Richard Wilding

Richard Wilding

Article by Alan Trout 

Richard Wilding rode 13 winners as an amateur before turning professional at the start of the 1977/78 season and adding a dozen more. 

Born on September 23, 1957, his first ride was at Wolverhampton on November 24, 1973, when Black Shadow was always in the rear in the Victoria Selling Handicap Hurdle. It was almost two years before he had his first success, but it eventually came at Haydock Park on October 16, 1975 with a one-length victory on Space Boy in the Spruce Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle. The six-year-old prevailed after a prolonged duel with Destiny Hill, ridden by Sam Morshead, another amateur who would go on to do far better than Richard in the professional ranks. 

Two days later came another success, this time on Marsh Hey in the Fenns Bank Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2) at Bangor-on-Dee, the first of three wins he had on the four-year-old before the season ended. 

Richard turned professional in the summer of 1977 and continued to win occasionally without making a significant breakthrough. He rode eight winners during the 1977/78 season, bookending it with a brace of bank holiday weekend doubles at Cartmel on horses trained by Michael Chapman.

His final win came at Southwell on May 5, 1980, when Author’s Daughter scored by 20 lengths in the Miners’ Welfare Maiden Chase. The seven-year-old was trained by Bob Morris at Powys and had shown little form that season with just one fourth place from seven starts. 

Richard’s final ride was at Bangor-on-Dee on March 27, 1982, when Silver Lane was unplaced in the Penley Novices’ Hurdle (Division 2). 

Richard Wilding’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Space Boy, Haydock Park, October 16, 1975 

2. Marsh Hery, Bangor-on-Dee, October 18, 1975

3. Soshezmine, Ludlow, October 29, 1975

4. Marsh Hey, Warwick, December 15, 1975

5. Parnasus, Bangor-on-Dee, March 27, 1976

6. Marsh Hey, Uttoxeter, May 31, 1976

7. Soshezmine, Bangor-on-Dee, August 21, 1976

8. Paradise Flight, Cartmel, August 28, 1976

9. Mac’s Birthday, Newton Abbot, September 29, 1976

10. Monte Ceco, Catterick Bridge, December 18, 1976

11. Viking Spirit, Newton Abbot, April 9, 1977

12. Le Beaudrier, Newton Abbot, April 9, 1977

13. Wild Chorus, Ludlow, May 12, 1977

14. Merry Boy, Bangor-on-Dee, August 20, 1977

15. William The Red, Cartmel, August 27, 1977

16. Merry Boy, Cartmel, August 27, 1977

17. Lovejoy, Southwell, March 25, 1978

18. Royal Budget, Bangor-on-Dee, April 15, 1978

19. Dutch Martyr, Ludlow, May 25, 1978

20. Paradise Flight, Cartmel, May 27, 1978

21. Polo Boy, Cartmel, May 27, 1978

22. Lovejoy, Wolverhampton, November 27, 1978 (walkover)

23. Lilac Lane, Cartmel, August 25, 1979

24. Woe, Cartmel, August 27, 1979

25. Author’s Daughter, Southwell, May 5, 1980