Kevin Caplen

Kevin Caplen

Article by Alan Trout

Born on June 29, 1963, Kevin John Caplen was active for most of the 1980s. Although licensed to ride on the Flat, all of’ his six wins were gained over jumps. . 

A conditional jockey with Epsom trainer David Wilson, he pulled up his first mount, Snowpiece, when tailed off in the Burpham Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) at Fontwell Park on January 19, 1981. 

His second ride went much better, for at Plumpton on May 6, the four-year-old Tochara, trained by David Wilson, took the lead at the last flight and ran on to beat Skinflick by three lengths at the end of the Cheddar Selling Handicap Hurdle.

Kevin only had those two rides that season but doubled his score at Lingfield on February 20, 1982, when Errantry was an easy winner of the Poethlyn Selling Handicap Hurdle. 

It was nearly the end of the year before his third success, but at Huntingdon on December 27 (Boxing Day fell on a Sunday that year and Sunday racing did not then exist in Britain), Skateboard proved too good for 13 rivals, winning the Ouse Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths. 

Just four days later they scored again, but this time only by three-quarters of a length as the six-year-old was driven out to beat Simon McNeill’s mount Gay Twenties in the Midland Handicap Hurdle at Leicester. The hat-trick was almost landed at Lingfield on January 6 but Jade And Diamond, ridden by Brian Reilly, was just too good for the gallant Skateboard.

Kevin had his fifth success when The Irish Rhine took the day’s richest prize, the Ken Furbank Memorial Handicap Hurdle at Huntingdon on Easter Monday, April 4, 1983, scoring by six lengths from Kintbury. 

When Kevin went for the next three seasons without riding a winner, it looked as if he would have to be content with five wins, but a Devon & Exeter on October 7, 1986, Angel Drummer made nearly all the running and held off the challenge of Mr. Fizycal by two lengths in the Sitka Spruce Selling Hurdle. For the only time in Kevin’s career, David Wilson was not the successful trainer; this time it was for fellow Epsom trainer Tony Ingham. 

Despite having had 20 rides during that 1985/86 season, that was Kevin’s only victory. It proved to be the last of his career.  

Kevin Caplen’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Tochara, Plumpton, May 6, 1981

2. Errantry, Lingfield Park, February 20, 1982

3. Skateboard, Huntingdon, December 27, 1982

4. Skateboard, Leicester, December 31, 1982

5. The Irish Rhine, Huntingdon, April 4, 1983

6. Angel Drummer, Devon & Exeter, October 7, 1986