Ken Gethin

1911 - 1989

Kenneth Alfred Gethin, born in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, was born on May 2, 1911, and - apprenticed to Stanley Wootton at Epsom -gained his first big win on Blue Vision in the 1931 Northumberland Plate (whilst riding for Ivor Anthony's stable). He further emphasized his talent with a win on Venturer in the next year's Great Jubilee Handicap at Kempton.

 After the war, Gethin rode Petition to victory in the Eclipse Stakes and Victoria Cup, both in 1948.

 He had his best run of winners in the latter part of his career.

His sole classic win came aboard Zabara in the 1952 One Thousand Guineas.

In the same year, he  won the Cambridgeshire on Richer, trained by Staff Ingham for whom he also won the 1953 Cesarewitch on the heavily-backed Chantry.

Other notable wins included the 1953 Dewhurst Stakes (Infatuation) and the 1953 Victoria Cup (Orgoglio).

His best season, numerically, came in 1947 with 81 winners.

He married 'Boo', the daughter of Epsom trainer Peter Thrale and retired from the saddle in 1960.

His last big race success was on Operatic Society in the Manchester November Handicap of 1959.

He then took up training, with moderate success.

Ken broke his back while serving with the Army during World War Two. He was knocked down by a service lorry and was so seriously injured that he was advised that he may not be able to ride again. However, a brilliant bone-grafting operation proved completely successful.

 Ken died at Ashstead Hospital on Saturday, 7 October, 1989. He was 78.

His funeral took place on Thursday, 12 October, 1989, at Randall's Park Crematorium, Leatherhead, at 2.30 pm.

Ken's son, Peter, became a racing driver and, 1971, won the Italian Grand Prix at the then fastest-ever average speed of 151.634 mph.

Classic winner

One Thousand Guineas: Zabara (1952)

Other big winners

1931: Northumberland Plate – Blue Vision 

1932: Great Jubilee Handicap - Venturer

1937: Manchester Cup – Petit Blue 

1947: Dee Stakes – Maray 

1947: City of Birmingham Cup – Early Harvest 

1947: Chesterfield Cup – Avignon 

1947: Princess Royal Stakes – Mombasa 

1948: Victoria Cup – Petition

1948: Great Jubilee Handicap – Royal Tara 

1948: Eclipse Stakes – Petition 

1948: Chesterfield Cup – Royal Tara

1949: New (Norfolk) Stakes – Master Gunner

1950: Midlands Cambridgeshire – Valdeso

1951: Royal Lodge Stakes – Khor-Mousa 

1952: Lingfield Oaks Trial – Zabara 

1952: Coronation Stakes – Zabara 

1952: Cambridgeshire Handicap – Richer 

1953: Victoria Cup – Orgoglio 

1953: Zetland Gold Cup – H.V.C. 

1953: Cesarewitch Handicap – Chantry 

1953: Dewhurst Stakes – Infatuation 

1954: Thirsk Classic Trial – Umberto 

1954: Dee Stakes – Cloonroughan 

1954: Eclipse Stakes – King of the Tudors

1954: Yorkshire Oaks – Feevagh 

1956: Victoria Cup – Coronation Year 

1956: Ormonde Stakes – Stephanotis 

1957: Lowther Stakes – Liberal Lady 

1959: Manchester November Handicap – Operatic Society 

In India

1952: Indian Derby – Martial Law 

I am advised by Jockepedia reader Giri Gopal that the Indian Derby won by Ken in 1952 was run at Bombay, not Calcutta.

My sincere thanks to Giri.