Richard Pitman
Richard Thomas Pitman (born 21 January 1943) is a retired British jump jockey who rode 427 winners in his career, including Lanzarote in the 1974 Champion Hurdle. He won the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse twice, the Whitbread Gold Cup once and the Hennessy Gold Cup once.
| Richard Pitman | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey (retired) and horse racing commentator with the BBC (retired) |
| Born | 21 January 1943 |
| Career wins | 427 |
| Major racing wins | |
| 1970 Whitbread Gold Cup 1972 Hennessy Gold Cup 1972 Gainsborough Chase 1972 Galloway Braes Novices' Chase 1972 King George VI Chase 1973 King George VI Chase 1974 Champion Hurdle | |
| Significant horses | |
| Lanzarote Pendil Crisp | |
Pitman is also remembered for coming a close second in the 1973 Grand National on Crisp to Red Rum ridden by Brian Fletcher.
He joined the BBC TV racing team in 1975. As an author, he has written seven racing novels and five non-fiction books. He was married to Jenny Pitman; they divorced in 1977. Their son, Mark, was also a jockey - his most notable success being a famous victory in the 1991 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Garrison Savannah, a horse trained by Jenny Pitman. Mark became a trainer in his own right upon his retirement.
Bibliography
Pitman has written many books on the subject of horse racing. All have been co-authored with Joe McNally apart from Fit for a Queen and Good Horses Make Good Jockeys, including:
- Warned Off (The Eddie Malloy Series Book 1) 978-0340562918
- Hunted (The Eddie Malloy Series Book 2) 978-0340586440
- Blood Ties (The Eddie Malloy Series Book 3) 978-1490315645
- Running Scared (The Eddie Malloy Series Book 4) 978-1489558015
- The Third Degree (The Eddie Malloy Series Book 5) 978-0340695043
- Bet Your Life 978-0750524452
- Joseph’s Mansions 978-0006514503
- Pitman, Richard (1995). Fit for a Queen. ISBN 978-1874645214.
- Pitman, Richard (1976). Good Horses Make Good Jockeys. ISBN 978-0720709117.