a duel with John White on the favourite Smart Reply to land the Abbey Hill Novices’ Chase by a neck.  

That was her sole success of the season but she was soon among the winners when the new campaign got under way, for at Hereford on August 30 Armorad held off all challengers to land the Yarsop Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Hurdle by a length. 

Judy had her fourth and final success when Bara Peg clinched the E.B.F. Conkwell Grange Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Fontwell Park on December 29, 1986, winning by four lengths. She kept the ride for one more outing, finishing third at Newbury in February. 

She rode for at least one more season but did not add to her total.

Judy Blakeney’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Gain The Day, Wolverhampton, May 1, 1985

2. Anna’s Mite, Wincanton, March 31, 1986

3. Armorad, Hereford, August 30, 1986

4. Bara Peg, Fontwell Park, December 29, 1986