Ray Blandford

Ray Blandford 

Article by Alan Trout

National Hunt jockey Raymond John Blandford had nearly 50 rides during the 1965/66 season but only managed one winner. That was Moonlight Message, trained by Neville Dent, in the Torquay Hotels Association Challenge Bowl Handicap Chase at Newton Abbot on May 13, 1966.

Moonlight Message had run in plenty of races in his career but had won only once before, and that had been in a match where his sole rival fell. However, he had finished second in that season’s Durham National at Sedgefield on March 19, with Ray aboard. Their Newton Abbot victory was achieved with eight lengths to spare from Tillingbourne, ridden by leading amateur Grant Cann, with Doma Jane, the mount of Dan O’Donovan, a further ten lengths back in third. 

An unplaced effort at Towcester on May 28 ended their season, and although Ray kept the ride the following season, they were unable to add to their tally.

Having endured a winnerless 1966/67 campaign, Ray Blandford relinquished his licence in October 1967.