Born in Ireland on November 26, 1920, Kevin Gilsenan rode over jumps for 25 years and took part in three consecutive post-war Grand Nationals, finishing eighth in 1948.
Kevin began his career in his homeland in the late 1930s, riding for trainer Roderick More O’Ferrall, and rode one of his first winners on George Dandin in the Killester Maiden Hurdle over a mile and a half at Baldoyle on February 3, 1940. He won again on George Dandin over the same course and distance in July. He also won four races that year on More O’Ferrall’s handicap hurdler Senator, at Phoenix Park in May, Rathkeale in September and twice at Leopardstown in November, plus another victory at Leopardstown in October 1941.
Another decent handicap hurdler Kevin rode was Point d’Atout, who conceded lumps of weight to 20 rivals when winning at Nass in November 1943 and then followed up at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
He won twice on King of the Jungle at Leopardstown and Baldoyle in March 1945, by which time National Hunt racing had resumed in Britain, albeit on a
limited basis. Kevin crossed the Irish Sea that summer and joined Lewes trainer Tom Masson, for whom he rode his first British winner on Tribune in the Barnham Handicap Chase at Fontwell Park on October 25, 1945. Tribune also formed the second leg of a double, initiated by Masson’s selling hurdler Midnight Blue, left, at Fontwell on February 9, 1946. He won another small race on Tribune at Plumpton in October that year and also rode him in the 1947 Grand National but failed to get round on that occasion. The previous day he’d had the misfortune of falling at the last fence in the Becher Chase when disputing the lead on Vol Au Vent II.
He enjoyed a lucrative 1947/48 campaign, riding winners for various Lewes-based trainers, including Masson. Kevin also won a couple of two-mile handicap chases on Vol Au Vent II for Russley Park trainer Tom Yates and rode Yates’s 100/1 outsider Maltese Wanderer in the 1948 Grand National, completing the course in a highly creditable eighth place behind Sheila’s Cottage, having jumped well throughout. He rode the fancied 18/1 shot Cloncarrig in the 1949 race but fell at the fence after Becher’s on the first circuit.
Three of Kevin’s five-winner haul for 1949/50 came on a two-mile chaser named Waistcoat, right, while Lewes trainer Tom Gates supplied his sole success of 50/51 in selling chaser Trapani at Plumpton on Easter Monday. There were none at all to show for 51/52.
Elmstead, Kent trainer Ted Long was responsible for ending Kevin’s 22-month drought without a winner when novice chaser Edgecliff won at Kempton on January 24, 1953. Long also supplied Kevin’s three other winners that season. Kevin then had to endure another blank campaign before Long again came to the rescue with a comeback winner on selling hurdler St Blazey at Wye on October 18, 1955.
Three of Kevin’s four wins in 1955/56 came courtesy of staying chaser Lancella, including when finishing alone in a three-horse raced at Wincanton. He won on him over the same course and distance in October 1956, and at Plumpton on March 24, 1958, when forming the first leg of a double completed by Pipe Band in the last race.
As the 1950s moved into the 1960s, Kevin’s winning opportunities declined. There was just one to show for the 59/60 campaign, namely selling hurdler Zai Pet at Southwell.
He rode what were to be his last two winners during the 1960/61 season. The first of those was on Florio in a Fontwell selling hurdle on September 13, 1960; the last was on novice chaser Warrior’s Sword at Plumpton on Easter Monday, April 3, 1961. He continued to hold a licence until the 1963/64 season before hanging up his boots, bring to an end a long career in which he had ridden more than 60 winners.
Kevin Gilsenan died in Haywards Heath in May 1986, aged 65.