Paul Campbell

Paul Campbell

Born on January 17, 1949, Paul Campbell’s career almost ended soon after it had begun. Having served his apprenticeship on the Flat with Peter Poston from 1965 to 1966, he then took out a jump jockey’s licence for the 1967/68 season. However, he suffered a serious injury, breaking a bone in his back when unseated from Auchentibber in the Sunlaws Hurdle (Division 2) at Kelso on April 30, 1968.

Following a four-year absence and a couple of major operations, he was able to resume his career, aged 27, while working for trainer Ray Peacock at Tarporley, Cheshire. He had his comeback ride at Uttoxeter on March 18, 1972, when finishing fourth on Ross-Babur in the Potters Handicap Hurdle. 

His first success was on April 21, when riding out the five-year-old Marie Win to beat Tacie by half a length and claim the Tybroughton Hurdle at Bangor-on-Dee. A second win followed eight days later on 13-year-old Self Raising in a novice riders’ selling hurdle at Uttoxeter. Self Raising was a hardy old campaigner who was still going strong two years later as a 15-year-old, finishing second, beaten a length, in a selling chase at Cartmel when ridden by Reg Crank.

Ross-Babur gave Paul his third success at Devon & Exeter in March 1973 and he continued to ride the occasional winner for the next couple of seasons. He had his final victory on October 18, 1975 at Kelso, the course at which his career had so nearly ended prematurely seven years earlier, when Weather All, trained by Susan Chesmore, ran on strongly to take the lead close home and win the Ferneyhill Opportunity Selling Handicap Hurdle by a length. 

His last ride was on Master Blarney, unplaced in the Beeches Farm Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park on February 11, 1976. 

Paul Campbell’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Marie Win, Bangor-on-Dee, April 21, 1972

2. Self Raising, Uttoxeter, April 29, 1972

3. Ross-Babur, Devon & Exeter, March 24, 1973

4. Golden Idol, Bangor-on-Dee, October 20, 1973

5. Ice Cap, Sedgefield, November 7, 1973

6. Khalina, Plumpton, August 26, 1974

7. Khalina, Fakenham, October 11, 1974

8. Weather All, Kelso, October 18, 1975

Thanks to Alan Trout for providing his list of winners and the majority of the story.