Alex Gilchrist

Alexander Kay Gilchrist held a National Hunt jockey’s licence between 1957 and 1963 and rode a total of seven winners. 

The first of those wins came on Brooksby Lad, trained by former jockey Fred Hunter, in the Ladywood Handicap Hurdle at Worcester on December 7, 1957. Alex won on him again at Uttoxeter’s 1958 Easter fixture, those being his only two wins from 15 rides that season. 

He joined forces with Nuneaton permit holder George Dawson the following season and achieved his sole success of the campaign on Eastern Hope in the Ouse Handicap Hurdle at Huntingdon on Boxing Day. 

For the remainder of his career he was associated with wealthy Wellingore, Lincolnshire owner-trainer Bill Ransom, father of trainers Peter Random and Mrs Rosemary Lomax. Alex scored his only victory of the 1959/60 campaign on Bill Ransom’s handicap hurdler Most Unusual at Market Rasen on Easter Monday. 

He rode only occasionally from thereon. He had just eight rides during the 1960/61 season, however they produced three wins, all of them courtesy of Most Unusual, scoring at Birmingham in January, Uttoxeter on Easter Monday, and West Norfolk Hunt, (as Fakenham was then called) on Whit Monday. 

Alex and Most Unusual came close to bringing off a big race success when finishing second to Anzio in the Berkshire Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on November 25, 1961. They were arguably unlucky as, having taken the lead two flights from home, they blundered at the last, enabling Anzio to go clear and score by three lengths. 

That was as close as they got to winning a race that season. Josh Gifford rode Most Unusual to finish second a couple of times, then Alex came third on him, conceding a hefty 34lb to the winner, at Southwell in April 1962, a month after his Newbury conqueror Anzio had won the Champion Hurdle in the hands of Willie Robinson. 

That Southwell contest was the last time Alex rode Most Unusual. Leading amateur John Lawrence (later to become Lord Oaksey) became his regular partner when he was switched to fences the following season, winning twice and being placed five times. In fact, Mr Lawrence rode practically all Bill Ransom’s runners from thereon. 

Alex rode for the last time at Market Rasen on Easter Monday, April 15, 1963, falling on another of Ransom’s horses, Wild Silk, in the Legsby Maiden Chase.  

Alex Gilchrist’s winners were:

1. Brooksby Lad, Worcester, December 7, 1957 

2. Brooksby Lad, Uttoxeter, April 8, 1958

3. Eastern Hope, Huntingdon, December 26, 1958 

4. Most Unusual, Market Rasen, April 18, 1960

5. Most Unusual, Birmingham, January 14, 1961

6. Most Unusual, Uttoxeter, April 3, 1961

7. Most Unusual, West Norfolk Hunt (Fakenham), May 22, 1961