Ashley Richards

Ashley Richards

1918-1985

Article by Alan Trout

Although Ashley Ernest Richards held a licence to ride on the Flat shortly after the Second World War, his only two victories came under National Hunt rules in the mid-1950s.

Born in 1918, his first ride over jumps was when finishing fifth of eight runners on Vengeful in the Tilburstow Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield Park on March 1, 1952, having led for a mile of the two and three-quarter-mile trip.

More than two years elapsed before he gained his first victory, at Plumpton on Easter Saturday, April 17, 1954, when taking the lead at the last flight on Golden Knot and going on to win the Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle by two lengths from Basil Foster’s mount Danger Light. Ashley had ridden the six-year-old in all his six previous starts that season but the best they had achieved was one second-place finish. Two days later at the same course, the pair again finished second, beaten eight lengths by Bill Rees on Athelney in the Easter Handicap Hurdle. 

Ashley then took out a trainer’s licence, based at Rise Stables, Southover, near Lewes, and it was on one of his horses that he had his second win when, back at Plumpton, Rigolo II landed the Ardingly Selling Handicap Hurdle on February 2, 1955. It was the eight-year-old’s first win since May 1951 and his first outing for over eight months, but he beat Alan Oughton on Burnished by half a length. 

Unfortunately, five subsequent starts proved disappointing, with Rigolo II being pulled up in three of them. 

Ashley’s last ride was at Wye on April 18, 1955, when Seasons Glory trailed home eighth of nine finishers in the Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2). He relinquished both his trainer’s licence and jockey’s licence at the end of that season.. 

Ashley Richards died in 1985.