Kevin Gray
Kevin Gray was a northern-based National Hunt jockey who rode about 60 winners before his career was ended by a fall at Teesside Park (Stockton) in 1979 when in his early 20s. He rode winners for trainers Steve Norton, Jack Berry, Ken Hogg, Victor Thompson and David Barron among others.
Kevin Gray was a northern-based National Hunt jockey who rode about 60 winners before his career was ended by a fall at Teesside Park (Stockton) in 1979 when in his early 20s. He rode winners for trainers Steve Norton, Jack Berry, Ken Hogg, Victor Thompson and David Barron among others.
He started out as an amateur, aged 16, based with Barnsley trainer Steve Norton and rode his first winner on Valse, owned and trained by Norton, in division one the Swiftholm Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on 12 December 1973. He followed that with victory on Norton’s handicap hurdler Nerak at Market Rasen on Boxing Day.
He started out as an amateur, aged 16, based with Barnsley trainer Steve Norton and rode his first winner on Valse, owned and trained by Norton, in division one the Swiftholm Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on 12 December 1973. He followed that with victory on Norton’s handicap hurdler Nerak at Market Rasen on Boxing Day.
Kevin rode nine winners during that first season, his most notable successes coming on another of Norton’s owner-trained horses, Silkstone, on whom he won the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton in February and Huntingdon’s Lord Protector Handicap Hurdle in April.
Kevin rode nine winners during that first season, his most notable successes coming on another of Norton’s owner-trained horses, Silkstone, on whom he won the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton in February and Huntingdon’s Lord Protector Handicap Hurdle in April.
The 1974/75 campaign produced 13 wins, several of them for Jack Berry. They included handicap hurdler Europleasure at Southwell in August, handicap chaser Canonbie Key at Sedgefield in October, and novice hurdler Red Earl at Carlisle in October and Sedgefield in January. However, the best horse he rode that term was Forest King, owned and trained by Ken Hogg at Penrith. Kevin won four hurdle races on him, scoring at Leicester in December, Catterick and Teesside Park in February, and rounding off with Carlisle’s Durdar Handicap Hurdle on Easter Monday, 31 March.
The 1974/75 campaign produced 13 wins, several of them for Jack Berry. They included handicap hurdler Europleasure at Southwell in August, handicap chaser Canonbie Key at Sedgefield in October, and novice hurdler Red Earl at Carlisle in October and Sedgefield in January. However, the best horse he rode that term was Forest King, owned and trained by Ken Hogg at Penrith. Kevin won four hurdle races on him, scoring at Leicester in December, Catterick and Teesside Park in February, and rounding off with Carlisle’s Durdar Handicap Hurdle on Easter Monday, 31 March.
He ended that 1974/75 season with victories on both days of Hexham’s Whitsun fixture aboard the Victor Thompson-trained Triple Pledge, landing the Adam Scott Memorial Hunters’ Chase on the Saturday and the Spittal Novices’ Handicap Chase on Bank Holiday Monday.
He ended that 1974/75 season with victories on both days of Hexham’s Whitsun fixture aboard the Victor Thompson-trained Triple Pledge, landing the Adam Scott Memorial Hunters’ Chase on the Saturday and the Spittal Novices’ Handicap Chase on Bank Holiday Monday.
Encouraged by his success as an amateur, Kevin joined the professional ranks at the beginning of the 1975/76 and got off to a perfect start when winning a two-mile opportunity handicap chase on Victor Thompson’s Indian Trout on the second day of Market Rasen’s season-opening fixture on 4 August. However, it turned out to be a low-key campaign with just eight wins, the last of which came on Jack Berry’s selling chaser Sonnet at Huntingdon on Whit Monday, 31 May.
Encouraged by his success as an amateur, Kevin joined the professional ranks at the beginning of the 1975/76 and got off to a perfect start when winning a two-mile opportunity handicap chase on Victor Thompson’s Indian Trout on the second day of Market Rasen’s season-opening fixture on 4 August. However, it turned out to be a low-key campaign with just eight wins, the last of which came on Jack Berry’s selling chaser Sonnet at Huntingdon on Whit Monday, 31 May.
He fared better in the 1976/77 season with 11 wins, including a New Year’s Day success on the Berry-trained Bold Warrior in a two-mile handicap chase at Catterick. He won twice on David Barron’s novice hurdler Mr Resistor, at Kelso in March and Southwell in May, and won on another Barron-trained novice hurdler, Mary McQuaker, at Cartmel’s Whitsun meeting.
He fared better in the 1976/77 season with 11 wins, including a New Year’s Day success on the Berry-trained Bold Warrior in a two-mile handicap chase at Catterick. He won twice on David Barron’s novice hurdler Mr Resistor, at Kelso in March and Southwell in May, and won on another Barron-trained novice hurdler, Mary McQuaker, at Cartmel’s Whitsun meeting.
He continued to boot home winners during the next two seasons and had ridden six in the 1978/79 campaign, the most recent on Prairie Master for Tarporley, Cheshire trainer Ray Peacock in a Sedgefield selling chase on 7 November, when a cold snap of snow and frost struck on New Year’s Day and wiped out almost all jump meetings in the north for the next six weeks.
He continued to boot home winners during the next two seasons and had ridden six in the 1978/79 campaign, the most recent on Prairie Master for Tarporley, Cheshire trainer Ray Peacock in a Sedgefield selling chase on 7 November, when a cold snap of snow and frost struck on New Year’s Day and wiped out almost all jump meetings in the north for the next six weeks.
When the severe weather finally relented, one of the first northern fixtures took place at Teesside Park on 23 February 1979. It was on that day that Kevin’s career came to an abrupt end in a novice hurdle when his mount, the unfortunately-named My Best Friend, fell at the first when in the lead and Kevin was trampled on by several of the 23 runners. He suffered a broken back, spent the next twelve months in and out of hospital undergoing treatment and was warned he may never ride again.
When the severe weather finally relented, one of the first northern fixtures took place at Teesside Park on 23 February 1979. It was on that day that Kevin’s career came to an abrupt end in a novice hurdle when his mount, the unfortunately-named My Best Friend, fell at the first when in the lead and Kevin was trampled on by several of the 23 runners. He suffered a broken back, spent the next twelve months in and out of hospital undergoing treatment and was warned he may never ride again.
His career at an end, the Doncaster-based former jockey landed a job as the Northern representative for Convital, a company specialising in horse vitamins and minerals, which entailed visiting training yards throughout the region. Eventually, Kevin started riding out work at weekends for Doncaster trainer Ron Thompson.
His career at an end, the Doncaster-based former jockey landed a job as the Northern representative for Convital, a company specialising in horse vitamins and minerals, which entailed visiting training yards throughout the region. Eventually, Kevin started riding out work at weekends for Doncaster trainer Ron Thompson.
He also met Manchester-based horse handler Alex Kirkham, who competed in Arab Horse Society races, which promptly sparked off Kevin’s interest. A recent change in the rules had allowed riders who had formerly held a professional licence under Jockey Club rules, but had not ridden professionally for at least five years, to compete in Arab racing. Hence, in 1986, seven years after his career-ending fall at Teesside Park, Kevin, still only 28, was finally back in the saddle, riding in Arab races.
He also met Manchester-based horse handler Alex Kirkham, who competed in Arab Horse Society races, which promptly sparked off Kevin’s interest. A recent change in the rules had allowed riders who had formerly held a professional licence under Jockey Club rules, but had not ridden professionally for at least five years, to compete in Arab racing. Hence, in 1986, seven years after his career-ending fall at Teesside Park, Kevin, still only 28, was finally back in the saddle, riding in Arab races.