Ray Cochrane was born in Banbridge, County Down, on June 18, 1957. Taught to ride from the age of nine, he served a five-year apprenticeship with Barry Hills, beginning in 1973, before joining Ron Sheather’s stable where he spent the next two years.
His first winner was Roman Way in the Additional Apprentice Stakes at Windsor on September 18, 1974. He rode Nagwa, a flying two-year-old filly, in nine of her 13 wins in 1975, a 20th-century record.
Having been sidelined with a broken pelvis, his weight began to rocket, and he began riding over the jumps, landing his first winner on Wanlockhead, trained by Duncan Sasse, in the South Zeal Novices Hurdle (Division 1) at Newton Abbot on August 1, 1977. He rode eight winners over hurdles.
While working for Ron Sheather he was kicked on the head by a horse, fracturing his skull. Ironically, this time his weight began to fall off during his time out of action, meaning that when he recovered, he was able to return to riding on the Flat. In 1980, he won the One Thousand Guineas Trial at Salisbury on Battlewind.
He finished second on Chief Singer in the 1984 2,000 Guineas and won the July Cup and the Sussex Stakes on the same horse.
He rode three classic winners: the 1986 1,000 Guineas and Oaks on Midway Lady for trainer Ben Hanbury, and the 1988 Derby on Kahyasi for Luca Cumani.
Ray received saved the life of fellow jockey Frankie Dettori following a plane crash at Newmarket on June 1, 2000, in which pilot Patrick Mackey died after their plane caught fire just after take-off on a journey from Newmarket racecourse to Goodwood.
Ray suffered burns and bruising to his face and chest but managed to pull Dettori from the wreckage of the burning aircraft from a small hole used to load luggage. He received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in 2002 as a result of his actions.
He was forced to retire from racing five months after the incident due to back problems following a series of falls. He then became Dettori’s agent for 20 years until retiring from the role in 2020. He stated his intention to devoting more free time in retirement to keep active as an avid cyclist and skier.
Classic winners:
Derby: Kahyasi (1988)
One Thousand Guineas: Midway Lady (1986)
Oaks: Midway Lady (1986)
Other big wins:
1981: Diomed Stakes – Saher
1983: Coventry Stakes – Chief Singer
1984: Carlisle Bell – Scout’s Mistake
1984: St James’s Palace Stakes – Chief Singer
1984: July Cup – Chief Singer
1984: Sussex Stakes – Chief Singer
1985: Portland Handicap – Lochtillum
1986: John Porter Stakes – Memhill
1986: Middle Park Stakes – Mister Majestic
1987: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Touch Of Grey
1987: Zetland Gold Cup – Knockando
1987: Queen Anne Stakes – Then Again
1987: St James’s Palace Stakes – Half A Year
1987: Princess of Wales’s Stakes – Celestial Storm
1987: Doncaster Cup – Buckley
1987: Sun Chariot Stakes – Infamy
1987: Jockey Club Cup – Buckley
1988: Earl of Sefton Stakes – Media Starguest
1988: Gordon Richards Stakes – Infamy
1988: Sandown Classic Trial – Galitzin
1988: Lingfield Derby Trial – Kahyasi
1988: Zetland Gold Cup – Fridu
1988: Richmond Stakes – Heart Of Arabia
1988: Park Hill Stakes – Casey
1988: St Simon Stakes – Upend
1989: Nell Gwyn Stakes – Ensconce
1989: Sagaro Stakes – Travel Mystery
1989: Lingfield Derby Trial – Torjoun
1989: Dante Stakes – Torjoun
1989: Coronation Cup – Sheriff's Star
1989: King George Stakes – Statoblest
1989: Champion Stakes – Legal Case
1990: Earl of Sefton Stakes – Terimon
1990: Musidora Stakes – In The Groove
1990: Hardwicke Stakes – Assatis
1990: Breeders Turf Classic – Cacoethes
1991: Cork and Orrery Stakes – Polish Patriot
1991: July Cup – Polish Patriot
1991: Queen Elizabeth Stakes – Selkirk
1992: Jockey Club Stakes – Sapience
1992: Lockinge Stakes – Selkirk
1992: Queen’s Vase – Landowner
1992: Bessborough Stakes – Spinning
1992: Celebration Mile – Selkirk
1992: Challenge Stakes – Selkirk
1992: Horris Hill Stakes – Beggarman Thief
1993: Hardwicke Stakes – Jeune
1993: John Smith’s Cup – Baron Ferdinand
1993: Yorkshire Oaks – Only Royale
1993: Ayr Gold Cup – Hard To Figure
1996: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Samwar
1998: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Cadeaux Cher
1998: Caulfield Cup – Taufan's Melody
1998: Portland Handicap – Cadeaux Cher
In Ireland
1989: Irish One Thousand Guineas – Ensconce
In France
1999: Poule d’Essai des Pouliches – Valentine Waltz
In Italy
1994: Premio Presidente della Republica – Artan
In Canada
1988: Canadian International Stakes – Infamy
