Harry Richards

Harry Richards

Article by Alan Trout

Although Harry Richards had rides on the Flat for almost a decade, his only wins came under National Hunt rules, eight in all, between 1922 and 1927. 

Apprenticed to Sugden Armitage, he had his first ride in public at Lewes on June 9, 1913, when Southern Cross finished fifth of 15 runners in the Beacon Selling Handicap. He rode on the Flat until 1915, resumed in 1921, and the following year took out a jump jockey’s licence, having his ride in that sphere when unplaced on Pabulum, trained by Bertie Bullock, in the Rudyard Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on May 9, 1922.

Six days later Harry and Pabulum finished second, beaten six lengths, in the Stewards’ Handicap Hurdle at Colwall Park. Two weeks after that the combination went one better when landing the Moderate Handicap Hurdle at Shirley Park, scoring by three lengths to give Harry the first win of his career. 

Harry and Pabulum appeared to have struck again when first past the post in the Ludlow Handicap Hurdle at that Shropshire venue on October 12, but for a while he was back to one win because Aubrey Harings (who had won the 1906 Grand National as an amateur rider) objected to the winner on behalf of the runner-up, alleging that Pabulum had run at illegal or unrecognised meetings. Initially Pabulum was disqualified but, after further evidence had been produced contradicting the allegation, he was duly reinstated.

Harry rode three more winners in the next two years, one of them a walkover, but then went for two and a half years without another, although he did not hold a licence for the 1925/26 campaign. Three wins in three weeks toward the end of the 1926/27 season may have indicated a degree of progress, but the third of them, Aubretia, trained by Max Barthropp, in the Southwell Handicap Hurdle at that course on May 27, 1927, proved to be his last. 

He continued to hold a licence until the 1931/32 season, his last ride being on Twinkler, sixth of nine finishers in the Hockerton Selling Handicap Hurdle at Southwell on October 26, 1931. 

Harry Richards’ winners were, in chronological order:

1. Pabulum, Shirley Park, May 29, 1922

2. Pabulum, Ludlow, October 12, 1922

3. Bed Rock, Carlisle, April 2, 1923

4. Chuck A Penny, Nottingham, January 29, 1924

5. Carantuohil, Monmouth, October 27, 1924 (walkover)

6. Tangerine IV, Glamorgan Hunt, April 30, 1927

7. Aubretia, Oswestry & Llanymynech, May 7, 1927

8. Aubretia, Southwell, May 21, 1927