And they're off - Retired Surrey Jockey rides at Newbury!
When Richard Morris lines up at the start at Newbury this Thursday 6 November -it will be his first outing on the racecourse for twenty years. Richard gave up a career as a jockey to retrain as an equine dentist, but he has returning to racing on the flat to raise money for charity.
Richard said:
My last race was at Musselborough when I was riding a horse called Snails Castle, we finished 4th at odds of 100-1! Some might say that the odds of me getting back on a racehorse would be even longer!But the offer to ride in a charity race for the British Horse Society was too much of a temptation so next Thursday November 6th I will ride again!”
Richard lives with his family on the Sussex/Surrey border at Godstone, where they have their own horses. Richard’s mount for the Newbury Race is Joycean Way – a 4-year-old bay gelding from Cisswood Racing Stables in Horsham.
Richard added:
“I have put in a huge amount of training, but this wouldn’t be possible without the support of Gary and Josh Moore who are lending me one of their racehorses for the day. With their help I will be raising funds for the British Horse Society. As a horse owner I recognise the importance of what they do – from ensuring that every horse is protected and respected to campaigning for safer roads to ride on.”
The BHS Race over a mile on the flat will feature former jockeys and other amateur riders who have all pledged to raise £3k for the charity. Richard has been sponsored by Lynch Equestrian and Nibbleze Hay nets to whom he is most grateful. He also has a Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/richard-morris-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA
Richard said: “Joycean Way and I have done the hard work – now it’s all about raceday and I can’t wait to get back in the saddle.”
Notes
The British Horse Society is a charity that works for horses and the people that love them. The BHS exists to change lives through the power of horses. They protect and promote the interests of all horses and those who care about them, including the 3.5 million people in the UK who ride of drive a horse drawn carriage. www.bhs.org.uk